Symmetric spinnaker on a beach cat

I fly a symmetric spin on my Getaway. If you have a front crossbeam, you could do something similar for small dollars. It makes the boat sail flat and deep for downwind. You can't really go higher than a reach. If your boat does not go 15 upwind, you could use this method...if your boat goes faster than that, it develops too much apparent wind so a sprit and an asymetric kite will work better. Here is a video showing how I rig the boat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOb5B5Uyn5w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOb5B5Uyn5w

I can't seem to embed a video anymore that is why the url appears more than once (sorry).

_________________
R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

You needed to delete the "v=" at the beginning of the YouTube ID string, that's all.

Thanks.

Also, if you want to build your own symspin, theres a video of me making mine. I measured for the desired luffs by measuring from the top halyard block down to the front crossbeam. I measured for the desired foot length by measuring half the boat width plus the length back to the shroud attachment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdedS1z ... 0r&index=3

_________________
R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

I'm not really sure what I would call that. Even though it has a symmetrical shape your sailing it like an asymmetrical spinnaker with the fixed point on the bow. Normally a symmetrical spinnaker has a spinnaker pole that allows you to adjust the clew location. When going near dead down wind the clew will be way out to the windward side. When going for more of a reach the clew will be nearest to the forestay. Curious to see how you would jibe. To me it looks like you are basically using a symmetrical spinnaker with little adjustment and nearly how you would be using a asymmetrical spinnaker anyways.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

_________________
Catamaran Racing Association of Michigan - Marketing Officer
USF18 - Social Media Manager

2010 NACRA Infusion
2004 F18 Hobie Tiger - SOLD
Hobie 16 - BREAKPOINT - SOLD

Gybing is simple, just release the guy on one side and gather the guy on the other while turning the boat, and sheet in with the new sheet. Unlike an asymspin, the same side of the spin is toward the boat at all times (which is why my retrieving line is possible).

You are correct about the spin pole and the changes that (slow) monohulls use to keep on course while optimizing the location of a symspin with respect to apparent wind direction...the reason monohulls have to do that is because they generate very little apparent wind. What the Farrier F27 trimaran discovered 30 years ago though was that faster boats didn't need a spin pole (the original F27s were outfitted with spin poles and symspins). Owners got rid of their poles and merely attached two lines to the bow ends, one for sheeting and one for guying. Eventually many installed bow sprits and switched to asymspins. I flew a symspin myself with my F24 mk II for a while (my sprit had broken) but found that the boat/spin preferred to have the tack further toward the centerline instead of guying from the ama--again, because the boat generates apparent wind which moves the wind angle quickly forward as the boat accelerates--you couldn't be quick enough to keep the spin flying by moving poles and guys, but you can change the boat heading quickly enough using the rudder.

I did design the spinnaker I use to allow both reaching as well as running. Good thing that I did because the boat/spin combination powers the boat well enough that the apparent wind comes from just aft of midships while the boat course is nearly ddw. Lulls cause a collapse because the boat is traveling nearly wind speed.

_________________
R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

Hmm, I learned something. I always assumed that cats had asymmetrical spinnakers for ease of launching without a fore-deck guy. Thanks for the explanation.

_________________
Catamaran Racing Association of Michigan - Marketing Officer
USF18 - Social Media Manager

2010 NACRA Infusion
2004 F18 Hobie Tiger - SOLD
Hobie 16 - BREAKPOINT - SOLD

It is likely that the boat would go faster (velocity) with an asymspin, it might even go faster VMG downwind with an asymspin with good gybing...but the complication and expen$e of adding a sprit and hound (you have to have some separation between forestay and asymspin both to allow gybing it through the gap and for clear air) and ratchet blocks makes this a better choice for me...particularly since I'm not a thrill seeker who likes to get up on one ama and hike out. The asymspin also stresses the boat rigging more than this choice. I do like to fly a spinnaker, though, since that (to me) is what separates the weekend warrior from the skilled amateur. Hence, this "innovation" that I thought to share with those who may want to give it a go for a boat buck or so.

_________________
R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

Lets say you want to try this but you can't find a cheap used spinnaker that fits perfectly. You don't need an industrial sewing machine to modify a used spinnaker, any sewing machine would work OK. You just have to cut off the clews from the too large spinnaker leaving a little extra fabric and all of the reinforcement and cut down the bigger spinnaker to the size you want, then sew the clews back onto the corners. Hem the edges to finish it nice. [email protected] has a nice selection of smallish used spins for cheap.

_________________
R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II