I've just bought a Spinnaker and need to know how to rig; an uphaul/downhaul for the spinnaker pole, length of sheets and where to put pulleys, and any other info you may have?
Greg Nutkins

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Uphaul needs a block on the front of the mast a bit below the spreaders, downhaul a block on the foredeck ahead of the forehatch and some cleats on the coachroof so you can work them from the cockpit.

Sheets/guys (same bit of rope on a little boat like a Sinbad) need to be a bit more than the distance from the end of the pole when it's forward against the forestay and the turning block on the quarter plus the distance from the block to the sheet winch plus a yard or so to get hold of. That's the max it needs to be when it's a guy. When it's a sheet it doesn't need to be so long but it's role as a guy decides it.

The halyard needs to go through a swivel block on the front of the top of the mast ahead of the forestay fitting. I fitted a turning block at the foot of the mast and a snubbing winch just to port of the hatch with a cleat after getting ropeburns from trying to pull it up in a bit of a blow.

You need turning blocks for the sheet/guys fixed to the forward legs of the pushpit on each side. Never put stopper knots in the sheets/guys or you'll have unwanted excitement getting it down!

Geoff
Geoff Harwood

Ah! thanks for that Geoff, now a few more questions

1. so the uphaul will run from the middle of the pole through the block on the front of the mast (attached to the U bolt) down through another block on the deck in front of the mast and then at an angle back to the coachroof and into a cleat?

2. the downhaul would run from the middle of the pole through another block near the uphaul block on the deck and then at an angle back to the coach roof and into a cleat next to the uphaul cleat?

The dimensions for the above from the tech handbook are 30' x 8mm plait poly? Seems a bit thick? Surely the downhaul would not need to be as long?

3. The halyard. On my rig I seem to have the topping lift coming out of the top of the mast at the rear, and an additional block on the side at the top of the mast. I'm presuming the latter was attached for a spinnaker, though the block looks like it's too small for 7mm. Would a side attachment like this be OK for a spinnaker? If so, I'd run it down to a turning block as you suggest and again at an angle to run back to the coachroof and another cleat?

4. Now for a more interesting question. Having bought the sail, it's got a 26' luff and the handbook says I've got the 22 rig on my yacht! Sail no 315, making the sail too long for the shorter mast! However the yacht defintely has a fractional rig with no backstay. How can I tell without going down to the Solent and measuring the mast?
Greg

Geoff

1. Correct - though it would be usual to have a wire bridle going from the ends of the pole to a ring in the middle.

2. Correct - again a bridle would be the preferred method of attaching the line. In both cases the idea is to avoid bending loads on the pole.

Yes, 30ft would seem to be a bit long for the downhaul. 8mm would be about the right thickness.

3. A block on the side of the mast that's too small for 7mm sounds more like a burgee halyard than a spinnaker. On a 22 rig I would expect the spinnaker halyard to be just above the forestay attachment. I would have thought a masthead spinnaker on a 22 rig with no backstay or runners would be a bit iffy except in very light winds. Scaling from the diagrams in the handbook show the mast to be about 25ft with the forestay attachment about 21ft up. The Sinbad normally has a shorter mast than the 22 but a masthead rig so would set a masthead spinnaker.

Geoff
Geoff Harwood

Thanks Geoff

So if the mast is 25' with the forestay attachment at around 21', which seems right, and I put a spinnaker block slightly above this, the j measurement for the spinnaker would be say 21.5'.

This would mean the current spinnaker at 26' would be too long?
greg

Hello Greg
sorry for not getting back to u abput spreaders will have a look this weekend

an we are moored close if u want to have an afternoon sail i will gladly come along to help fly the spinnaker

let me know

Peter (CLEO)
peter lowry