I too am having a hard time with my F30 Spinnaker sock. I know this is supposed to be a trouble free sail. However, without rigging instructions it is somewhat baffling. I have used the F25 diagram posted and that helped to successfully rigged the spinnaker through trial & error. However, the Haarstick sock still has me confused. The line attached to the center of the chute used for dousing is my problem. How does that work? Are there any instructions? What is the length of the line?
The line that is attached to the center of the aft side of the chute is a dowsing/retrieval line. It should run down through the center of the bow pulpit (aft of the spinnaker pole gun mount tube). The line should then be led through the sock (which should be secured to the toe rail or lower life line) and back to the cockpit. When you want to douse the sail, you release the halyard while pulling on the retrieval line. The center of the sail will be drawn down through the center of the bow pulpit and into the sock. Easier to have one person ease the halyard while another pulls the retrieval line and draws the sail down into the sock… although I frequently did it solo when I had my 30.
Any photos on what you are talking about?
Richard Abbinanti
Sorry, no photos and no longer own the F30. Our F38 does not have a spi… although I am currently looking into a code zero or gennaker on a flexible furler.
If you do the following, should be fine. Be sure to try it out for first time in light air. Also this is from memory - haven’t had the boat for 5 years.
- Slide pole into the gunmount tube, center it and lock it in with the set screw.
- Attach leashes to each end of the pole and run them back to the cockpit (probably to cam cleats on the combings). These lines control angle of pole in relation to center line of the boat.
- stretch sock (with spi inside) along the tow rail and attach with clips, ties or whatever mechanism is provided.
- Retrieval line should be pulled out the aft end of the sock and secured (with plenty of slack) somewhere in the cockpit.
- Head and clews of the spi should be pulled out of the forward end of the sock and connected as follows (try to avoid a twist in sail - retrieval loop should be on aft side of sail when flown… may need to un-bag and restuff before first launch… port and stbd clwes should be appropriately marked for future launches):
- different boats set up differently - on ours, clew lines (sheets) attached to sail and run through sheves at respective ends of the pole, through blocks attached to top of bow pulpit, down through bow pulpit, through blocks at base of pulpit (on foredeck) and back to cockpit. These are used to trim/adjust sail once it is flying.
- Halyard should be pulled down through center of bow pulpit (from above) and attached to head of sail - so that spinnaker comes up through center of pulpit as it is hoisted and launches (fills).
To launch, steer boat down wind or on broad reach. Set angle of pole with leashes so that it is perpendicular to wind direction. Ease sheets so that clews have enough slack to be around 12" away from ends of pole when launched. Pull halyard so sail comes out of sock, up through center of pulpit and fills. Adjust sheets and leashes to fine tune sail, sit back and open a Blue Moon.
To douse, release halyard and pull on retrieval line. Best to release gradually and pull retrieval line simultaneously - reducing chance that sail will end up in the water.
Takes a fair bit of rigging to get it set up each time you wish to use it - but really easy to launch, fly and douse once you are under way. We didn’t use ours that much when day sailing due to amount of work setting up. Was great on vacations - set it up and left it out and ready to go for entire time we were out (1, 2, 3 weeks…) When at dock or anchor (if leaving spi set up), turn pole/gun mount tube nearly parallel to boat, loosen set screw in gun mount, pull pole aft till only 18" sticking out forward of boat and secure aft end to lifeline.