Achilles 24

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I don't think much should be said about spinnaker work as anyone who feels he is competent to handle a spinnaker will not have to read these notes anyway. But perhaps just a few jottings will not come amiss.

Reaching: Depending on the type of spinnaker you have you will be able to reach up to about 45 degrees to the apparent wind with a starcut, or about 90 degrees to the apparent wind with a spherical cut spinny. A radial head will reach somewhere between these figures.

Shackle fairlead blocks on "U" bolts level with the helmsmans seat for both sheet and guy and always keep the tack and clew of the spinny level with one another. In practical terms this means that the pole end should be level with the pulpit and the clew level with the lifelines. The guy, not the clew of the sail should pass through the spinny pole end.

Running: As when reaching pass the guy through the pole end. When gybing, except in very light winds, do not dream of gybing dinghy fashion - end and end - for even with a spinnaker the size Achilles has, the foredeck hand can be lifted off the deck. Better to unclip the guy and dip the pole under the forestay.

If you are using the genoa as a "Big Boy" sheet it to the end of the boom with a snatch block. Leave some genoa halyard free at the top of the mast to let the luff sag away from the spinny. It is also a good plan to add a strop to the tack of the genoa for the same reason. If you do this you must arrange for it to act as a downhaul to comply with the rules; a suggestion is to take a line from the forestay deck attachment up through the sail tack, down again through the deck attachment, and back to the mooring cleat.

I think the use of a "Big Boy" is worth while only when the sea is fairly calm as otherwise the luff collides with the leech of the spinnaker and interferes with it. The spinnaker is always the most important sail where it can effectively be used. Sheet the main in somewhat to leave clear wind for the genoa, do use a foreguy and do not run by the lee.

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