Last night we flew the spinnaker on Alien without a pole, using a
spinnaker-guy, which is much like the Tacker. This setup is for a beam reach
and not quite right for running dead downwind.
My question is on mainsail trim. Sailing with the mainsail trimmed "ideally"
seems to block the spinnaker to some degree. I've been told that overtrimming
the main a bit is best, but I see pics that dispute this.
Anyone have experience/ideas for this setup?
Obviously, rigging the pole is best, but it can be a drag when Suzanne and I
sail alone.

Thanks,

RB

Last night we flew the spinnaker on Alien without a pole, using a
spinnaker-guy, which is much like the Tacker. This setup is for a beam reach
and not quite right for running dead downwind.
My question is on mainsail trim. Sailing with the mainsail trimmed "ideally"
seems to block the spinnaker to some degree. I've been told that overtrimming
the main a bit is best, but I see pics that dispute this.
Anyone have experience/ideas for this setup?
Obviously, rigging the pole is best, but it can be a drag when Suzanne and I
sail alone.

The sail in your pic looked more like a gennaker or some kind of reaching chute
than a spinnaker. The tacker, if I understand it correctly, replaces the pole
and attaches to the spin's tack and keeps it at the headstay. This is like
having the pole all the way forward, which would be appropriate if you were
sailing hotter (ie, higher). In that case, you want to trim the main and it
should not be blanketing the chute. You were probably just experiencing too
light winds and chop. Where is the guy led with that sort of contraption?

In that case, you want to trim the main and it
should not be blanketing the chute. You were probably just experiencing too
light winds and chop. Where is the guy led with that sort of contraption?

The guy is led normally back to the stern..we did have "00" air last night and
the wake/chop made filling the spin brief at best.
Guess we'll try again with more air.

RB

The guy is led normally back to the stern.

If the tack is close to the headstay, it seems the guy would rub on the
shrouds. Do you lead it inside with the tacker on? This would make gybing a
pain.

If the tack is close to the headstay, it seems the guy would rub on the
shrouds. Do you lead it inside with the tacker on? This would make gybing a
pain.

I think the idea behind the tacker or spin-guy is for long hours on a broad
reach. To gybe, I think you'd have to spill completely to get it around. It
would be a nice run down the sound at certain times of the season, for
instance. I really haven't played with the setup at all. Last night we were
just trying to fill the bloody thing. My friend on board is a J24 racer and she
was having a rough time figuring out the best mainsail trim, but ultimately the
wind wasn't there to do much.
Instructions for the gybe on this type of setup can be seen here..
http://members.aol.com/wkndrbag/Form...structions.htm

RB

Well, you have lots of experience with that. And, apparently,
Susie does also.


Actually, Susie has a pole that she occasionally ties on when there's
not enough wind.

BB

Wind? Hmmm

"SkitchNYC" wrote in message

The guy is led normally back to the stern.

If the tack is close to the headstay, it seems the guy would rub on the
shrouds.

If I understand your question, you may be confusing a tack downhaul line
with a guy. With a Tacker in place, there essentially is no guy. Rather, a
line from the tack of the chute keeps the Tacker/tack from rising up the
forestay. It feeds through a block at the base of the forestay chainplate
and leads aft to the cockpit. Gybing the chute requires releasing the sheet
and allowing the chute to gybe outboard of the forestay while bringing the
sheet around the forestay manually. Or if the air is light enough, one
could walk the sheet and sail inboard of the forestay to "gybe." The latter
will wrap the chute halyard around the forestay, though. I've got double
sheets on my spinnaker, so I release the old leeward sheet and allow the
sail to gybe outboard of the forestay while sheeting in on the new sheet.
Takes lightweight line, however, or the weight of the sheets will keep the
sail from flying in light air.

'Zat help?

XR

If I understand your question, you may be confusing a tack downhaul line
with a guy. With a Tacker in place, there essentially is no guy.

No confusion. Just never seen or used the thing.

Rather, a
line from the tack of the chute keeps the Tacker/tack from rising up the
forestay. It feeds through a block at the base of the forestay chainplate
and leads aft to the cockpit. Gybing the chute requires releasing the sheet
and allowing the chute to gybe outboard of the forestay while bringing the
sheet around the forestay manually. Or if the air is light enough, one
could walk the sheet and sail inboard of the forestay to "gybe." The latter
will wrap the chute halyard around the forestay, though. I've got double
sheets on my spinnaker, so I release the old leeward sheet and allow the
sail to gybe outboard of the forestay while sheeting in on the new sheet.

Now, I am confused. All this sounds like it applies to an assy and not a
symmetrical spin. I thought these tacker things were for symmetrical
spinnakers, because assys already work like a tacker - i.e., sail generally
secured to bow of boat. Some fly assys with poles, but that defeats the
purpose for cruisers. I thought the tacker was to allow you to fly a
symetrical spinnaker on a reach without the pole. If you have an assymetrical
spinnaker, you probably have a tack arrangment and why would you need a jury
rig thing like a Tacker?

"Bobsprit" wrote in message

| Obviously, rigging the pole is best, but it can be a drag when Suzanne and
I
| sail alone.

I can't see that since I sail solo a lot and have no problem setting a
whisker pole by myself. With 2 persons it's a breeze.... so to speak. Poles
are for light airs only.

CM

I can't see that since I sail solo a lot and have no problem setting a
whisker pole by myself.

Well...of course we can...but going poleless is easier at times and another
thing to try.

RB