Cruising, whether as a couple or a family, is one of the most pleasant experiences you can have. And when you hear the words "We're going to hoist the spiâeuros!" some smiles give way to a grimace that brings back bad memories.
A capricious sail
It's true that the spinnaker is particularly fickle; unlike the other sails on board, it's free to be guided. The most critical moments are the hoisting and lowering of the spinnaker, but with a little preparation and the right equipment, spinnaker handling remains a pleasure. Calmness and communication are also the keys to a successful spinnaker maneuver.
Equipment to help you manoeuvre
Two pieces of equipment can help during spinnaker maneuvers: the sock and the top-down furlers. Both systems allow the sail to be set or lowered without being caught in the wind. The designs of these devices are very different, but they will make maneuvering much easier and reduce stress on board.
The spinnaker sock
It was Tabarly who invented the "spinnaker sock" for the famous 1976 Ostar, raced on Pen Duick VI. It has now been adopted by a large number of single-handed ocean racing yachts. It allows you to maneuver spinnakers of over 100 m2 safely and independently. The sock can be used with both symmetrical and asymmetrical spinnakers.
How does it work?
In practice, the spinnaker is enclosed in a sheath to keep it out of the wind. The sock containing the spinnaker is hoisted to the top of the mast. Then, with the help of a rope, the sock is pulled back up to let the sail catch the wind.
When it's time to stow the spinnaker, the process is reversed: the spinnaker cloth is wiped off in the sock, then the whole thing is slung onto the deck and stowed in the bag until the next use.
The advantages of the sock are :
- Affordable price
- A simple system
- Compatible with all spis
Disadvantages:
- Deploying the sail on the foredeck
- Weight in tops
- Bulky on a small sailboat.
The Topdown furler
Topdown furlers are extrapolated from gennaker furlers and other straight-luff sails fitted with an anti-torsion cable. A gennaker furler is particularly easy to use: hoist, unfurl, furl and drop.
For the past fifteen years or so, equipment manufacturers have been working on furler models capable of working with "shouldered" sails such as asymmetric spinnakers. Today, this equipment has reached a certain level of maturity and can help to improve spinnaker handling.
How does it work?
In practice, the spinnaker's tack and halyard are connected by an anti-twist textile cable. The spinnaker itself is wrapped around this cable. The spinnaker halyard point is fitted with a swivel, while the tack point is also fitted with a swivel and a drum operated by a rope in the manner of a genoa furler.
The constrained sail is hoisted and, once set, will unfurl on command from the spinnaker sheet. To furl the sail, you'll have to ease it and maneuver the furling drum rope. This will force the spinnaker to furl from top to bottom. Once fully furled, the sail is lowered to the deck and stored accordion-fashion in the sail bag.
The advantages of a Topdown furler are :
- Deploying the sail from the cockpit via the manoeuvring rope
- Easy storage in a spinnaker bag
- A spinnaker furler can be used for a gennaker
Disadvantages:
- The high cost of the furler and the anti-twist cable
- The spinnaker flaps for a long time during furling.
- The sail is rarely well furled and the spinnaker pieces can catch the wind
