Standing Rigging / Spars

Catalina Direct Discussion Topics / Catalina 22 Discussion Area / Standing Rigging / Spars / standing rigging for a spinnaker?
 
 
Author standing rigging for a spinnaker?
Bill Kraus
Bainbridge Island, WA

Boat Name:

Model/Year: Catalina 22

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
11/06/2006 4:12 PM Pacific Time

I have a spinnaker that came with my 22', but it looks like the standing rigging is not set up for it - and there is no spinnaker pole. I see that Catalina Direct sells various spinnaker gear kits, and I wanted to get recommendations both on the kit and how to rig. I would be using it for cruising and not racing.

Presumably, in addition to the spinnaker pole, I would need a spinnaker halyard block (possibly with the spinnaker crane), stand-up spinnaker sheet blocks (where do these get placed?), etc. Would I also need a mast track?

Any advice, assistance, pointers to rigging would be greatly appreciated.
Bob Keim
Nashville

Boat Name: Pursuit

Model/Year: C22/1976

Hull No.

Hailing Port: Nashville
11/07/2006 4:38 AM Pacific Time

Turning blocks for the spin sheet/guy - I use line to attach a pair of ratchet blocks to the dock cleats at the stern. I simply tie them on with a bowline when I need them, and store them below when not being used. They are long enough to run up to my winches.

You need a topping lift for the pole. This requires a block around the height of the spreaders. I rigged this line with a cleat on the mast, so the crew can adjust it for the hoist.

You need either twings on the sheets to hold the pole down, or a pole downhaul. I have a downhaul because I also use it with my whisker pole.

A track on the mast is nice, but you could mount the pole fitting about 4' from the deck and be close.

Have fun! It's a big old spinnaker and as much a handfull in heavy air as it is fun in lighter air.



Boat Name:

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
11/07/2006 4:44 AM Pacific Time

Visit the Catalina 22 Fleet 20 website at www.c22pdx.org

The Technical Tips page has a link to an article with photos.

Dale Mack
www.celtic-myst.net
R. C. Luiken
Milford, DE

Boat Name: Ricochet

Model/Year: C-22 Swing Keel/1986

Hull No. 13560

Hailing Port: Milford, DE/St. Michaels, MD
11/07/2006 4:55 AM Pacific Time

Bill, are you sure you have a spinnaker? I have a cruising chute which looks a lot like a spinnaker except that it has a tack and a clew. I do have a whisker pole for it.

Assuming that you do have a spinnaker this is what you need to make it work.

1 Spinnaker halyard
2 Stand up turning blocks, mounted aft of your winches. Mine are about a foot from the transom at deck level.
2 sheets with spinnaker shackles
1 spinnaker pole, ends will determine what type of fitting you need on the mast
1 topping lift
1 down-haul with turning block on foredeck
1 spinnaker pole ring or toggle end on leading edge of the mast.
1 set of chocks on deck or on life lines for pole storage

As far as needing a mast track, my anwer would be no for cruising and yes for racing. Ideally the spinnaker pole should be horizontal to the deck and perpendicular to the wind when in use. For the most part you can control the position with the guy and down-haul for cruising. For racing to get that last 1/100th of a knot out of the wind the track is a good thing.

I hope that answers your question.
Dan Graczyk
Port Townsend, WA

Boat Name: Cheers

Model/Year: 1989

Hull No. 14994

Hailing Port: Discovery Bay
11/07/2006 9:56 AM Pacific Time

Bill,

R.C. has a very good point about whether the sail you have is a spinnaker. I had the same situation when I bought my boat... a "spinnaker" with no gear. One day while I was out sailing with light winds I pulled out the "spinnaker" and noticed the work "tack" at one corner. I then realized what I had (duh) and bought a chutescoop to make it easier to handle. It has been fabulous to sail. I have a line attached to the bow that runs to the cockpit to control where I want the tack, and sheets at the clew. I mounted a couple of little blocks on the aft stanchions and run the sheets through those and around my winch. I single hand most of the time and have been able to easily control the "spinnaker". I use the chute scoop before I gybe which makes it easier and have the chute scoop lines running back to the cockpit as well. I set my tiller and go forward inside the cabin, open the hatch and set everything up. When I go to drop the "spinnaker" I open the forward hatch from the inside and drop the "spinnaker" right down the hatch. Since the water on Discovery Bay and the Straights is very cold, I have everything rigged to stay in the cockpit, but I am also hooked to the boat. Again, this is a really fun sail to have as I have found that I can do a beam reach when I adjust the tack and sheets properly, although with the wing keel I move sideways a bit....
Bill Kraus
Bainbridge Island, WA

Boat Name:

Model/Year: Catalina 22

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
11/09/2006 11:06 AM Pacific Time

You guys are great. Yup, sure enough, it is an asymmetric spinnaker (gennaker, cruising chute).

So, given that, how should I rig it? I have a jib downhaul rigged with a block off the bow which I could also presumably use for the tack of the gennaker. I then presume I can use the spinnaker crane that CD sells to run my spinnaker halyard externally down the mast to the deck, and back through to my port deck winch (which I also use for the jib halyard).

Now the key question is in regards to the gennaker sheets. Do I put a stand up block at the aft of the cockpit on each side (with a cam cleat a little in front of it facing aft) so I can run the sheets and control the gennaker from the cockpit?

Again, thanks for your great advice.
R. C. Luiken
Milford, DE

Boat Name: Ricochet

Model/Year: C-22 Swing Keel/1986

Hull No. 13560

Hailing Port: Milford, DE/St. Michaels, MD
11/10/2006 4:20 AM Pacific Time

You rig it just like a jib. If you have roller furling, you might want to consider getting a collar that hold the tack closer to the forestay. Rather than attaching the tack to the stem fitting, I use a turning block mounted on the foredeck and a line lead aft to act as a tack/cringle. Adjusting the location of the tack has a pretty dramatic effect on the perfoarmance of the sail. As a general rule, the higher the wind speed the lower the position of the tack. The sheets, about 10' longer than my jib sheets, are lead back to stand-up turing blocks mounted on the deck about a foot forward of the transom. I use a whisker pole in light air to help keep the wind in the sail.

To hoist the sail, I have a chute scoop, run the halyard outside the jib, hoist the sail, raise the chute scoop and then lower the jib. When lowering your cruising chute, raise your jib, lower your chute scoop, lower your gennaker and stow it away.

I do mine single handed. I practiced for some time with someone else on board critiquing my performance. The only difficult part is lowering the cruising chute and keeping it on deck. I find that turing into the wind a bit forces the chute to land on deck. I do get on deck as soon as possible to get it stowed in its bag.

The best part about the cruising chute is that you can run the wind much further forward than you can with a spinnaker. Enjoy that sail.
William Bell
Pt. Orange, FL

Boat Name: Phoenix

Model/Year: 1987 Catalina 22

Hull No. #13784

Hailing Port: Pt. Orange,FL
11/10/2006 6:04 AM Pacific Time

Bill -- could you send me the dimensions of your sail ?

I also have a sail which I really haven't had time to figure out what it is -- except large. And it is asymmetric.

My e-mail is wbellcyber at netscape.net

Thanks-- Bill
Howard Friedman
Pisgah Forest, NC

Boat Name: Forspacious Seas

Model/Year: Wing - 1989

Hull No. 14907

Hailing Port: Lake Keowee-Seneca, SC
11/13/2006 2:36 PM Pacific Time

I believe I have one also but I've never used it. I have a CDI jib furling system so I have the jib halyard free to use. I also have the collar for the tack that rides on the furled jib. No blocks are attached to the rails for the sheets. Do I need a control line and turning block for the collar or do I just fasten it to the bow stem fitting at a fixed height? Can I just run the sheets directly to my winches or do I need aft turning blocks? Do I pull the Luff up tight or leave slack for more of a vertical pocket? How close to the wind can you get before you lose it with this arrangement? Any and all answers to these questions would be greatly appreciated.
Dan Graczyk
Port Townsend, WA

Boat Name: Cheers

Model/Year: 1989

Hull No. 14994

Hailing Port: Discovery Bay
11/14/2006 7:41 AM Pacific Time

Howard,

I think it is important that you have some way to adjust your tack. I don't have roller furling, so I just put a block on the bow and run the line that is attached to the tack back to the cockpit. In this way I can adjust the tack easily while I am sailing. I guess that if I had roller furling I would still rig it this way. I picked up a couple of what I think are called spinlocs from West Marine that I attached around the rear stanchions a couple of inches above the deck. I hooked a block on each of these. I run the sheets through the blocks and forward around the winches. I would suggest you purchase a chutescoop as it makes it much easier to handle when dosing or gybing. Once you get set up, experiment with letting out the tack line. I have found that I can at least do a beam reach with spurts a little higher.

At our Wooden Boat Festival this September I attended a presentation on light air sails conducted by one of our local sailmakers. She said that when using a geneker usually the tack of the sail should be tight on the bow to get your highest point of sail. I mentioned that this did not seem to be the case with my boat and asked if I was doing wrong. She responded that the best approach was to experiment with different wind and tack positions as a way to really get a good feel for the sail. She also suggested to use the chutescoop for gybing as a means to make handling the sail easier. I found this to be a very good suggestion.
 
 
Standing Rigging / Spars
Catalina Direct Discussion Topics / Catalina 22 Discussion Area / Standing Rigging / Spars / standing rigging for a spinnaker?