Hello all,

So I'm a fairly raw beginner when it comes to cats. I have had some experience sailing on cats, 420's and keelboats but these all belonged to someone else. Last summer I bought a 2001 Nacra F18 and it's been great fun. Sailed it a few times last season under the main and jib only, just to get a feel for the boat. I had to replaced what I believe was the original spinnaker this year and have had the boat out several times with the spin up. It all seems to be working correctly, and I am blown away by the power.

When I have had the spin up it seems awfully hard to hand hold the spin sheet. I believe I have the sheet routed correctly. The two blocks that it goes through (per side) are ratcheting units and I think I've got them oriented correctly. I have only used it under relatively light winds, under 10 knots. In stronger winds I'm having trouble imagining hand holding it for long. My crew usually does this and his hands are suffering. Is this how it's usually done? Does anyone cleat this line?

There is a MKII infusion at my club and the dealer told him not to cleat this line under any circumstances. I'm guessing this is for safety, so you can drop it at the first sign of trouble.

All input appreciated.

Thanks, Duncan

Never cleat the spin sheet!

Make sure you are running the sheet through the auto rachet the correct way. If you run it through backward it does not help. You should be able to hold it easily in up to 20 knots.
On my boat I used a paint marker to mark the top of the blocks so when I take the sheet off it goes back the right way.

Nothing wrong with using a Butt-Cleat on long runs occasionally.

Thanks Rich, I will check this again before I go out again. I must have something wrong in my setup. it's good to know that it's not supposed to be that hard.

Duncan

Don, I have done this!! It never really holds very well though, which may be another clue that my setup is wrong. It's gotta be the setup, because there's plenty of mass there for holding power. 8^)

I'm gonna check it again, but I also have another question: Does everyone run a cleat on the spin halyard to lock it in the sock/snuffer? The fellow I bought my boat from did say that every now and then the wind had unexpectedly grabbed the head of the sail and pulled it out. My boat doesn't have this, but the newer infusion at my club does. Is this a worthwhile addition, or does it just make it a PITA to raise the sail? I always pull the head of the sail completely inside the sock so I'm not sure it matters.

I don't and I think most don't for the reason that you stated. The last thing you want is the snuffer line getting accidently cleated on the raise. Sometimes the head of the spin will start to sneak out on a long choppy upwind distance race but we just put a slip knot in the snuffer line at the snuffer block on the tramp.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks Dave, I won't bother cleating this line. Today I went out and took a look at the orientation of the spin sheet blocks - I think they are correct. However I did notice that the side blocks (which are the first ones the sheet runs through from the sail) don't seem to ratchet or lock at all. These are the ones on the hulls and they are supposed to be hexaratchets. The slightly larger blocks on the front beam are ratcheting perfectly. Are these hexaratchets working correctly? It seems unlikely that they would both be broken . . . but they do freewheel in both directions regardless of load.

As always, all input is appreciated.

Cheers, Duncan

Perhaps your ratchet is switched off?

Thanks Bobcat,

I just checked this and those blocks (on the hulls) don't seem to have a switch, although the main sheet block does. Maybe only the ones on the beam are meant to be fully ratcheting?

Thanks again, Duncan

that might be part of the issue, if you only have one ratchet you want it to be on the hulls. Early F18s only had the one turning block (a ratchet on the hull) but because the rope only turned 60-80 degrees through the ratchet and as such didn't help much. The fwd block is to make the sheet wrap right around the block and maximise the grip. If you have the ratchet on the front beam it has the same potential issue so swap them over and all your issues might be solved.

Thanks Scarecrow,

I'm a bit hesitant to start re-rigging - I believe my setup is correct. However I am curious whether these blocks are meant to fully ratchet. What does everyone else have? Are the hull mounted blocks meant to be fully ratcheting like the ones on the beam? The beam mounted blocks actually lock in one direction under load.

Cheers, Duncan

Duncan

Scarecrow is right. The rigging manual can be found at
http://www.goosemarine.com.au/_cont...ms%20nacra%20F18%20and%20Innter%20manual

Thanks Goose,

I do have that manual. Unfortunately, my boat has hexaratchets in both positions - it's just that the ones on the hulls don't really seem to ratchet. As soon as the wind cooperates I'll try sailing it again with the existing setup. If it's still monstrously difficult to hold I'll switch the ratcheting units to the hulls.

Cheers, Dunc

Some ratches have a small adjustment screw which can be used to set the resistance level, older ratching blocks have a small sliding switch to turn ratching on or off.
Maybe yours is set to only ratchet under a lot of load?
Do yours make that distinct ticking sound when you sheet in?
Normally the ones on the hull are ratches and the ones on the are "normal".

The rachets may need to be cleaned. Warm water and some time will work them back. Get them nice and wet and them roll them back and forth till they start working again.

Wow this is all great advice. I've examined these blocks pretty carefully and can't find any adjustment, but I'll definitely take another look. I've leaned on them very hard and not gotten any locking in either direction but they do seem to click in both directions. They are six 'sided' harken pulleys with a small red plastic insert on each side. And they do have a directional arrow. I am assuming they are meant to ratchet. I'll do my best to give them a good cleaning.

Thanks everyone for all the help, Duncan

If they are harken autoratches they will have a small hole in the sheeve. You do the adjustment using an allen wrench.

I've got double auto rachets on all my cats, and I think they really help keep the load managable in bigger winds.

Dave

In breeze up to 10 knots you should be fine if the outside blocks have the ratcheting enabled and the beam mounted blocks are disabled. Over 10 kts and you want both on, for most crews. When distance racing we run doublers to get 2:1 purchase for long spin runs-put a block on the sail and a hook on the shroud attachment point, run the sheet through the block and to the hook. Makes jibing a pain, again it is a setup for distance racing only.

Cleating a spin sheet is asking to go swimming.

Not totaly accurate. You just need to drive a little more conservatively. I've sailed SOLO all the way from Catalina Island to San Pedro Ca (Long Beach area) with my spin sheet wrapped around my windward daggerboard flying a hull the whole way. A cleat on the deck helps when the crew has to clear rudders and boards or anything else.

On N20's we always mounted a cleat on each side of the boom. The crew comes in to address something, and cleats the spin to the boom. Does his job, back on the wire, pops the sheet out.

Okay, so I think I've got a bit more information after taking the boat out today. The wind was 11+ knots, my crew was really struggling to sheet or even hold the spinnaker. I've gotta get this sorted out. I had to rush once we got the boat out of the water today. But I'll get out to the club one day this week and take off one of the hull mounted blocks. If I can't get it to ratchet I'll take it to the rigging shop and see if they can advise. Otherwise I'll just replace it. I want to thank everyone for all their help, and I have realized that the existing setup is definitely not working.

so, you check which ones are working each time you run the spin sheet through a block? Should be easy to sort out then (as well as if you've run any of them backwards)

Okay so - I think I've arrived at a solution. The (previously hull mounted) blocks that I thought were Harken were 40mm Ronstan units that definitely do not ratchet. I'm planning on moving the 57mm ratchamatics to the hull position and I've ordered a pair of 57mm carbo ratchamatics for the beam. This combination should make it much easier to sheet the spinnaker. I will report back on how well this works.

So today we were out in ~12knots with the spin and it was MUCH better. It was still a pain to sheet in under load (duh) but either of us could *hold* it with relative ease. I want to thank everyone here for all their assistance. The spinnaker has become a thing of pleasure (and power) again.

I think it is best to have both ratcheting blocks and one with a switch to turn on or off. In light breeze we turn one off but in anything above about 7 knots they are both one. This will help the crew immensely.

Dan

+1

+1

Hey Lee,

I bought an Infusion yesterday!

And putting a simple 2 to 1 on the leeward side in a distance race

+1 on this. I actually like having the ratchet on the forward block (one on the beam) in light air as I find it lets the spin go smoother during gybes.

Also, no one mentioned gloves. Make sure your crew is using some sort of hardware store glove like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flex-Tuff-W..._DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337aaeb7a2

I cut the thumb and first two finger tips off, helps me deal with shackles, knots etc. These kind of gloves have WAY more holding power then your standard over priced sailing glove.

many of us have cleats on our side stays specifically for cleating the spin. Esp when solo, it is nice to be able to give your hand a break, and some of us cleat, trap and just steer the boat instead of playing the spin.

We know it adds a small amount of risk, but it's easy to pop it out of the cleat to pay it out....

I fell asleep one time on a very light air trip home from way down the lake from home with everything cleated going down wind.

Pops was passed out and snoring while laying on a spin sheet going downwind in my N20 at a light air Hiram's once... circa 2003 +/-

Speaking of Pops, what ever happened to his protoge' Noodle?