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I am thinking of installing tweakers on the spinnaker sheets for racing and would welcome advice and input from forum members.
Where are you installing them on the toe rail?
Are you bringing them back to the cockpit? To a cam cleat? Mounted where?
Any advice appreciated.
Rob Ladan _/)
Airborne ll MK V #520
Vernon Yacht Club, Vernon BC
Rob Ladan _/)
Airborne ll MK V #520
Vernon Yacht Club, Vernon BC
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Rob:
On Still Knot Working, I ave the Tweakers set up in the following manner.
On the toe rail at the max beam, one hole just aft of the second stantion, I have a small swivle Harken block. We run a braided dacron line (3/16") through that block. The 3/16 line has a small harken bullit block attached (needs to be large enough to accept the 3/8" spinn sheet). The 3/16 line then runs back to another small Harken swivle block that is attached to the toe rail about 8 holes aft of the 3rd. stantion. the line then runs through a Spinnlock PXR0206 cam cleat that is mounted on the deck just aft of the primariy winch base. The cam cleat is located as close to the winch base as possible so that if you are sitting on the deck hiking in heavy wind you won't be getting goosed by the cleat.
I chose the Spinnlock cam cleats because you simply lift the line up to release and down to lock, it's simple and fool proof.
Steve Reid
Still Knot Working
Mark V #75
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Thanks Steve
Do you use the swivel bases on the Spinlocks?
Interesting that you use a 3/8 spin sheet. We need to keep everything light here as the winds tend to be so light. Spin sheets are 1/4" tied to the clews (no shackles or guards).
RobRob Ladan _/)
Airborne ll MK V #520
Vernon Yacht Club, Vernon BC
Rob Ladan _/)
Airborne ll MK V #520
Vernon Yacht Club, Vernon BC
Offline
We don't use the swivel base spinnlocks as the take up a larger foot print. We use 3/8" for the spinnsheets because it's a lot easier for the crew to grip. We strip off the cover on the about a third and thats the part we attach to the clews.
We use 1/4 fro our light sheets and those we tie onto the clews.
Steve
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Good morning Steve
Thanks for all of your help to date. It's a real asset to be able to talk to sailors sailing the same boat. I appreciate how you share your knowledge.
That being said, I have Another question!
Do you fly the spin off the bow? We have been experimenting with various locations (off the life lines, companionway and bow). Any preference?
Rob Ladan _/)
Airborne ll MK V #520
Vernon Yacht Club, Vernon BC
Rob Ladan _/)
Airborne ll MK V #520
Vernon Yacht Club, Vernon BC
Offline
Rob:
Always willing to help if I can.
We launch and retreive the spinnaker from the companion way hatch. I'm a strong believer in keeping weight off the bow of any boat going to windward, I am also a srong believer in keeping the crew on the rail and keeping them there as quickly and long a possible. Having said that I wanted to have a system of launching and retreiving the spinnaker that could achieve all of those goals. If someone has to go up on the foredeck or onto the bow of the boat, to prep a spinnaker for setting, or if a crew has to go down below to pack the chute for another set, it's taking them away from where they are needed most, on the rail, especially if it's blowing over 10 kts.
We had a bag made by our sailmaker that hange in the companion way the we can launch from and retrieve into. It has some sail battens along the front edge and along the aft edge, those battens protrude out and rest over the companion way hatch slides. We've installed some shock cord that keep it in place and there are some velcro tabs that keep it closed when not in use. The sheet, guy and haylard remain attached all the time we are racing. The bag does have a very important secondary advantage and that is, that seeing as I have an all female crew they find it provides sufficient privacy if they need to go and use the head quickly they don't need to close the head door.
One of the issues you will find, we did the first year we had the boat, is that due to the arrangement at the top of the mast and the way the spinnaker haylards exit the top of the mast there is a lot of friction on the haylard as it comes around and back to the companion way. We solved that problem by having a large stainless steel bail (crane) fabricated and we hang a swivel block off of that, the haylard runs through that block, the bail allows the block to swing around through 180 degrees at the top of the mast. We have a cam cleat on the side of the mast about 18" below the spot where the spinn. haylard exits the mast so that the haylard is hoisted by our mast/foredeck girl, she can then cleat off the haylard when it's hoisted all the way, once we have everything set the pit girl overhauls the slack in the hayleard through the cabin top rope clutch.
When we go to douse, the pit girl gathers in the foot of the spinnaker and then reaches over and releases the rope clutch and drops the chute into the bag. If it comes down clean (no twists), it's ready to go right back up. If it needs to be cleared the pit girl just runs the luffs in the bag and were ready to go. But it means that all fo the crew are up on deck, no one is down below. everyone can be on the rail getting the most out of our upwind performance right at the leeward mark. The only crew person not on the rail immediately is the pit and if we need her out on the rail she can do that and then deal with soring out the chute are a more opportune time on the beat to windward.
Hope this helps, if you have any questions or if anything is not clear please let me know.
Steve Reid
Still Knot Working MkV #75
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