I'm wondering what the max wind is that you'd fly a spinnaker in. Also, are there any concerns in higher wind about stress on the rigging (especially the bow eyes), and is there anything to do to "soften" such stress? Just looking for ideas to not break anything! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

had my kite up in a good F6 and it was exciting = however I did chicken out and drop it before I gybed <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The old saying, you know when it is too windy for the Spinnaker, If your spinnaker is up and God takes it down, then it is too windy.

Since i literally just got my spin rigged yesterday, and I sail solo, max wind for me right now is about 10mph. Yesterday, during my test runs with the spin 7-8 was enough to fly a hull when I wanted to.

Don't be too scared of it. Just remember "if you FEEL in any kind of trouble, just bear off".

But it is best to move up in increments.

What boats are you both sailing ?

I sail a Nacra 5.2 with an Inter17 spin rig on it.

When the boat breaks something, then its too windy. If not, then you are fine.

Check out the Alter Cup pictures on http://www.floridamultihullsailor.com

They were flying the kites in 20+ knots, nothing broke.

Since my boat wasn't designed for a spin, I figure I will take it pretty easy.

I'm sailing a Trac 14 and experimenting with the spin rig. I've actually just arranged a "hooter" of sorts and want to try it out this week. I now have two different sails to experiment with, and I'm looking forward to the fun...

Oh, you are messing with a bigger can of worms than I am!
My 5.2 looks alot like the more modern boats and I have seen others who run the same rig I do.

You on the other hand...has anyone ever rigged a boat like you are doing? I saw a trac 14 once, pretty close to a hobie 14 just with more floatation right? I guess you will have a good time.

I sailed my FX One in 18+ a few times this summer. On a 26 mile distance race, 13 mile down wind. Started the run down wind at about 15 kt of wind and peaked to 20 kt.

Quite the ride the boat just flew, never had a problem with hangling. I didn't push it too hard though, crossed alot of shiping channel.

Long runs like that help in getting used to a boat. Just time on the water.

With experience, I got so I was comfortable under spin on the SC20 up to 20 kts of wind. It was really more controlable/less twitchy going downwind than upwind in these windspeeds.

Dave

Just my two cents.....

I was sailng in Charleston Harbor with our friend Super Jake. I don't know the true wind speed, but IT WAS BLOWIN'. Before racing began all the cats were out getting ready. Not too many spinnakers going up, certainly not ours. We had a 1/2 pitchpole (burying one bow) that we nearly saved, however we did not. Rich Harper put up his spin, and I remember him telling me that it gave him more control, and he felt more relaxed with it up.

These were f-18's, and I guess what I learned is that the spin can help in high winds, as the bows lift a little helping to prevent a violent pitchpole.

At the end of the day I had cracked ribs, Jake had nearly collected the insurance on a second boat and Rick stayed upright.

Not sure what that means but is still very clear to me.

As long as you can manage to go from upwind to downwind without capsizing, I think you are OK to pull the spi up. You can always stall out downwind by heading downwind. But going from upwind to downwind is the real issue in my opinion.

Gree, yes the Trac 14 has more floatation than the Hobie 14. It is currently produced in Australia as the Windrush 14--same hulls, fittings, etc., and they're experimenting with a spin on it as well. I think someone has added a hooter to it before, too, although I'm kinda on my own at the moment.

I've flown the spinnaker on the Tiger a few times in mid to high 20s, with gusts up to 30 knots. At this point you have the boards pulled half way up and are sailing deep and not trying to fly a hull. It feels reasonably controllable - I feel more scared when trying to turn down wind in those conditions.

I think the stress on the rig is less under those conditions than when you reach double trapped with a spinnaker.
Chris.

Well, you are already on your way if you have the sails already.
As I said before I just tried out the spin for the first time on Saturday. Let me tell you it really adds something to the boat. The wind was very light and normally the boat would have been a dog downwind. But when I pulled that spin up it took off.

Are you going with a snuffer system?

I genreally stop sailing between 22 and 25 knots average depending weather wetaher it is a gusty Southerly or Westerly or a constant sea breeze.

Whilst on the water, we do not shy away from the kite as I feel it steadies the boat more and makes it easier to gybe in big breeze.

Max wind I have raced with the kite is 36 knots average, gusting 42 (Recorded at the airport) on the Tornado. We held the kite for all 3 laps and went for a big swim whilst coming out of a gybe on the last lap. I became trapped under the boat and seriously thought I was going to drown. I am a little smarter from that experience and will abandon racing again if it ever reached those limits again.

My experience is that seastate is alot more important in deciding whether to fly the spi then windspeed. I sail solo and I make a point of pulling my spinnaker in any windspeed. My boat is more controllable downwind with a spi then without. Last August I finally encounter conditions were I couldn't fly it properly and I flipped it several times in row. The main problem were the very tall, steep and fast moving waves. That and a set of rudders that just stall too easily. Wind was a force 5 with gusts to 7 (20-28 knots). Other then that I have always been succesful with the hoisted spi in a blow.

Spinnakers don't add much stress to your boat. They most stress out your mast top if you don't know what you are doing with your mainsheet.

Hooter are a different matter. They can stress up your hulls significantly more.

Wouter