Hi:
I have been redirected here from the Lark site -- can anyone help me?

I wrote (on the Lark association forum):
'I wonder if anyone can help me with rigging the spinnaker in my new Miracle dinghy?
The class has recently allowed builders to fit a half-height forward buoyancy tank. This allows us to drop the spinnaker directly on top of the tank & back into the cockpit without the benefit of a chute or sock. The stowage is then completed by the crew who stuffs (technical term) the sail back on top of the forward tank.
I had heard that your class had developed a method of automatically retracting the spinnaker back under the foredeck, thus reducing the efforts of the crew.
If so - can anyone sketch out the rigging for me?
Thanks in anticipation ---- Stan'

And a reply:
I think merlins pass the downhaul through a ring with a piece of elastic tied to it which pulls forward. This allows pulling the spinnaker right down and then retracts it under the deck when the downhaul is released. I can't help with recommended size, length and position

Stan, it sounds like the Miricle system is quite different from the Merlin. Merlins have a spin chute at the front of the boat with a downhaul attached to the centre of the sail. The spin halyard is realesed and the downhaul pulls the spin into the chute and along the top of the tank from front to back. Because of the size of the spin the downhaul patch will eventually appear in the cockpit of the boat once the spin is completely dropped. The elastic and ring pull this patch back underneath the deck to stow it completely away from the cockpit area.

What you are decribing for your boat is that you drop the spin directly into the cockpit and then stow it under the foredeck on top of the tank. It sounds like the tank is just replacing the spin bags normally fitted with this system in which case bits of elastic and rings probably wouldn't help your cause...

Tony it may be that the Miracle is adopting a similar system with a chute.  I have the retraction system on my boat, it is very simple and is a piece of shockcord tied under the foredeck with a plastic ring at the other end that allows the downhaul line through but not the retrieval patch.  When you drop the kite the ring comes with it into the cockpit, the length has to be sufficient to get the kite down without running out of shockcord.  Let go of the downhaul and the flappy part of the spinny is mostly pulled back under the foredeck.  Sailed a boat without it last weekend and I am now more convinced of the benefit.

Andrew 3511

If the text description isnt enough, I'll do a drawing for you.

Thanks indeed for the prompt response, I think a sketch would be helpful.
My current spin is a single patch & it extends into the cockpit nearly to the back of the platebox (I guess about 5 ft aft of the mast).

!! wanted to include a piccy at this point-- can I?

Cheers, -------- Stan

You can link to a photo, but you cant upload one.

Anyway, here is a (very poor) sketch.

I used a small pulley/eye fitted under the foredeck (on the cross beam), with a small clamcleat of the starboard end on the beam.
That gave enough length of elastic to pull the chute forward out of the cockpit, and gives some adjustment as well.

The main thing is that you don't have the crew' feet tangled in that expensive sail!

Colin

There's a few Larks use the system as well, including the national champion. After last night's constantly pushing the spinnaker back onto the tank after each drop I really must get round to fitting it but I reckon two pieces of elastic from opposite sides of the boat in a V to the ring would give more direction and stability to the pull back.

Pat you are at risk of making it too complicated.  The simple system is enough to keep the kite out of the jib blocks and prevent it getting trampled, there is always the opportunity to push the remaining bits of the sail under the foredeck a tack or two up the beat.