There were some questions on another thread r/t weather helm, and a lot of interest in safety.

Since I will soon be sailing a spinnaker boat and don't know a thing about them, I thought I'd ask for help.

Are there any really stupid mistakes beginners make that can cost money or drown the initiate (me)?

don't ever let full pressure off the mainsheet while flying the kite in heavy air.

If you do, the mast falls down.

Also let the downhaul off when the Kite goes up.

what he said (i.e. what I meant)

Pete:

You should always have a small amount of weather helm. It is VERY dangerous not to.

Doug Snell
Hobie 17
www.tcdyc.com

Doug, your point about weather helm is well taken.


Jake/Scooby, you're trying to tell me the mainsheet is like a back stay? It hadn't even entered my mind.

If you pop a shute with a loose main, get ready to buy a new mast!!!!

Pete, It wouldn't have entered my mind either but I watched it happen one day last summer. It makes sense when you think about it. It also makes a GREAT DEAL OF SENSE for you to ask these guys these questions before you get out there. Good for you! I'd really appreciate you keeping us up to date with how it goes when you finally get it going. That is my next step and I'd like to learn from you.
Did you think about Rick's Hooter-sail first or just go right to the spin?
Greg

That's all very well upwind etc. but you'll find that with the kite up, your small amount of weather helm will have swapped to lee helm. If you try and dial this out, you'll have waaayyy too much weather helm upwind (very hard work and slow). Keeping one or both boards down can help to keep the boat tracking downwind even with this lee helm but you need to balance this with the extra drag and the potential for a pitchpole. I found that the Blade tolerates the boards being down very well (they're much shallower than the Stealth boards) and the boat is quite tolerant of burying anyway.

With regard to the mainsheet/backstay thing: that's exactly what the leech of the main is doing, acting as a backstay. Downwind with spin up, you sheet in the main so that it is pretty tight (but not upwind block-to-block tight) and then play the traveller. Don't let the traveller out too far though because although it won't break the mast, it will power up in a gust rather than being stalled and can then promote a bow bury or pitchpole. Keeping the mainsheet on and your mast rotated 90 degs prevents you breaking your mast from the very high point load at the top of the mast generated by the spinnaker.

Guys:

I am green here, but don't you want a little lee helm downwind? Aren't you suppose to fall off when a gust hits? Does anyone know if you can put a spinnaker on a Nacra 4.5? I am getting one for Ashleigh (grand daughter) and would like to learn spinnaker myself.

Doug Snell
Hobie 17
www.tcdyc.com

Greg:

I've ordered a Blade from Vectorworks, primarily because of the spinnaker. I think it will be a hoot.

I'll keep you posted

Pete,
I went through the same thing recently- trying to figure out a spin without either a) scaring myself to death b) killing myself or crew c) doing serious damage to the boat. After our first run I feel much more comfortable with the spin and how the boat can take it. I am very aware of the status of the mainsheet when the spin goes up. I tighten it (perhas too much) and let the traveler out a foot or so and then let go of the rope. As for the downhaul, I believe people let this out so as to descrease the compression on the mast, but I think leaving some on also helps to stabilize that axis of themast. Seems like a scary thing to do - to not hold onto the mainsheet- and if your crew is flying the spin and you feel like you need to hang on to something so you feel like you have some control- grab the traveller line. However, you will likely be surprised- as I was- how you just balance the boat with the tiller. If you feel a puff you bear off slightly and all is well. After a while it doesn't feel odd not always holding the mainsheet.

To save money:
1. When you capsize do not fall on the boom or the sail, both are weak.

2. Make sure that all your ringy dings are taped or covered. They can make the spinnaker split like a zipper.

3. Do not run over the chute. You can help alliviate this by pulling back on the spinnaker sheet, helping it stay out of the water, while your crew drops the chute.

4. Keep in mind that the chute has to be down when you are rounding the leeward mark. At first we had an agreement that the crew will make sure it is. After two times over at that mark we changed that to the skippers responsibility before heading up.

Just a note about setting:
We have found it easier to set when the boat is going downwind. I will ease a bit on the mainsheet and let the traveller go out. When she has the sail up she tells me and as I sheet in and travel up she is sheeting the spinnaker. This way she will have some shadow of the main to help her hoist and we will keep the back stay effect when she sheets in. May sound a bit too conservative for some but it works for us. Also, downwind, just go really deep at first then slowly work your angle higher and higher while you stay comfortable with the extra sail area downwind. This way you will not flog the heck out of that light sail, while learning, when you get overpowered and let it out.

Later,
Dan

PTP, definitely looking forward to some work on the water!

Thanks John.

Hello all,
i have a question that falls into this catagory, when hiking out where does one put the slack end of the main sheet, i am costantly throwing it back up on the tramp but it always manages to fall back in the water, then i waste time and concentration pulling it back up and throwing it back onto the tramp. any suggestions?
regards again,
Darrell

With the spinny flying, I always keep the traveler line in my hand to depower when necessary. I've also never been that concerned about letting the traveler go to the end of the track (stopper knot on the traveler line). Just last weekend we had a nasty windshift on the course that left us double trapped tight reaching with the chute in a lumpy breeze to get to A mark. The traveler was critical to us being able to get there without having to bear away off our lay line. There's nothin like trapping on the stern while your crew is trapping at the rear beam on an I20 with the kite up.

Dan et al, thanks so much! This is what I'd hoped for when I started this thread!

You guys are the best!

On the upwind wind have you crew hold the excess line with a loop of about 3 to 4 feet between you two. Agree that when the crew feels a pull on the sheet that he lets go of a few extra loops.

feels scary at first but with soon feel comfortable.

Next step is too have the crew sheet the mainsail while the skipper steers and does the jib or traveller.

Wouter

A little leehelm under spi is good. In effect this brings you to the safety zone (downwind) when you drop the tiller and do some other very important stuff. Weatherhelm under spi onlu makes bearing down harder and slower, something you don't want under spi.

N4.5 with spi, I don't see why not. Just make it a small one.

Wouter