Posted by Merrick White (merrick1952@…>)
Another newbie question:
We would like to fly our spinnaker for the first time this weekend.
While reading the proceedures listed in the manual a reference was
made to setting the backstay.
I don’t have a backstay, and can’t envision how it should be rigged
or attached in the stern.
If I have the main up with the spinnaker then perhaps the backstay
is not necessary.
Any/all comments and suggestions would appreciated!
Posted by rick_simonds (rick_simonds@…>)
“… We would like to fly our spinnaker for the first time this
weekend. …” “…I don’t have a backstay,…”
There’s no backstay. That statement was thrown in there as a zinger,
to see if you were paying attention. Elsewhere in the manual it says
there’s no backstay and you can use the spinnaker with or without the
mainsail up. Could that “backstay” statement have been a leftover
from an early manual or from the 25`s? (that DO use a backstay, I
think)
I don’t know, but I do know you don’t need one.
You’re in for a real treat this weekend! In 6-10 knots of wind put
the chute up and pull the leeward clew all the way down to the pole.
Let the windward clew out from the pole until it’s about ahead of the
forestay. Crank the leeward end of the pole inside the lifelines as
you come up to about 60 degrees apparent.
Don’t worry. The giggling fits and the dopey grin on you face will go
away in a few weeks, a month at the most.