I had 6mm Samson XLS, but switched to 4 mm. i think it may be to thin as it flies through the spinlock so fast and drops the spin into the water before i can pull it in the sock...

anyone have any suggestions to help slow down the line a little (besides get bigger line). I would hate to have bought 90' of line and not be able to use it.

Cheers,

Don't sail dead downwind when dropping - sail a little higher and the wind pressure will keep the sail full and from dropping while you douse.

Retrieve faster

Thanks Jake. i usually don't head dead down wind... and i will focus on trying that but as i recall last time i used it in decent air, it didn't help. this spin has allot of headboard on it and the weight of it drops it down.

Ahhhh... yes! Brilliant!

I have the spin colapsed and the retrieval line tight as my crew pops the halyard. So I pull in the first section then she takes over.

I sail solo... but i do pull the retrieval line in taught before i pop the spinlock... what do you mean you have it collapsed before you pop the halyard (in the water?)

If your halyard is a contious line with your retrieval line and it is not too long, it should be impossible for the sail to hit the wet stuff.

What my buddies are doing w/ a snuffer Spin is ... first before the release of the spin halyard the helm has hold of the spin halyard line w/ slack in it so the crew can release the spin halyard ....after the crew releases the spin halyard and starts pulling on the retrieval/snuffer line the helm controlls the speed of the halyard line passing through their hands, therefore controlling the speed of the spin drop. The trick is getting a balance between the rate the crew is able to snuff the spin and tension the helm puts on the halyard. The helm only needs to hold on to the spin halyard for a few seconds ... then must turn their attention to the mark rounding w/ the sheeting in of the traveler and main and steering the boat.

At least that is how we have been doing it when I crew for one of my friends ...

Note, that you must do a spin retrieval this why if the spin is "Bag Launched" or else you will put the spin into the water ... a self tacking jib really simplifies things ..... for both a snuffer and bag launched ...

Question: What are you doing w/ the spin halyard before the drop??? most of my friends toss it astern and let it drag in the water this adds some tension also because of the friction of the water on the halyard


HarryMurphey
H18MAG/P19MX w/Spin

It is continuous, but you are correct.. it has slack. i purchased 90' and just trimmed some off sunday when i put the boat away ... but only about 3' as i want to make sure there is enough when the sail is full. I will continue to slowly crop off the excess till i get it perfect. perhaps that will help ... never thought of that.. thanks

I do appreciate all the input, but as i mentioned above, i sail solo (almost all the time)




That sounds good if you have 2 lines, or allot of slack...

my method is this:
pull in any slack from the retrieval end.... let out the tack a few feet.... pop the spinlock (halyard) and hand over hand, feverishly pull in the retrieval line before my boat turns upwind (no extra hands for the tiller)... and hope i don't get a turn in the line or knot ...

I think Jakes advice and getting the continuous line to the right length should help allot

You should not let the tack go until the spin is going in the bag.

Or you could run your spin halyard like mine, up the luff track and over the top. The added friction keeps it from just falling.

Try the "butt" cleat.

Mike, if all else fails i will try that.. Its not that i don't love your system (i do) and would love to have my spinhalyard in the track... I just wanted to avoid moving my spinlock to the base of my mast (as there is already a block mounted there for the mainhalyard) and wanted to avoid putting a double block in my mast head.... plus one more block bent over the top-front...

If all else fails and i do end up wanting to do that... i would have already trimmed my halyard/retrieval line all the way and would need a new sheet..... grrrrr

I use the same block (head-knocker) to hoist the main. Then I pull it out of the block and stow it. Depending on how you have your spin halyard run across your tramp you might have enough line still.

The problem is your halyard slack length. The way to set it correctly is to hoist your sail on land with little to no wind...ideally, just enough to hold some shape in the sail when sheets are fully eased out. The retrieval line should be a bit more than needed to prevent sail deformation. Check both gybes and mark your line. If you're scared to cut too much, take a few extra feet and make a tail at the top sail patch...bundle the tail up to make it neater. You can also do this at the sail head. Now you've got some fall back. Also useful as the line begins to wear at the cleat point...you can shift the cleat point by passing line from the bundle.

Also, never release the tack line before the sail is down and partially in the snuffer.

I'd like to hear more about the mast track setup...any links to pics?

Mike.

I agree with your diagnosis... and have already cut some back... i will cut more after i am sure i have the room to do so (and/or make a bundle as suggested). If the wind is right.. i will do your method on the beach... Thanks


i didnt totally release it.. i would let out a few feet and recleat it.. but i will try not letting any out !

He (catman) runs his spin halyard up the mast track (there is a small block at the mast base), over 1 sheave of a double block on the top of the mast (the other sheave is for the main halyard) across the top of the mast where he bent a cheek block (or similar) over the front part of the mast, and down to spin head block.

This is a continuous line so the other end is the retrieval... i don't know of any pics of this.. he may have some... but i can try to take some pics in the future on another Mystere that he showed how to run this way.

Andrew,

About the slack thing in with a continuous line, run the aft portion through a turning block, that is attached near the rear beam with a length of bungy.

Then, if the spin needs for line to keep from distorting the shaple of the lower part of the spin much, it 'draws' it out via the bungy on the truning block.

This also keeps the slack tidied up some on the tramp.

You may do this already however.

Todd, thanks for the input but the line is already running through 2 blocks and 1 ring on the tramp... I could add a bungee to it... but it would be more clutter... i truly think trimming the line will handle the issue.


(this is not my boat but same exact setup, only my tramp grommet is more forward... meaning more line on deck)