Spinnaker, is it really worth it?

lucky for you, cat sailing is bigger in europe than in the US, so you should have lots of help.

go sail on a cat with a spin, you drive, and see what you think.

I have a Hobie 18, sailed it for 3 years, and decided to put a spin on... YES it's worth it!
Gather up some used stuff, meet some folks who are upgrading theirs... you buy some things new, and save money with their used items.... Look at other boats for installation methods.

You can drill into the mast, no problem. Use "rivet caps" then the rivet, and some silicone, you'll be fine. Biggest thing is go sail and try it out... and study how other boats have their spinnakers setup.

Hahaha. Rob, he's in Ottawa not Europe. Anyway, same idea, lots of cats in that part of Canada. You should be able to hook up with someone to take you out. If you sail on a relatively big lake, it will definitely be worth it. I sail on small lakes about 10 mi by 10 mi and it isn't worth the extra trouble for me.

Talk to Dave at Nacra Canada www.nacra.ca. He sells quite a few spin kits as add ons for older Nacras, they will work fine on a Mystere. You can also call up Mystere in Quebec www.mysterecomposites.com, they have a school and should be able to give you some good advice, in French. My french is so bad I'm not even going to try, my dad is so disappointed in me.

Edited by Wolfman on Sep 12, 2012 - 09:51 PM.

10 mi by 10 mi and it isn't worth the extra trouble

I'm no math major, but isn't that somewhere around 100 square miles? I don't know how any one component could be warranted or negated by how small your lake is.

i sail a mystere 5.5 and sail with a small fleet of 8 or 9 mysteres (5.5's, 6.0, 6.0XL's)

we ALL have spins. IT IS VERY MUCH WORTH the expense, trouble, frustration, etc

they are expensive (about $700-800 worth of hardware + about $1400 for a new spin) BUT SOOOO WORTH IT.

When it's light air and people are slowly drifting downwind... you can heat up the spinnaker and blow past them. When its medium air... you can fly your cat around like a rock star. When it's heavy air you can get on the wire, fly a hull and really feel exhilaration as you sail on the edge

when it goes bad with the spin.... it goes really bad BUT still... SOOO WORTH IT!

Learning and using a spin is an entirely new way to sail and brings a huge new level of excitement (and fear) into sailing...

A 10-mile spinnaker run is well worth the upgrade! I don't have a spinnaker setup. Heck, I don't even have a boat anymore, but I have ridden on plenty of spinnaker cats and can tell you it is a very worthwhile effort.

-Rob V.
N5.2 (Sold)

Thanks for the info guys! I am already making plans to meet up with someone to try out a spinnaker! Maybe I won't have to switch to kite surfing or windsurfing after all 😆

using a spin is Kite Surfing 🙂 but you can have tunes and beer at the same time (unlike "traditional surfing)

I enjoy 1 mile runs w/ my spin up. I don't think I'm overstating saying that being trapped out solo with the kite up is exhilarating. Highly recommended.

Ok my lake is a little smaller than that. And there are high escarpments on 2 sides that cause really swirly winds. I might still get a spin someday.

D.

when it goes bad with the spin.... it goes really bad BUT still... SOOO WORTH IT!

I friend of mine pitch poled his big mono hull with excessive use of a spinnaker. it was the best trip of his life.

I don't think I'm overstating saying that being trapped out solo with the kite up is exhilarating.

I'm considering a kite for my next boat. I can do 30 mile runs, one way. Did a 50 mile trip down the lake around an Island & back on Wed. We often get days of 5-10mph wind, & being able to find excitement downwind is an interesting option.
I solo about 85% of the time, on a 2 man boat. You mentioned soling with the kite. How much more complicated is that?

More complicated than what?

Since the main is essentially the backstay, you don't need to hold the mainsheet, and in its place you have the kite sheet. So, from a hands perspective, it's not very different.

That's what I was wondering. I have never been on a boat flying a kite, & don't know how viable it is to single hand with one.
Hopefully this winter I will get the chance to hang around some beaches & see firsthand how they are rigged & handled.

I don't know too much about the mechanics of going solo with a spin boat but I know tons of people do it. I mostly crew on 2-man spin boats. I know that the main is the back stay and you definitely don't want to blow it to depower. In a big gust that would likely bring down your mast. You adjust the main with the traveler so that the sheet stays tight. You depower by pointing lower. The best rides are when you can get the hull just out of the water and point higher to power up and point lower to depower. One hull being pulled by a huge kite is an incredible experience with 2 people on board. I bet it is pretty close to nirvana single-handed.

So it IS possible to go out solo with a spin?! Sounds Great, I will definetly be trying this haha

The best rides are when you can get the hull just out of the water and point higher to power up and point lower to depower.

I've found myself chanting 'heat it up, ride it down' several times.

So it IS possible to go out solo with a spin?! Sounds Great, I will definetly be trying this haha

Yes, it is no big deal at all.. i do it all the time, as Rob said above " you dont need the mainsheet in your hand with a spin out", so it's no big deal.

the only time crew is really beneficial is during hoisting or snuffing, it's always easier to have someone grab the helm while you snuff (or bag) the spinnaker.. but still very doable solo

I would have a hard time moving to a non-spin boat full time again.

Make sure you do what you can to make hoisting and dousing as easy as possible for speed and less complaining from crew.

I have had 3 trapped out on my boat on a spin run a couple times with still way too much power. Tons of fun.

Yea, the only thing I am worried about right now is installing it and the cost. Mystere Composite near where I live could install a brand new system on my cat for 3k :-O ... Way too expensive for me 🙁 . So I just have to wait out and find a used spin and then build my own spinnaker system. 😀

I've sailed a spin on a Hobie 16 and a Falcon F16 and both were awesome. It's like no other feeling you've ever had on a catamaran. You think your cat has power now; wait until you're sailing downwind with a spin holding on for dear life.

Yea, the only thing I am worried about right now is installing it and the cost. Mystere Composite near where I live could install a brand new system on my cat for 3k icon_eek ... Way too expensive for me

new alum 13'2" pole - $100 (less for used)
used Tornado spin (fair - to good condition) - $300-700
55mm rachet blocks (2) - $110
55mm non-rachet blocks (2) - $80
tang/block - $40 (guess)
tack block - ($25)
tackline - $10
halyard - $50
spin sheet -$50
-------------------------------
$465 plus the spin (whatever you find)

can be done for around $1000

MN3 wrote:

new alum 13'2" pole - $100 (less for used)
used Tornado spin (fair - to good condition) - $300-700
55mm rachet blocks (2) - $110
55mm non-rachet blocks (2) - $80
tang/block - $40 (guess)
tack block - ($25)
tackline - $10
halyard - $50
spin sheet -$50
-------------------------------
$465 plus the spin (whatever you find)

can be done for around $1000

Yea that is what I calculated too, around 1000$. You just haven't included the snuffer. But maybe I could be able to make one by myself. By the way, is it really better to install a snuffer? I don't think I could be able to get it out solo with the spin in a bag ? Is the difference worth it?

the weta tri can be soloed with 3 sails up

first you cleat the main and jib, then unfurl the gennaker

when sailing you keep 1 hand on the tiller and the other on the spin sheet

if you get over-powered you steer down, release some sheet, or both

a few things you need to keep in mind

1. there is no window in the spin so it has a HUGE blind spot which can be dangerous when it's crowded...

2. as steering down is the main bailout option be careful not to sail too close to shorelines and other boats when it's gusty

3. you will eventually get hit by a gust too big to be able to steer out of and releasing only some sheet will simply deepen the pocket in the sail and power it up even more...lifting the rudder out of the water, burying the bow and over you go.....so know how to right your boat solo

4. putting the spin away is often a 2 handed job so it helps to steer down early and have some kind of stiff rudder so the boat doesn't round up when your hand is off the tiller

ps a bag launched spin is harder again and probably only safe to use when soloing in light winds

By the way, is it really better to install a snuffer? I don't think I could be able to get it out solo with the spin in a bag ? Is the difference worth it?

you can start without a snuffer - much easier with crew as it takes much longer to stuff a huge sail into a bag

Out (and in) of a bag is much easier with a snuffer system

the snuffer is defiantly worth it (esp f you sail solo)

PS i wouldn't make my own unless i was a metal fabricator ... homemade snuffers dont usually work very well and risk tearing the spin

3. you will eventually get hit by a gust too big to be able to steer out of and releasing only some sheet will simply deepen the pocket in the sail and power it up even more...lifting the rudder out of the water, burying the bow and over you go.....so know how to right your boat solo

you are correct, as you sheet the spin out .. it powers up..
but, you can usually dump the spin sheet to save yourself, but your spin will flog like crazy (who cares)

I have never (personally) capsized with a spin out, and i am currently on my 3rd spin

i have been crew (in a race) where the skipper sailed to high after a jybe and we capsized with a spin out
and i have seen my pal dump right in front of me because he tried to steer up to depower (deeper/more dead-down-wind would have been correct) and capsized, but both times, it could have been avoided by dumping the spin sheet.

Edited by MN3 on Sep 19, 2012 - 09:11 AM.