Spinnaker setup question

Matt Miller, I may be pushing my luck in asking you to comment on my post twice in one day but, I just added a spinnaker to my H18 with the exceptional help of Jeremy at Surf City Catamarans and after looking at the pictures of the new Wild Cat yesterday there are a couple of items on the Wild Cat snuffer that you can see in the attached link which I'm hoping you can explain. I am using the exact same snuffer as the one in the pic.

http://www.hobiecat.com/sailing/gallery.php?model=wildcat&img_num=11&res=hr

If you look closely at the pic, there is a white line attached to the red starboard spinnaker sheet that runs into the snuffer mouth. I can't for the life of me think of what this line would be used for.

There is also another line attached to the spinnaker pole just forward of the snuffer that looks like it runs through the snuffer sock attachment slot on the snuffer mouth and attaches to the port bridle wire tang. I'm guessing this line is used to help support the snuffer mouth am I correct?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

Tom,
That is the spin sheet pigtail. It is spliced into the handling line so that there is only only one small line attached to the clew. The ends of the spin sheets are run throught the spin sheet blocks and tied with a stopper or spliced.

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Tom,
I have the same system. There is a line at the front of the snuffer hoop that stabilizes the hoop. It can go in the slot or thru a hole in the snuffer head. I was told drilling weakens the head so I run mine in the slot, works well.
The other line is some type of pigtail on the spin sheet. It would appear they have the bitters on the deck with the pigtail in the center of the sheet. I have never seen this done but there are no ends on the sheet in the pic and the ends of the sheet would be pulled into the bag and would be visible coming out. Interesting!

Thanks Jeremy & ncmbm......so I guess the reasoning for this would be to have less weight hanging off the clew of the spinnaker and less deck clutter on the tramp especially when the spin is snuffed?

Less stuff to get caught on the forestay as the spinnaker comes across on gybes. I just did this to my FXone spin sheat a few weeks ago, much nicer than the big knots on the clew. I just made a loop on one end of the sheet and whipped it to hold it. Then I take the other end and run it through the loop and tie a stopper knot.

Can you explain this in a little more detail?

Thanks,

Tom

Yea, Karl I'm confused about what you mean as well. My spin sheets are connected together with a pigtail that is tied to the spin clew. My sheets have loops on the ends(can't remember the terminology) the pigtail ties into.

Can i answer? this one i know for sure (no book reading needed)

since there is a now pigtail on the spin clew... the sheet runs through it (presumably in the middle of the sheet).. no knots in that area... so the ends of the spin sheet are on deck.

What Karl has done is simply create a loop on one end of the spin sheet (which is on deck) and runs the other spin sheet end through it and ties a stopper know. this turns the line back into a continuous loop...

otherwise... the spinn sheet ends would be pulled to the blocks and you would have to go across the tramp to fetch it after a gybe.

Yahtzee! Andrew, get yer Mystere drivin' ass back to Catsailor!


On the left, the center of the spinnaker sheet, on the right the tails that are on the tramp. For the pigtail, I just stabbed into the core with a fid, and just burried it back into the spectra. I just tie it off with a bowline at the clew.



And how they are held together. It was a tricky little bastard trying to figure out how to get them through the blocks correctly as the loop doesn't fit through the sissy block on the beam.


Make sense?

Fair enough... i have run out of arguments on catsailor and was dragged (via a beachcats thread) into the hobie 18 forums.

ps.. sheet looks great.. i may try when i get my next sheet..

I'm just giving you hell. It's what I do.

I'd do a better job whipping it next time. I just sewed the two together and wrapped it a couple of times. I was curious how well it'd hold. They're starting to get worn out anyway, they're at that awesome stage where their comfy, fuzzy, and about to fall apart. Kinda like jeans.

I was gonna say.. that whipping job looks like it needs a little love... (and some wrapps around)... but i was trying to be nice....

and what i will try/do is... splice the dyneema to the clew and create a loop for the sheet to run through (luggage tagged like the wildcat pictured above) and simply run the spin sheet through the loop... it doesnt have to be secured ... right?

i am just waiting for santa to give me 60' of robline racing sheets or salsa for my spin sheets. currently i am about 2" short of what i need... and makes things real interesting on the wire...

OK, I got it. I thought Karl was talking about how the pigtail connected to the sheet. Andrew, I would think the pigtail has to be laced in or it would slip when the sail is loaded. I am not sure about whether the bitters need to be attached on the deck or not, seems they could be loose in the pocket until needed. I really like the application though as I sheet to the eye splice on my lines often, this would give me more purchase with out eating up my pretty whipping.
Thanks for the idea Karl

luggage tagging the dyneema will create a very strong bond... the more air / force there is, the tighter the luggage tagged loop will get... and if i tie it (braid it/etc) to the spin sheet.. and splice it to the clew.. i have no way to remove the sheet from the sail (Karl ties his with a bowline.. i hope he tapes that bowline)



The sheet doesn't have to be ondeck...it can be stowed..but i would certainly join them(tie) prioir to spinnakerification (launching your spin) otherwise you will be jumping to the low side to get your sheets after your gybe's.



the eye splice on the end of your spin sheet (at the clew)? i ask because i have never seen a spin sheeted all the way to the blocks... but i have never seen one on a H18 either...

I've lost the tack.

I've lost the head.

I've never lost the clew. Thanks for damning my next trip to the lake. I've starting leaving the tail of the bowline a bit long, and just doing another half hitch to keep it from coming loose. Seems to work.

Andrew, if you go on google earth they have the 360* street level view of the causeway you guys sail from. There's a Mystere on a trailer hooked to a blue ford pickup. Thought you might want to check that out. I'm almost positive I recongnized that setup from when I was down there in June.