Spin Lauch from cockpit?

[Drew Harper]

We also changed over to a continuous spin sheet which means that it is not such a big deal if the spin sheet is dropped on the hoist or douse. When I got the boat I had to long spin sheets and we used one of them as our continuous sheet, a bit short but works well. Could be interesting the next time we broach and the spin can't be eased fully but 'hey ho'.

Good luck. When we raced the boat for the first time in Charleston we had our spin sheet, jib sheet and probably spin halyrd/take down line too short. It was nice while sailing normally but on even a partial wipeout we couldnt ease enough and couldnt right the boat. Since then we have cut our lines down too as close too minimum as possible but now when a sheet chafes we cant just cut we have too replace it :(

I just made a new continuous spinsheet. Our old one was 62' and we just couldn't ease it enough in a high speed crash in winds over 20. I've made this one 10' longer with eyes on both ends. I have a short pigtail of 1/8" spectra with an eyesplice in it that I loop through the eyes on the spinnsheet. Now we only have one tiny knot to pull over the headstay.

[Tac Boston]

Damn! I'd like to be your rope salesman :)

I doubt a Melges 32 Spin sheet is that long!

[Matt Sole]

72' does seem a bit steep probably get two normal ones out of that.
Have fun with that rats nest or do you drag it out the back to keep it untangled??? lol

[Drew Harper]

72' does seem a bit steep probably get two normal ones out of that.
Have fun with that rats nest or do you drag it out the back to keep it untangled??? lol

How long is your Continuous SpinSheet Tac and Soley. I'm curious to see what others are doing.

[Matt Sole]

No Idea mate.
I am a hack at this, chop it where it seems good and hope for then best.
No science needed

[Joe Pasciak]

Ok.  After almost a year after posting my original message,  I would like to reply....   Most of the
responses were "how to deal with the viper retrieval system."  The question was, however,  does it make
sense to launch from the cockpit.   I spent several months experimenting and this is what I found.

A.  Launches from the cockpit are quicker and easier.  The sail goes up almost effortless compared to
pulling it out of the viper retrieval system.

B.  The douses are also quicker and easier...  No hard pulling on the retrieval line to get the sail back
into the retrieval bag.

However,  there is a major problem.   Once you get it down into the cockpit, what do you do with it?
I fabricated a bag but the problem was getting it into the bag.  On the u20, melges 24, etc, the bag is
below deck and out of the wind.  In these boats, once you get the sail below deck, the sail is not likely
to produce much trouble.  With the sail exposed to wind in the cockpit of the viper, there is definitely the
possibility for trouble...  After one disaster where I shrimped the sail to the leward side of the boat
(broached and lost considerable time), I  have reverted to the original system.  Even though it takes much more effort  and is much harder on the sail, once the sail is down and in the bag, it is out of sight and out of mind and
one only needs to concentrate on getting the boat in the grove back upwind.   


Joe

[Chris Shaughnessy]

Have you seen the holmenkol seal'n'glide thread ? Are you using it yet ?
Now that I am using it there is very little friction in the system to complain about.

[Drew Harper]

I love the retrieval system. We typically douse 1 boat length from the mark. goes pretty damn quick if you mexican or weather, both our preferred douses. A leeward takes another length. Add 1-2 more lengths to each if your up on the step.

Holemenkol really helps...plus we have some millionaires tape around the mouth of the retrieval chute.

[Jay Harrell]

A.  Launches from the cockpit are quicker and easier.  The sail goes up almost effortless compared to
pulling it out of the viper retrieval system.

B.  The douses are also quicker and easier...  No hard pulling on the retrieval line to get the sail back
into the retrieval bag.

If there's that much hard pulling, then something is wrong.   Yes, it takes a good tug at times, but shouldn't take more.

When I first got the boat, I also thought the system was completely foobar - we spent way too much time pulling the chute out of the water.  But once I got it sorted out - oh boy, way better.  I often sail with inexperienced crew, and there's no way they would get the chute down into a cockpit bag, but with the Viper system I can steer and handle the retrieval line at the same time and all they have to do is blow the cleat and watch out for the boom.  No experience needed.   And with 2 experienced crew on board, 1 length from the mark is too far - we drop while rounding.  Try that with a cockpit bag!

[Mike Visser]

Ok.  After almost a year after posting my original message,  I would like to reply....   Most of the
responses were "how to deal with the viper retrieval system."  The question was, however,  does it make
sense to launch from the cockpit.   I spent several months experimenting and this is what I found.

A.  Launches from the cockpit are quicker and easier.  The sail goes up almost effortless compared to
pulling it out of the viper retrieval system.

B.  The douses are also quicker and easier...  No hard pulling on the retrieval line to get the sail back
into the retrieval bag.

However,  there is a major problem.   Once you get it down into the cockpit, what do you do with it?
I fabricated a bag but the problem was getting it into the bag.  On the u20, melges 24, etc, the bag is
below deck and out of the wind.  In these boats, once you get the sail below deck, the sail is not likely
to produce much trouble.  With the sail exposed to wind in the cockpit of the viper, there is definitely the
possibility for trouble...  After one disaster where I shrimped the sail to the leward side of the boat
(broached and lost considerable time), I  have reverted to the original system.  Even though it takes much more effort  and is much harder on the sail, once the sail is down and in the bag, it is out of sight and out of mind and
one only needs to concentrate on getting the boat in the grove back upwind.   


Joe


 

Joe, I PHRF my boat and have been launching out of the cockpit. I have a regular rectangular bag and it stuffs in just fine. If you have the bag clipped by its shoulders just aft of the mast to the foredeck height, its pretty easy to get doused.

When we have light air, it can get really light, and it is frustrating watching my sail collapse due to belly cord weight when other PHRF boats are just walking away with their kites.

If I sail OD, or I'm doing buoy races with a guaranteed 10 knots and I'm shorthanded, I use the OD config for the retrieval system, but most the time I sail PHRF in the light air capital of the world. No amount of millionaires tape or lube can take away from the fact that the kite turns into an elephant's rear end in the super light.