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| J/105 Class Association FORUM | Racing Tools and Techniques |
Spinnaker Dousing Technique, Help needed |
| Posted on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 03:38 am: | Jump the Gun/ Burnham, UK. | My helm has just bought a new J105, sailed it for a few weeks, however last weekend it blew up and we had issues getting the kite down. I am on the Bow and went flying hanging onto the tack when it filled while trying to get it down. I am convinced that this is a technique issue as we have handled far bigger standard kites, no problem. So what is the correct procedure for Spinnaker drops, with a starboard drop (pole, tack line side) and Port drop. In passing the J105 is one •••• of a boat, not felt acceleration under spinnaker like this since Dinghy sailing days. |
| Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 07:21 pm: | Jaffar Bentchikou / Chantecler / Annapolis | Here are our preferred douses.
1) When approaching the port mark on the port jibe, we do a windward douse. First, set the jib for proper downwind trim; then a crew member (could be the main trimmer if nobody else is available) goes down in the forepeak cabin and gets the tail of the lazy spinsheet from the foredeck person. This lazy spinsheet should come from as high as possible from the port side of the forestay in front of the jib. At the douse signal, the helmsperson bears away and goes quite deep (essential to depower the spinnaker in heavy air), the spinnaker trimmer releases the spinsheet and after a small lag to let the clew rotate downwind and reach the level of the forestay, the foredeck person and the squirrel pull together on the lazy spinsheet to bring the spinnaker by its clew first in front of the forestay and then in the hatch. During the process, the pit person releases the pole line, controls the release of the spinnaker halyard as soon as the head of the spinnaker is inside the jib and lastly opens the tackline clutch. The risk is to form a stable air pocket between the spinnaker and the clew at the forestay if there is no room to go deep during the douse or if the lazy spinsheet is pulled too early. In that case the pit person could blow the tackline if the foredeck person still has control of the lazy spinsheet. 2) When approaching the port mark on starboard jibe we do a Mexican douse. This is the easiest, fastest douse. First, set the jib on port and get the tail of the lazy spinsheet from below the foot of the jib to the squirrel in the forehatch. The foredeck person should stay near the mast. Next, we jibe at the mark. We jibe the boat, the main and the jib but not the spinnaker. The spinnaker trimmer should not release the working spinsheet and this positions the spinnaker inside the jib now on starboard. The pit person releases the halyard then the pole line and open the tack line clutch while the spinnaker trimmer releases the spinsheet. Very neat and satisfying douse. 3) When approaching a starboard mark on the starboard jibe we do a strech and blow douse on the leeward of the jib. The jib is set on port. The spinnaker trimmer streches the spinnaker foot so that the foredeck person could grab it at mid-foot below the jib. Then the pit person blows the spinnaker halyard and does not start controlling it until the head has reached about the mid-mast level. This depowers the spinnaker with its top part floating down while the bottom part is pulled frantically by the foredeck person first and then the squirrel. At the same time the spinnaker trimmer should ease the spinsheet while the pit person should ease and control the tackline. If done properly, the spinnaker does not touch water. If it touches water briefly, it should be flat on top the water and should not shrimp. Coordination between crew members is essential. 4) If we approach a starboard-rounding mark on the port jibe, we use the windward douse as for case 1) but here it is a bit more difficult to do particularly if room to go deep to depower the spinnaker during the douse is limited. After the douse, we jibe the boat, the main and the jib and turn the mark. |
| Posted on Sunday, September 14, 2003 - 05:13 pm: | Daniel Heun / Chicago / USA 51050 / Hull 186 | I will add a few techniques that we employ
around the marks. Remember most of us sail with five people, so a squirrel
is a luxury we do not have. 1. Port mark, port jibe, windward take-down -
preset jib for port tack, trim fairly tight inside life lines, so a skirt is
not required by the busy bowman. - bowman in hatch w/ tack retrieval line in
hand - completely blow spin sheet and that person takes new jib. - release
tack line and pole line - bowman pulls tack and gets control of luff, -
douse halyard - driver drives, main trimmer trims main, new jib trimmer
trims jib, pit man in pit, bowman gathers chute. - Three crew making boat go
fast up wind, two crew cleaning the dose. 2. Port mark, starboard jibe -
Mexican - preset jib for after the jibe, on the starboard side. Yes it will
be back winded, keep fairly tight to be inside life lines, so no skirt
required. - bowman in hatch - as boat jibes, stretch foot of spinnaker so
that bowman can grab foot. - douse halyard - spin trimmer takes preset jib
already on the port tack. - Pit releases tack line and pole as bowman
gathers spinnaker. - three crew making the boat go, driver is driving,
maintrimmer is jibing main, and the jib is being trimmed - pitman and bowman
clean up the rest. 3a. Starboard jibe, starboard mark, winds under 12 knots
true, leeward take down. - Preset jib for starboard tack - bowman in hatch -
over trim chute to stretch foot so that bowman can gather - contolled
halyard douse by pitman - spin trimmer takes new jib - once 3/4 spin in
hatch, release tack line and pole. - three crew making boat go fast, driver
drives, maintrimmer and jib trimmer - two crew clean up chute and lines 3b.
Starboard jibe, starboard mark, winds over 16 knots true, windward take down
- Preset jib for starboard tack, trim fairly tight - rerun tack retrieval
line to stardboard - bowman in hatch w/ tack retrieval line in hand -
completely blow spin sheet and that person takes new jib. - release tack
line and pole line - bowman pulls tack and gets control of luff, - douse
halyard - driver drives, main trimmer trims main, new jib trimmer trims jib,
pit man in pit, bowman gathers chute. - Three crew making boat go fast up
wind, two crew cleaning the dose. - you are preparded for a jibe set, or you
can perform a windward hoist or you can re-run the sheets and guys. Seems
like a lot, but in big breeze, a leeward take down is a high risk for
shrimping. 4. starboard mark, port jibe, windward take down. - yell for room
since you have inside overlap to the starboard jibe boats - preset jib for
starboard tack, inside life lines so no skirt is required - bowman in hatch
w/ tack retrieval line in hand - completely blow spin sheet and that person
takes new jib. - release tack line and pole line - bowman pulls tack and
gets control of luff, - douse halyard - jibe the boat. - driver drives, main
trimmer trims main, new jib trimmer trims jib, pit man in pit, bowman
gathers chute. - Three crew making boat go fast up wind, two crew cleaning
the dose.
Remember these boats need to be sailed like a dinghy, pre-setting the jib where it needs to be after a jibe, eliminates a crew needing to jibe the jib and a squirrel is not needed. Also, this technique will afford you the ability to sail short handed with four crew. Give the main trim to the driver. Not as fast, but doable. Also remember to do all this in perfect sequence with a dozen other boats vying for the mark. I love this sport |