Having just found a spinnaker to fit to my new to me but old boat, I recall that somewhere I read about a system of shock cord to keep the "middle" of the kite out of the way when doused. Can anyone direct me?
Posted: 17/02/2012 12:33:14 By: Richard Stevens |
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http://merlinrocket.co.uk/gallery/view_photo.asp?folder=gallery/rigging_guide/spinny_halyard&file=halyard_downhaul_elastic.jpg
Posted: 17/02/2012 12:47:29 By: Dave |
Works well for me
Posted: 20/02/2012 12:45:29 By: fribbs |
Have had this for a while and is very simple. All it is is a plastic ring that allows the halyard/recovery line through but not the recovery patch of the spinny, attached to a length of shock cord. The other end is fixed somewhere under the foredeck in a convenient place (i.e where there is a fitting you can tie it to). It needs to be long enough to allow you to pull the spinny all the way down but no longer, and it then pulls the recovery patch forward away from the feet of the crew and the jib turning blocks. Mine doesn't pull it back under the foredeck and I don't really think that's neccessary. As above, the only issue is the size of ring & making sure this doesn't snag on the bowline on the recovery line and then go up the chute with it the next time you hoist. I have a ring with about 20mm internal diameter and it doesn't.
Andrew 3511
Posted: 20/02/2012 14:14:16 By: Andrew M |
I just have a bowline loop tied on the end of the shock cord. I haven't needed a plastic ring, although I have bought one just incase!
Posted: 21/02/2012 12:43:57 By: fribbs |
I use this system and it works very well for me every time. I have set it up with the elastic passing through a turn-round point near the bow so that it retracts the spinny right under the foredeck. I just prefer the "fully automatic" nature of this arrangement as I like to fly the kite even when sailing solo. I prevent any risk of the recovery patch or its knot sticking in the plastic ring by using a suitably sized plastic rope-stopper ball on the recovery line between the bowline and the plastic ring. The ball is a floating fit on the recovery line. I install it with its knot-recess facing away from the knot so that they cannot jam together (although it would not be a problem even if they did). This way the ball slides down the recovery line during the hoist and normally resides under the foredeck where it doesn't weigh on the spinny in even the lightest breeze! The ball only comes into play when it is pushed against the ring by the descending recovery patch in which case it totally prevents any jamming between the ring and the bowline.
Posted: 21/02/2012 13:43:41 By: Richard Saunderson |
