Viper tack line

Just picking up my new Viper, the new boats come with a separate tack and halyard like the C2. Hooray!

Still figuring out the new (to me) Viper. What's the advantage of separate tack and halyard?

Probably a matter of preference.
-Less line on the hoist as the tack is already pulled out.
-You can do it from the wire.
-Easier hoist as the spin is partially pulled from the bag already.
-I'm completely retarded and can not figure out how to rig the block running up the mast when the mast is laying on the boat instead of up.

Down sides
-You have to release the tack on douses

I'm sure there's other negatives, but that's all I can really think of.

There is just as much line to haul, but you have to do it in a two stage process. A two line system takes longer to hoist because you have to pull one line, and make sure it cleats well, then switch to the other line.

I would expect that the prime, maybe only, advantage of a two line system is that you can ease the tack without easing the halyard.

Not true. The hoist is the hoist, the tack is already out when you have a separate tackline. For single handing its the only way to go as you are spending less time either not steering, or pushing the tiller extension around with your legs when you are getting the kite up. Yes you pull the same amount of line, but you can get the tack out while you or the crew is still on the wire, which means more time at full speed.

Im yet to be convinced on the 2 line system. I cant deal with the fact that guys go across the clearing reach with the tack pulled out flapping like a seagull that got the last chip. Not fast i reckon. Having said that when im crewing i dont mind 2 lines at at all.

My crew refused to use anything but the 1 line system. For a relatively small kite on the f16 i think 1 line with the halyard exactly the right length makes sense. The set is just as quick if not quicker i think. The one line set up on the viper has little that could faulted.

the thinking with the two line system is two-fold:

- get the tack of the sail out early to ease the hoist
- adjust the spin tack (distance) if needed

My personal preference is the single line system for ease of use. For some reason I regularly forget I have to pop the tack line to complete the spin douse, and that might make me have to come inboard to complete which can result in "issues" with boat stability.

Anyone know how to rig that little ring on the spin sheets to suck that last part of the clew in the sock? I saw it on Alex's F18 and it looked cool.

Jay, rig small piece of spectra from the clew with a ring tied onto it. When rigging the retrieval line, go through that ring FIRST, then work your way up the kite as usual. The idea is the clew of the sail now gets pulled deep into the snuffer, taking the sheets with it and limiting the amount of extra sheet loose on the tramp. The length of the spectra that the ring is tied to will need to be adjusted based on how much slack is in your retrieval line when the kite is hoisted.

Bingo. Thanks Jeff!

I used the ring tied to the clue for several seasons on my F18 and it did the job well but as pointed out does have some drawbacks. Then I saw what Robbie Daniel was doing to address this problem. He simply stuck some velcro (loop side) on the tramp near the front crossbeam turning block. It also has it drawbacks but I prefer it over the ring tied to the clue method. I also got rid of the turning block on the back of the boat for the spin sheet. Yeah the deck isn't as clean but I find it to be more functional. Not saying one is better than the other it's just what I prefer.

I tried shortening my spin sheets and the block on a bungie at the back of the tramp, but then when I trapped out downwind, or when on a high, tight reach, the sheet was too short! So I added a pigtail from the clew, spiced into the sheet, and got rid of the block at the back.

Yeah, there is sheet all over the tramp when going upwind, but at least I get quick, clean jybes and have a long enough sheet for trapping out at the back of the boat.

almost as if you need two spin sheets: one for buoys and one for distance. Set up slightly different based on the demands of the two disciplines.

Yeah, if you are going to spend all day out on the wire at the back of the boat with a spin sheet, you'll want a much longer one than for bouy racing.

If you plan on changing the sheet, do consider a 2.5mm or 3mm D12 line the length of the normal sheet + 1 metre. Simply divide the length in 2 and then adjust so that one length is 1m longer than the other. Now at the midway point use a hitch through the clew, lock it off by going through twice before taking the tails through the hitch. You now have a nice line which doesn't catch on the forestay ( no knots ) and seperate tails which you can take back through the blocks for when you take off the spinny from the boat.

Buy some " soft cover " and place over the thin D12 either just where you handle the sheet or if you are worried about grip on the blocks, up to the block, back to the end of the D12, sew in place to lock the cover off at the start and finish. Once through the blocks, half hitch the tails together. You are now left with a single line from approx. the more normal sheeting position to back to where you will wire from.

Why use D12 at the front, it doesn't seem to burn the chute when you are snuffing, much cheaper to buy D12 and cover than sheet which can be ever so expensive, lighter and best of all has almost no weight at the clew end of the spinny. Ask your rope supplier and he will almost certainly have a great big length of cover sitting about where it has been stripped from another line.