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Hi could anyone give me some info on the best way to rig the spinni I am not sure as I have just bought the boat, also is there anyway to have it on a furler thanks
Ian

Generally chutes can't be roller furled because of thier shape. Rigging Depends and whether you are using a symetrical or Asymetrical. Are you starting from scratch as far as rigging/hardware? Suggest get a copy of Sailpower by Wallace Ross if you are going with symetrical chute. Asymetrical is easier to rig and launch. I have oversize 525 sq ft symetrical on Freedom. I can spell out the entire list of stuff you'll need, just let me or one of the other knowlegable folks on this sight know and we'll help. Fair winds and full sails...Old Salt..

I haven't tried to fly my spinnaker yet. The rigging the previous owner used was for an asymmetrical spinnaker but I believe mine is symmetrical. I laid the chute out and it looked symmetrical. I then took the two clews and brought them together, folding the sail in half. Both sides seemed to match and the "37" numbering was in crossing the fold. Is it that simple to tell if it's symmetrical?

thanks,
Steve

I added a second mast hound about 18 inches above the jib hound for my asymmetric so there would be clearance for the sock. Also gets the bottom of the asymmetric a bit higher, for better visibility. I added a sheave on the stem fitting for an adjustable tack line led back to the cockpit, and use the genoa blocks for the sheet. My boat is as far from a racing boat as you can get, so fine tuning particulars above and beyond that don't really interest me.

Yours sounds like a symmetric spinnaker, which needs a bit more rigging (including a pole), so this is where I get off the bus.

Speaking of Spinnakers, which I am looking to purchase.
I came across the Doyle Utility Power Sail (UPS)
Which claims to be "the link between a headsail and a spinnaker."
Apparently it CAN be furled.

Opinions?

Any Mac owners have experience with it?

"Sub" Ed

Laika 26X wrote:Speaking of Spinnakers, which I am looking to purchase.
I came across the Doyle Utility Power Sail (UPS)
Which claims to be "the link between a headsail and a spinnaker."
Apparently it CAN be furled.

Opinions?

Any Mac owners have experience with it?

"Sub" Ed

I believe that's Doyle's trade name for a "Code Zero". Every sailmaker makes Code 0's but Doyle likes to use their own marketing terms. Other names for the code zero are G-0 (north), spanker, blaster, etc.

Google "Code zero spinnaker." A Code 0 is the most upwind-capable of the asymmetric spinnakers. It's a very specialized sail -- a tight-reacher for use in very light air. It's designed for apparent wind angles above a reach, even as high as 40 degrees apparent. If the wind is very strong, it can sail downwind too but it's not a good downwind sail in light winds. A cruising chute or a code 1 or code 2 is a better downwind and reaching sail.

PHRF racers like them for light air, upwind work. They're bigger in area than a genoa, but under racing rules, classified as a spinnaker. So there's no rating penalty.

A code zero comes with it's own high tech rope luff, and it has a very straight luff, so it can be furled on a furler specially designed for code zeros. It isn't compatible with a regular furler, which has a luff extrusion. You deploy the sail like any asymmetric, but this one has its own furler on the bottom. You don't need a sleeve.

They tend to be expensive compared to a drifter or an asymm. It has a very fancy light weight rope for a luff. You need to buy a separate, specially designed furler for it. If you're going to use it for racing, you'd want to use a very light weight cloth that's very, very strong for its weight (and that's expensive). Racing Code 0's are pretty fragile. For cruisers, we'd use something a little heavier but strong enough, and less expensive.

Here's a link to our brochure, so you can see the difference in shape between a code 0 and a cruising chute (aka gennaker)
http://www.hydesails.us/docs/VR%20Gennaker.pdf.

Fair winds,
Judy B

Check out my Youtube vid to see very simple rigging and flying of an a-sail on my 1998 MacX.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OxykDlvc1M

An A-sail is easy to handle and a lot of fun in light air.