Anyone know an easy way?

I am sure i will get grief for posting here since yesterday i said i don't often flake my spin... but i have, and i do flake my jib... so here goes...

Get a helper....(it is possible solo, but easier with help)
lay the sail out as flat as you can.
start at the foot... and fold in 2.5' - 3' sections on top of each other (accordion style) till you get in to the head of the sail.

Thats about all there is to it...

Mine came flaked in a nice bag. Of course I didn't bother to take notes when first ripping into it! I've tried several different approaches, none fit the original, which I assume is the best way.

Until somebody tells me just why flaking the spi is going to extend its life, I'll not bother

I can only guess that if its flaked well (and tight) there are less "bends" in the fabric, and leads to less wear (and less creases) over the life of the spin.. but that is just a guess...

Take 3 sheets of paper.
Wad one up in a ball.
Fold one up, just like you would flake a spin.
Leave one sheet alone.
Now smooth the ball out and lay it on the unfolded paper.
Now smooth the flaked paper out on the unfolded paper.
Which piece smooths out closest to it's original size...
Do this 100 times, which piece falls apart first...

Man, that is a perfect example!!

That's kinda where I'm at. I stuff mine in a bag, its gotta be easier on it than pulling it into the snuffer when its being used. It does get stored hanging up in my basement though, but thats more to make sure its dry than anything.

I snuff my spi into a bundle about 10 times a racing day; why would not doing it once more at the end of the day into a very roomy bag make any difference ?

Typically, it goes into its bag as it sat in the snuffer. I use a small replacer line for the retrieval line and tie the corners together. This also allows me to hook it back on the boat much faster.

Wouter

This subject really isn't debate worthy. Either you think flaking has value or you don't. At the end of day it's your spin, time and checkbook.

Is this you trying to stop a debate?

Do we really need another Dill Baby Drill thread?

Well, FWIW, mine was always stored in the homebrew snuffer I had made for the low bow foil on a Nacra 6.0na.

When rigged, the end of the pole had a spectra line to each hull tip, which ended in a hole drilled thru the front of the bow.

I would undo one side of this bridle, so the whole pole with snuffer attached would get past the upright mast support on the front on the trailer near the tongue.

So my spin was stored, in the snuffer, with all lines except the halyard attached.
Which made for some great rigging and breaking down times!

It wasn't stuffed in, and it really wasn't folded either. It was out of the sunlight as my snuffer was a black plastic tube.

It was so nice just to attach the halyard to the head, and that's all there was to rigging the spin!

Flake Baby Flake - Tony the tiger says "There Greaaaaat"

I was told this example, but it went further than that...

Hold the 4 corners of the paper (you'll need a mate to help) and then drop a heavy ballbearing into the middle.

Does the crumpled one tear? Nope; does the folded one? Yes

IF you fold in the same place, you make certain points very weak because they are folded in the same (or similar) place many times. Stuffing it in the bag creates more folds, but they are smaller and more distributed and so the weakness is more spreadout.

Unless you have a problem with things flying into the middle of your spin I'm not sure how this is relevant. I think the point is to make a simple effort to keep the spin as crisp as possible.

But is it worth the 10 minutes extra packaging time, and the extra rigging time if flaked compared to the method Wouter described? Seems like the jury is still out on this one. I know what I will continue to do

Pete, I always just folded the spi along the foot first, then working up the length of it. Easy if there is no wind and two persons. Takes a bit longer if alone. Impossible without substantial effort if there is lots of wind.. Usually, I just stuff it in a large bag if it is dry. If it is wet, we hang it to dry in the boathouse THEN stuff it into the bag

The point is that flaking the sail makes less areas that are damaged/weak. But the areas that are damaged/wear are more damaged and so failure change is greater.

Hey Anyone need to buy a Spin. I know someone who makes a nice one at a good price. From the sound of this thread alot of people need one.

Apparently thats me! How much? what is it made from? Brand new? details, pics, etc
(PS i fly a Tornado sized spin)