I am looking for advice on one-up sailing with a spinnaker. I have been racing my F16 Viper solo this season (all three sails, in 15 knots breeze or less) and as typical races are windward-leeward courses I have not had too much trouble setting sails for 2 points of sail with the exception of raising and lowering the spinnaker. How do people keep the boat tracking straight while hoisting/snuffing a spinnaker?
I have been hoisting the spinnaker late, after rounding the windward mark and setting the boat on its downwind course. I set and cleat the main, let out the mast rotation, let off the Cunningham and adjust the jib sheet for downwind before rounding the mark so all I have to worry about is the spinnaker once I round the mark. The boat more-or-less tracks straight when I let go of the tiller to raise the spinnaker but as soon as I shift my weight to get to the spin halyard, the boat goes off course. I’ve tried stepping on the tiller but find my head too much in the boat and if there is traffic behind me the whole maneuver becomes impossible. Any advice beyond “get an A-Cat”?

I try to keep my foot on the tiller - but it's a losing battle

Someone suggested I try a small strip of Velcro but I am not sure where I could place it to not interfere with normal sailing.

Some thoughts:

Resist the temptation to put neutral helm on your tiller.
If you go overboard, it will sail away and you may never see it again.

You are one busy guy soloing a three-sailed cat.

Roller furl the jib downwind to simplify things?

While you are raising or lowering the spin, can you leverage the tiller around the traveller (left cleated near the center) and hold it in place briefly with your foot (I assume you are kneeling)?

Marry someone you can coerce to crew with you? (This sounds desparate).

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Sheet In!
Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Roller furl the jib downwind to simplify things?

f-16 rock the self tacking jib | furling is not an option if racing stock

Use a spin lock and pull it up with one hand, steer with the other.

Worked the couple of times I sailed my Tornado with the kite by myself.

wlrottge

Use a spin lock and pull it up with one hand, steer with the other.
Worked the couple of times I sailed my Tornado with the kite by myself.

I have spin locks
I don't think this would work for me. I need 2 hands moving quickly to snuff
If i go too slow, it will ball up and i will shrimp my sail (sail over it)

I run a single line system and it's not too bad to solo but yea I usually have to do a helm correction when the spin is about half way up. If I get lucky I can get the spin hoisted before the boat bears up but the second I grab the helm again I have to immediately turn down before bringing the spin in or there is way too much power.

If you have the spin up I don't know if it's possible to have enough weather helm to bear the boat up head to wind and stop the boat if you fall over. I've never seen someone cleat the spin sheet so if you fall off it's going to billow out and drag the boat downwind no matter what I'd imagine.

I'd not let go of the sheet if you slip off...

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If you have the spin up I don't know if it's possible to have enough weather helm to bear the boat up head to wind and stop the boat if you fall over. I've never seen someone cleat the spin sheet so if you fall off it's going to billow out and drag the boat downwind no matter what I'd imagine.

Many of us on the causeway have cleats for our spin sheets
it is a bit risky and used lightly

I do it, but not in racing conditions with actual wind. If your endless halyard/douse line is long enough that you can hoist/douse from a position of control, perhaps, but as you say, you can't douse fast enough while turning a mark, so meh.

Douse early in a safe uncrowded spot & time before the mark?

In any case, in a race, there's a fleet around you. You can take a risk and at most you'll look like a fool if you fall off the boat and it sails away. Someone will pick you up, help rescue the stray boat, and drink those beers you'll invite.

There's worse ways to end the sailing day

Thanks all, I have a few things to try. I do have a self-tacking jib and single line spin tack/halyard system but not a spin lock. I sail with all three sails because the boat is balanced and easier to sail than with main alone. I do not worry too much about falling off while solo sailing - I save my clumsy moves for when my wife is sailing with me. My big worry is making late helm corrections in a racing situation with traffic.

Oh, I also have cam cleats for my spin sheets and have never used them.

gbviper

Oh, I also have cam cleats for my spin sheets and have never used them.

really not needed going around marks
more for long distance racing or cruising when you need a break on your hands/arms or need to fuss w other gear and don't want to douse

klozhald

Marry someone you can coerce to crew with you? (This sounds desparate).

...and expensive!
Well, in my experience, the entrance (wedding) was cheap, but the exit (divorce) was spendy!

She was good crew, too! (dammit)

Randii

I know this thread is about a year old, but I'm puzzling out the same issues on a Falcon F-16. Firstly, the boat is tuned to have the helm as dead neutral going upwind as possible because anything else is draggy and slow. However, downwind, as when launching the spin, the helm has some load.

So far I've been bringing the tack out while steering, then keeping a leg over the tiller while going to the mast and hoisting like a mthr fkr, then quickly sitting and grabbing the tiller and sheet. Works ok, but it would be nice to have the tiller stay put on its own for a second.

An idea I've had is to secure one end of short piece of bungee to the aft tramp or beam, putting a piece on each side of the boat. On the other end of each piece of bungee secure a hook that will hook over the crossbar. Using the piece on your side of the boat, hook it over to hold the tiller fairly steady when you're busy. I haven't tried it yet, though.



Edited by mookie on Jun 27, 2019 - 11:01 AM.

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Falcon F-16
Taipan 4.9
S2 7.9
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An idea I've had is to secure one end of short piece of bungee to the aft tramp or beam, putting a piece on each side of the boat. On the other end of each piece of bungee secure a hook that will hook over the crossbar. Using the piece on your side of the boat, hook it over to hold the tiller fairly steady when you're busy. I haven't tried it yet, though.

I've tried this for heave-to with little success - bungee doens't hold tight enough
may work better for just a moment while pulling out or snuffing

MN3

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An idea I've had is to secure one end of short piece of bungee to the aft tramp or beam, putting a piece on each side of the boat. On the other end of each piece of bungee secure a hook that will hook over the crossbar. Using the piece on your side of the boat, hook it over to hold the tiller fairly steady when you're busy. I haven't tried it yet, though.

I've tried this for heave-to with little success - bungee doens't hold tight enough
may work better for just a moment while pulling out or snuffing

OK, thanks for the info. Another idea was a flat piece of foam or rubber to wedge, on edge, under a rudder arm or crossbar.

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Falcon F-16
Taipan 4.9
S2 7.9
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they used to sell a u shaped bracket for hobies
it would allow you snap/click your tiller extension into it and would hold it perfectly in place

i haven't seen them for sale in years (probably taken off the market after some-one sued them because of a capsize or ghost boat) -

and after several searches:voilà - https://www.strictlysaili…tiller-extension-holder/

and https://westcoastsailing.…aeOFdGIZ7YhoCo34QAvD_BwE

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This is the closest thing you can get to "self steering" on a Hobie Cat. This handy little device grips the hiking stick, holding the tiller at whatever position you please. Great for light air sailing or when paddling in if the wind dies. It also keeps the rudders from flopping around when on the beach. Attaches at each end of the traveler track. For the Hobie 14 & 16 only. Includes a pair./p>

MN3

they used to sell a u shaped bracket for hobies
it would allow you snap/click your tiller extension into it and would hold it perfectly in place

i haven't seen them for sale in years (probably taken off the market after some-one sued them because of a capsize or ghost boat) -

and after several searches:voilà - https://www.strictlysaili…tiller-extension-holder/

and https://westcoastsailing.…aeOFdGIZ7YhoCo34QAvD_BwE

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This is the closest thing you can get to "self steering" on a Hobie Cat. This handy little device grips the hiking stick, holding the tiller at whatever position you please. Great for light air sailing or when paddling in if the wind dies. It also keeps the rudders from flopping around when on the beach. Attaches at each end of the traveler track. For the Hobie 14 & 16 only. Includes a pair./p>

Bingo. That looks like the ticket. The Falcon has an I beam traveler on top of the rear beam, So all of the parts in that particular kit are superfluous except for the clip. A quick look around McMaster Carr found these
https://www.mcmaster.com/spring-clips
One of those should do the trick. I'll need to make some measurements. Probably need to mount them in a way that helps keep them from fouling lines, also.

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Falcon F-16
Taipan 4.9
S2 7.9
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A quick look around McMaster Carr found these
https://www.mcmaster.com/spring-clips
One of those should do the trick.

Yes they look about the same as the hobie clips
funny - i have one of these on my garage wall - i think it was a fire extinguisher holder

also great prices for quick release shackles on that page but they warn "not for lifting" - hmmmm

I sail my F18 single handed from time to time. It is certainly a bit of a scramble getting the spinnaker up and down (along with rotation and cunningham released, boards up, jib eased, etc.). Fortunately, in my case, my boat normally has slight weather helm. With the spinnaker up it has slight lee helm. This is super helpful.

I try to let the sails help me around the course. I ease the main significantly as I come around the top mark so the boat will stay pointed relatively downwind - perhaps 45deg from DDW. Then when I pull the kite up, it tends to go even deeper until I grab the tiller and start to heat it up. I do firm up the main so the mast is properly supported.

At the bottom of the course I ease the main and douse a bit early so I don't have a mess at the mark and then firm the main up as I round the bottom gate/mark.

In bigger wind 12-15kts, I leave the spinnaker in the bag and go old-school and do the wild thing.

15kts+ is too much for me single-handed. Time for a beer.



Edited by rehmbo on Jul 03, 2019 - 09:11 AM.

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Jeff R
'88 H18 "Jolly Mon"
'10 C2 USA1193
NE IN / SE MI
cramsailing.com
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15kts+ is too much for me single-handed. Time for a beer.

+1
I used to single hand my 20’ Mystere, with a tramp launched kite.
Talk about fools rushing in.

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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