On Sat, 06 Dec 2003 03:08:36 +0000, Wayne. wrote:

On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 13:25:49 -0800, "Lloyd Sumpter" wrote:
OK, here's a boating-related question (Most Rebs and Dems will have NO
IDEA what I'm talking about, but what the hell...):

What's the Story on Cruising Spinnakers (I like to call them "downwind
floppy genoas, because they act more like gennys than true spinnakers)? They
used to be All The Rage, now I rarely see one.

I'm getting a new genny for Far Cove in the near future, so was
wondering if a C.S. was worth the cost.
==========================================

In my opinion they are better than cruising with no spinnaker at all but not
much. The usable range of wind angles is small compared to a real spinnaker on
a pole.

Yeah, that was my experience with my Cal 25, that had a "genuine" spinnaker. I
remember one sail up the Sunshine Coast, wind about 160 or so - there was a
30-footer about 5 miles ahead of me at Gower Point, and I had passed it by
Welcome Passage. He was spending all his time hand-jyping his C.S. back and
forth, trying to get it out of the shadow of the main. I was just sailing along
under spinnaker, steering with my foot and enjoying the scenery.


The biggest improvements in sailing ability that most cruising boats can make
a Clean bottom and keel; Folding or feathering prop; Spinnaker; Elimination
of excess weight in the bow and stern.

I just can't seem to get any speed on a "deep reach" in light air. I usually end
up reaching just at the point where the main starts shadowing the genny, then
gybe the main and try wing-and-wing. Nothing seems to get me more than 2-3 knots
in 5-7 knots wind (where I'd be doing 5.5 or so upwind!)

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36

On Sat, 06 Dec 2003 09:53:41 -0800, "Lloyd Sumpter"
wrote:
I just can't seem to get any speed on a "deep reach" in light air. I usually end
up reaching just at the point where the main starts shadowing the genny, then
gybe the main and try wing-and-wing. Nothing seems to get me more than 2-3 knots
in 5-7 knots wind (where I'd be doing 5.5 or so upwind!)
=============================

That's about par for the course in light wind. What happens is that
the boat speed starts to subtract from the speed of the true wind
(TWS) because you are moving away from it. Racing boats in light air
will reach up until the apparent wind is almost on the beam, wait for
boat speed to build, and then head down slightly until speed starts to
drop again. That requires adjusting the pole and spinnaker trim more
or less constantly but cruisers can manage if they have an autopilot
and use a slightly less agressive strategy. Helps to keep boredom
from setting in also.

As wind speed increases you can maintain a more downwind course
without as much scalloping to build boat speed.