Stephen Godber
2006-11-04T13:21:00Z
I'm interested to know how many 235 owners have a spinnaker? I've not specified one yet though I am having the fittings installed. Are you all going to say "essential" or in fact do few bother? And to really show my ignorance, I used to race Parker 505's when a spinnaker was a spinnaker - what is the asymmetric thing all about?! (sorry!)
Stephen Godber
Stephen Godber
235/51 "Exodus"
PaulBurton
2006-11-04T14:00:00Z
I have the rigging for one but no spinnaker..
I am looking into getting one....

Paul Burton 235/40 Lady P.
Paul Burton
Paul Burton.

Wayfarer no.9362
Guest
2006-11-06T10:52:00Z
With the high-aspect ratio, non-overlapping jib on the 235 I think the spinnaker is a pretty vital bit of kit. Otherwise,as soon as you get deeper than a beam reach the jib starts to collapse.

The asymmetric is good fun and a pretty large sail so you can get some great downwind surfing if the seas are helpful. The further off-wind you go, the more you need to ease the fore-guy to allow the luff to get a good curve in it as you get onto a broad reach.

The snuffer system is, in my view, a bit of a mixed blessing - I kept getting the snuffer line caught round the spreaders and eventually bought a rail-bag that clips onto the guardrail.

We sold our 235 this summer and have moved into something very different - a long keel Vancover 34. I bought an asymmetric for it from Sobstad and it has an excellent furling system that might be worth considering. The luff has a dyneema line sewn into it so, that as long as the halyard is pulled tight, the furling drum at the bottom (which has a continuous line led back through a block kept under tension with a bungy)transmits enough twist up the luff to give you a good tight furl. So you hoist the sail as a furled thing then just pull the sheets and it's set. Much easier than the snuffer and it looks better without having the snuffer 'funnel' up at the top of the sail! Furling it is easy and you can leave it furled and ready on the bowsprit. It cost me about £1400 (but is more than twice the size of a 235 spinni at 75 sq. m)so it might be worth getting Sobstad to quote you.


Graham Keating
Stephen Godber
2006-11-06T13:52:00Z
Thanks Graham - "Gentoo" was the first 235 I enquired about second-hand, and you helpfully sent the ST article to me. Maybe we'll 'learn' the boat this season and keep the spinnaker up our sleeves for the following year, there are obviously different types and systems as you describe to consider - many thanks!
Stephen Godber
Stephen Godber
235/51 "Exodus"
Don Harvey
2006-11-06T17:19:00Z
Stephen

Can I suggest you look at the 235 picture gallery on the new Parker web site that I have developed www.parkeryachts.co.uk . I have posted a good picture of a 235 with asymmetric spinnaker flying. Might give you food for thought.

Regards

Don Harvey
Don Harvey
Regards
Don Harvey
Stephen Godber
2006-11-06T18:01:00Z
Thanks Don - great new additions!
Stephen Godber
Stephen Godber
235/51 "Exodus"