spinnaker kit

anyone got a spinnaker kit how does it go is it worth it or would it be better to build it my self thanks

The spinnaker from hobie is not very good. Look at rick white's hooter. It is essential a furling spinnaker and from what i hear is amazing. Look for the superwave.

The Hobie Spin does not work at all and the bow sprit is way too short.
For more on a headsail that works go to the Wave Website at www.waveclass.org and click on Super Wave.
Rick

However, the Hobie spinnaker kit IS useful for training kids and new sailors the basics of using a spinnaker. And it could add extra fun to the boat for non-racers.

I disagree. The pole is too short and the sail simply backwinds into the main so that neither sail works. No one can learn anything from that scenario. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Rick

We have offered this spinnaker kit for many, many years and this is the first time I have heard a complaint. It was originally asked for by Hobie Cat Europe along with the trapeze and the jib kit. All were designed for training. They never voiced a concern, so I imagine this is not the perfect setup for some, but still fun and good for training. They are small and easy to handle.

Matt,
Does the spin from hobie add any noticeable speed downwind? I have read ricks comments, but haven't really heard anything positive other than it's good for "training".

Certainly it adds performance downwind. I don't think Rick would disagree on that. His point would be one of perfection in the sail shape and pole length and that is debatable.

I do disagree. The spin simply set up against the main and adds no speed. Certainly not enough to make up for the difference in the handicap numbers.
We did a lot of R&D and speed testing with both the Hobie Spin and the Hooter. There is no comparison.

Okay, Matt, I think I have finally have gotten to the bottom of this. The problem with the Wave spinnaker kit is that either the pole is too short for the boat or the boat is too short for the pole.

In other words, it is a matter of the sheeting point for the spinnaker. Even if tacking downwind, the spinnaker backwinds into the main, because the sheeting point is basically as far back on the boat as the sheeting point for the main, and the tack of the spinnaker is not very far in front of the main.

So, either the sheeting point has to move back (and there is no farther back), or the tack of the spinnaker has to move forward (longer spinnaker pole).

Otherwise, when you are using the spinnaker, you might as well drop your main when going downwind, because the main is getting no flow and is getting backwinded and is creating a lot of drag.

Do I have that right? At least it makes more sense to me now.

Can't say that the sheeting point is too far forward unless there was a change in the sail over the years. Most likely the backwinding is in reference to close hauled spinnaker sailing.

I don't doubt that there are different options (like hooters), but that is not the point. I will have to catch up with someone with a current spinnaker rig to review. Like I said... this is the first I have heard of it and coming from the point of view that there are better options does not answer the question for me.

By the way... this is a spinnaker, not a hooter. It is not designed for close hauled or upwind sailing. Sailing a hooter is not really comparable to a spinnaker at all.

I don't think anybody is coming from the point of view that there are "other options." Rick just thinks that the spinnaker pole provided with the kit is too short for the spinnaker to work properly.

I think Rick knows a little bit about sailing with spinnakers, so he is not talking about trying to go upwind with one. That would be silly.

Obviously, headsails are not allowed for racing one-design in the Wave Class, so that is not an issue. And anybody who wants to soup up their Wave for racing on Portsmouth or in the Formula 14 Class is going to want something bigger and faster than the factory spinnaker.

Maybe you guys could do some more testing and let us know what you find out, because I still think the factory spin kit would be good for training purposes and for fun sailing if it works properly.