Welcome Guest
Catamaran Sailing at TheBeachcats.com Logo
Notifications
Clear all

Spinnaker sheets wrapped...

9 Posts
6 Users
0 Reactions
2,935 Views
(@Anonymous 13274)
Posts: 3111
Topic starter
 
[#28748]

Every once in a while, usually once or twice a season and irrespective of which spin boat I'm sailing, my leeward spin sheet will get wrapped on the crew dogbone/Hobie handle/trap loop as I set and sheet in for the first run. It actually happened to me twice at Tradewinds; once when Mike and McKenzie were just below us in a tight rounding - it was an unwelcome addition to the already-exciting situation. It only seems to occur when it is breeze on, and only in the set. I've tried keeping the sheets coiled on the port (leeward for the set) and starboard sides of the tramp, and it happens even if I have the sheets through a retainer in the back of the trampoline (skipper country). It invariably delays sheeting in and pulling hard just makes it worse, as your pulling down on the crew's trapeze line (or cable) while the kite just flogs.

Spin crews - have you seen this? Suggestions for prevention (beyond not sailing with a kite <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" /> )?


 
Posted : January 26, 2012 4:56 pm
Jake Kohl
(@jake)
Posts: 11744
Three Star Admiral Registered
 
Originally Posted by John Williams
Every once in a while, usually once or twice a season and irrespective of which spin boat I'm sailing, my leeward spin sheet will get wrapped on the crew dogbone/Hobie handle/trap loop as I set and sheet in for the first run. It actually happened to me twice at Tradewinds; once when Mike and McKenzie were just below us in a tight rounding - it was an unwelcome addition to the already-exciting situation. It only seems to occur when it is breeze on, and only in the set. I've tried keeping the sheets coiled on the port (leeward for the set) and starboard sides of the tramp, and it happens even if I have the sheets through a retainer in the back of the trampoline (skipper country). It invariably delays sheeting in and pulling hard just makes it worse, as your pulling down on the crew's trapeze line (or cable) while the kite just flogs.

Spin crews - have you seen this? Suggestions for prevention (beyond not sailing with a kite <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" /> )?

Haven't experienced that - but maybe the skipper could take the slack up on the leeward sheet as the kite comes up? (careful not to sheet in and make the hoist harder). When driving, I've been working on getting most of the slack out of the sheet and having it held up so the crew can grab it and be almost home with the sheet when they're ready for it. (however, I completely forgot about working on this at Tradewinds).


 
Posted : January 26, 2012 5:22 pm
Todd A. Hart
(@team_cat_fever)
Posts: 3061
Captain Registered
 
Originally Posted by John Williams
Every once in a while, usually once or twice a season and irrespective of which spin boat I'm sailing, my leeward spin sheet will get wrapped on the crew dogbone/Hobie handle/trap loop as I set and sheet in for the first run. It actually happened to me twice at Tradewinds; once when Mike and McKenzie were just below us in a tight rounding - it was an unwelcome addition to the already-exciting situation. It only seems to occur when it is breeze on, and only in the set. I've tried keeping the sheets coiled on the port (leeward for the set) and starboard sides of the tramp, and it happens even if I have the sheets through a retainer in the back of the trampoline (skipper country). It invariably delays sheeting in and pulling hard just makes it worse, as your pulling down on the crew's trapeze line (or cable) while the kite just flogs.

Spin crews - have you seen this? Suggestions for prevention (beyond not sailing with a kite <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" /> )?

I think Dave Lennard has some slick sheet retraction/tensioning set-up, it may have come from Alex S. That should stop it.


 
Posted : January 26, 2012 8:36 pm
(@_removed-account)
Posts: 15030
Four Star Admiral Registered
 

There is a thread somewhere in either the F16 or Mossie forums about simple system that sucks your excess sheet into the snuffer along with the kite. Basically an extra retreival point.


 
Posted : January 26, 2012 8:47 pm
(@_removed-account)
Posts: 15030
Four Star Admiral Registered
 
Originally Posted by Scarecrow
... simple system that sucks your excess sheet into the snuffer along with the kite.

You may be thinking of the approach Macca described at Racine - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR6tLYE8hFE


 
Posted : January 26, 2012 10:29 pm
danielt1263
(@danielt1263)
Posts: 344
Mate Registered
 

They talk about such a system in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR6tLYE8hFE

They also have a system that pulls the spinnaker sheet retainer ring further aft when the spin is snuffed.


 
Posted : January 26, 2012 10:31 pm
(@david.ingram)
Posts: 3879
Captain Registered
 
Originally Posted by Jake
Haven't experienced that - but maybe the skipper could take the slack up on the leeward sheet as the kite comes up? (careful not to sheet in and make the hoist harder). When driving, I've been working on getting most of the slack out of the sheet and having it held up so the crew can grab it and be almost home with the sheet when they're ready for it. (however, I completely forgot about working on this at Tradewinds).

That's what I do and we've never had the issue you're describing. See, skippers aren't total loads.


 
Posted : January 27, 2012 8:40 am
Jake Kohl
(@jake)
Posts: 11744
Three Star Admiral Registered
 
Originally Posted by daniel_t
They talk about such a system in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR6tLYE8hFE

They also have a system that pulls the spinnaker sheet retainer ring further aft when the spin is snuffed.

Maybe - but I presume the sheet is catching on the handle of the trap as the kite is going up and flogging - so the sheets might already be pulled out of the snuffer at that point.

I just had a duh-huh idea...I use trapeze donuts instead of the t-shaped item for trap handles and the sheet thing has never happened since. Betcha a hug from your girl that this will take care of it.

[Linked Image]


 
Posted : January 27, 2012 8:42 am
(@_removed-account)
Posts: 15030
Four Star Admiral Registered
 
Originally Posted by Jake
Betcha a hug from your girl that this will take care of it.

HAHAH


 
Posted : January 27, 2012 9:37 am
Secret Link