Hoisting and Lowering the Spinnaker

There are two popular systems for hoisting and stowing the spinnaker, either a spinnaker chute or a system of spinnaker bags. On some small yachts there is neither. The crew has to rely on the sail being stowed in a bucket! The spinnaker chute is somewhat easier to use than bags, but it adds weight to the bow of the boat and causes more wear on the spinnaker than the other methods.

The hoisting and lowering drills given below apply to boats using spinnaker bags. If learning to use a chute, simply follow the leeward hoist and drop drills. You should learn all the methods for hoists and drops. The leeward drop is preferred on large yachts whereas the windward drop is used on the Off the beach and sports yachts. Usually the spinnaker is simply packed in a bag and the halyard and sheets all have quick-release clips. It is then possible to opt for a leeward hoist and windward or leeward drop (the easiest choices) provided the foredeck hands remember to attach and move the sheets and halyard accordingly.

Leeward Spinnaker Hoist

The spinnaker is stowed on the leeward foredeck with the sheets and halyard attached. The important principle about this hoist is that the pole must be set before the spinnaker is hoisted.

1. Crew pack the spinnaker in its bag ready for hoisting
2. Crew clips pole to mast, attaches pole uphaul and downhaul then fits the guy or brace.
3. Stow the spinnaker on the leeward foredeck with the sheets and halyard attached making sure the bag is tied on and all lines are free.
4. Hoist the spinnaker quickly and cleat the halyard.
5. Free the sheet as the sail is hoisted then take it in to set the sail.
6. Adjust the guy or brace to suit and the crew take turns playing the sheet and winches.
7. The sail trimmer can sit or stand to windward, where he will have a clear view of the spinnaker luff and wind indicators.

Windward Spinnaker Hoist

The important difference in principle between this and the leeward hoist is that the spinnaker is stowed to windward and as it is hoisted the sail is thrown forward before the pole is attached.

1. Crew sets guy and cleats it so that the windward clew can reach the forestay.
2. As the spinnaker is hoisted the crew holds the spinnaker in as tight a bundle as possible.
3. Helmsman steers downwind and the crew throws the spinnaker forwards and quickly attaches the pole onto the mast. The sail trimmer pulls on the spinnaker sheet clearing the sail onto the leeward side.
4. Helmsman comes back on course and crew adjusts the pole,cleats the guy and begins to trim the sail to suit the changing wind angles.
5. The sail trimmer can sit or stand to windward, where he will have a clear view of the spinnaker luff and wind indicators.
6. The crew then take turns at playing the sheet, adjusting the guy or brace and grinding the winches.

Windward Spinnaker Drop

This technique is a variation of the leeward drop and favored by Off the beach and sports yachts skippers to balance the boat downwind and because they have small and easily managed size chutes.

1. Crew eases guy forward, removes pole and passes it back for safe storage.
2. Crew releases sheet and stands by windward side of mast, takes guy and gathers foot of spinnaker until leeward clew passes around the forestay.
3. Release the halyard on instruction and the crew collects and stows the spinnaker by first working down windward luff.
4. Crew removes pole, cleats the halyard and tidy up the sheets and guys ensuring that they have not become entangled and free to be used again.

Leeward Spinnaker Drop

The leeward drop is preferred on larger yachts whereas this method on Off the beach and sports yachts in strong winds is not advised, as it requires the crew to be on the leeward side and possibly de-stabilizing the boat.

Remember that:
1. Crew eases guy forward and pulls in on sheet
2. Release and lower the spinnaker halyard.
3. Crew pulls down rapidly on clew and by gathering the spinnaker along the leech stows it back in its bag or carefully down below.
4. Crew removes pole, cleats the halyard and tidy up the sheets and guys ensuring that they have not become entangled and free to be used again. Spinnakers stowed below will require repacking before hoisting again.

Gybing the Spinnaker

The helmsman’s aim should be to keep the spinnaker full throughout the gybe by steering the yacht carefully through the gybe. The basic principle is that the mainsail is controlled and gybed first then the helmsman steers the boat under the spinnaker to gybe. The crew swiftly change sides whilst tending to the sheets, braces and pole controls to gybe the pole and spinnaker through out the procedure.

1. Helmsman squares off onto a dead run. Crew centers the mainsail and spinnaker.
2. Helmsman steers carefully under the sail and gybes the mainsail slowly, pausing amidships in case any snags are encountered or to readjust timing.
3. Crews gybe the pole by unclipping the pole from mast or dip the pole under the forestay after releasing the brace from the pole end, then snapping what was the old sheet (now the windward brace) safely into the gybed pole end fitting.
4. Crew clips pole to mast, play new sheet and sets brace to keep spinnaker full and drawing.
5. Helmsman steers onto new course. Crew trims brace and sheet as required.

Set-up and gybing asymmetrical spinnakers (Using a conventional Spinnaker Pole)

After several requests recently on the set-up and gybing of asymmetrical spinnakers on boats with ‘conventional’ spinnaker poles, we reproduce a article by Quantum Sails to help clarify the basic a-sail gybing technique in a step-by step process. As they are becoming increasingly popular and versatile many of the top boats in the Asian region are using 'a-sails' in the light conditions and some of them are now even using them in up to 15 knots of true wind speed. If you do not have an 'a-sail' onboard, you may find yourself at a disadvantage once you round the top mark.

Initial Setup
1. Set the sail with 2 sheets on the clew, run aft, as you would with a conventional spinnaker. They are run OUTSIDE of the headstay, and the tack of the spinnaker.

2. Attach both guys to the tack of the sail, which also will have a “snout line” or tack downhaul attached to it. These are run aft, as with a symmetrical sail.

3. When sailing, on port gybe, for example, the port guy is run through the end of the pole, which is set in the usual way (with topping lift and foreguy). The foreguy is not necessary except as a backup, since the loads will be on the snout line.

4. As with a symmetrical sail, the pole is set approximately at right angles to the apparent wind, or so the luff sets up in a line vertically (with the pole end directly under the break) under the curl when the sheet is eased. It will move forward if close reaching, and aft at deeper angles. The pole height is set to provide an even break along the luff. The sail should curl at the shoulder (where the head radials meet the top of the mid-section). If it breaks along it’s whole length at once, it is too low. It will be lower than when used with conventional spinnakers, typically just above the bow pulpit when close reaching, gradually moving up as the pole moves aft at broader angles.

To gybe:
1. Make sure the sail if fully loaded, and not lacking pressure before initiating the gybe. Never start a gybe with a collapsed or partially filled spinnaker. As the boat begins to bear away, simultaneously ease the guy and transfer the entire load to the snout line. Trip the pole away from the guy. Disconnect the pole from the mast and shift sides, clipping the new guy in, or raise the pole and dip the outboard end as in a conventional dip pole gybe. The snout line controls the tack of the sail as the pole transfers sides and the new guy is put in.

2. Bear away smoothly; turning only as fast as the sheet is eased. Ease the sheet rapidly while it is still loaded, until the clew gets past the headstay, then release completely. Follow the released sheet to make sure it runs. Pull on the new sheet only after the clew gets past the headstay (except to keep slack out). Pull like crazy once the clew passes the headstay. It will help to have a runner pulling down and back on the new sheet to assist the trimmer. The driver needs to slow the turn down (so not stop, however) as the clew passes the headstay to make sure the sail is unloaded as the clew is pulled to the new side. Continue turning smoothly up to an angle where the sail will load (usually a little hotter than the angle you initiated the gybe at), once the bulk of the sail is past the headstay. When the sail fills, the new sheet will probably have to be eased well out, since it must be over-trimmed to fill the sail initially.

3. Take up on the new guy while simultaneously easing the snout line, bringing the pole back to the appropriate angle. Make sure the boat stays well pressured up (sail a little higher angle) to accelerate.