J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment spinnaker rigging

I have recently acquired J-30 #193. I am interested in how various people rig and launch the chute. Twing lines mounted where and led where? Sheets led inside or outside lifelines? Launch from cabin or deck? Light air sheets up to what wind range? Recommended resources and/or diagrams appreciated.

Twings, from the obvious stanchion, for us. We have a nice harken ratchet with a camcleat on the block, and we lead straight out at max beam, tail to the rail.

We don't fly lightairs, just have stripped tails for our sheets, so the weight penalty is pretty tiny. (Some original boats had seperate sheets/guys, that's total overkill with modern lines)

Some boats hatch launch off the forehatch. (Gotta have a clean, modern hatch, or be a sailmaker, to make the work) Some people bag launch. We bag launch from the middle of the leeward rail, although if we replace our forehatch, one of these days, I think we'll seriously look at that.

- David

Same line arrangment as David describes. Cam cleat on mast for the halyard. Topping lift runs aft, but I'm considering putting another cam cleat on mast for it too. Also have a foreguy lead from a block on the fwd deck leading aft on the stbd side with a cam cleat on deck.

We have a Layline bag that hangs in the companionway and launch from there. Takedowns stuff back in the bag. The bag is suspended on SS wires that run fore/aft so we can slide the bag forward while racing to easily go below.

Spinnaker halyard on cleat at mast. I believe you can find a bracket at Layline to mount the cleat.

Foreguy is double ended so that adjusting the guy is easy on either side of the boat.

We also launch the chute from a bag in the companionway. North's rectangular spinnaker bags happen to be a perfect size for that. We almost always douse the chute on the port side.

we have our twing lines run thru a medium bullet block mounted on a stanchion base (on the wire support); the spinn sheet runs thru another medium bullet block, which is tied to that end of the twing line. The Twing line runs thru the stanchion block to a fairlead mounted between the windows on the cabin top sides, then aft to a standard harken camcleat. Works great, must have twings. To rig it, we first rig the twings, then we run the sheets.

The spinn launches great from the companionway launching bag. I wish I'd first seen the Chicago boat's method of hanging the bag from light line running fore & aft along the cabin roof. Mine is mounted to 4 pad eyes, one per corner. My bag stays put. Their bag slides all the way forward to the fwd bulkhead, out of the way so when you want to use the companionway, you just shove the bag forward. That is a nice tweak. Figure out the simplest method of doing anything and begin there.

We keep it simple by running spin sheets inside the lifelines all the way around. No need for twings sailing down wind. For the rare breezy tight reach we put the guy in a snatch block on the rail.

Do you have a digital photo of how you run this back to the cockpit that you could send on an e-mail?

I ment to ask Tempty 311 if they had a digital photo of the set up.

Bob, I'm wondering how you deal with your spin-sheets when you are dead downwind.They must cross to the ouside of the lifelines somewhere.
My stanchion on the left of the cockpit got a lot of abuse last year because the guy was chafing against it when we were on a tight reach. We have one snatch block on the stanchion base midship.

By the way, I'm suprised how many of you launch the bag from the companionway (we do too).

I've haven't noticed since it doesn't cause any problems, but I suppose where the sheets go over the upper lifelines they may press against them slightly.

We launch from and douse back through the front hatch, leaving the chute in the v-berth between launches. Sheets run outside life lines to aft end of cockpit. Original halyard ran to cockpit but a new cleat on the mast permits launch from foredeck.

Have considered double ending the pole controls to make foredeck adjustments possible, but not done yet.

I'll try to get some photos Thursday evening at a planned crew practice.

I looked at our setup dead down in a puffy 12-20 this weekend. Pole aft or forward, I there is no problem with the sheets barely touching the soft covers over our lifelines. I can't see why everyone bothers with the outside setup and twings.

We raced a doublehanded race with spinnaker last weekend, and out of necessity launched from the companionway. I was surprised at how well it worked. The only glitches were the difficulty pre-feeding the guy around the shroud, which was followed by a bit too much sail coming out of the bag prior to the hoist. Anybody have any tricks to deal with these issues?

On Rhapsody we have the pit person hold the spinnaker bunched in his arms in the companionway to control the amount that "flops around" during the prefeed - the human in the loop can grab or let out as necessary. It also guarantees that the spinnaker doesn't get caught on the halyard clutches mounted on the cabin top - that was a problem when we launched directly from the Layline bag. If you're doing double handed, this may not be an option since you're probably short of hands during this evolution anyway.

[This message has been edited by whk (edited 05-23-2006).]

Bob,

Where are your aft turning blocks located? Maybe they are a bit farther forward which would give a better angle to the clew/tack. Mine are a bit forward of the rear pulpit base.

David
#397

must give credit to Bob,
tried our spin-sheets last night on the inside of the lifelines whitout any problems, it barely touches the lifelines .
Only on a reach you might need a snatch-block on the rail otherwise the guy would chafe against the shrouds.
Our turning blocks are a few inches forward of the stern-pulpit/rail.

Blocks are in the standard location you describe. Definite need for a snatch block at beam for the guy side when tight reaching.

We were lucky enough to have a guy that had his own rigging shop so he made us up some spin sheets. We acutally run lazy guys and lazy sheets when the breeze is up. Its nice because you can keep the spin in tottal control during jibes and keeps your bowguys happy. It takes some time for the crew to get used to it but once you do, you'll never go back. The added advantage is you never have to worry too much about twings. Also the inside question is mute one because you run the guys outside and the sheets inside and your aviod the chaffin of gear

I'm thinking about changing the topping lift and foreguy on Rhapsody. We were doing the "J World" J/24 method on raising the pole. The topping lift is preset on the mast ring, bowman picks up the pole by the bridal, holds it by ring on mast, takes topping lift off mast ring and clips to bridal. The pole is pushed forward and is magically at the proper height without and need for the crew to do anything on the aft cabin. Sometimes we need more flexibility.

I'd like to hear some feedback from those who have put cleats on the mast (like how far down), double ended the topping lift & foreguy, and also run the leads aft for when a winch is needed to raise the pole.

• Double ended lead eye splice to snap shackle for topping lift, long enough to stow pole on deck with topping lift attached, but run back to mast along the pole for storage.
• exists mast to cam cleat on mast about 9" below topping lift exit plate and slightly offset so if desired, the cam cleat can be bypassed and use the aft cabin top cam cleats
• double ended lead feeds back on cabin top through topping lift fairleads and cam cleat, loops back through foreguy cam cleat and fair leads
• snap shackle tied on bitter end to connect to foreguy bridle on pole.

How does this sound?

Location of cleat and offset sound about right. Bowman takes care of height adjustment so no need to double-end or use winch. Setting the pole, clip inboard end on the ring, lift the pole with forward hand while tailing topper with aft hand. Easier to lift it up than pull it up. Also helps keep the outboard end clear of the pulpit and forestay. Double-ended foreguy is led through a single block w/snap shackle or clip used to attach to pole bridle. Block gives you 2:1 purchase. Snap shackle is there so you can clear pole in case of fouling on sheets, etc. Stow pole clipped to shroud base with with topper led through inboard end.

Bill on Mallorca we have a cam cleat on the mast - this works amazing. The line is long enough to put the pole on the deck - we have a piece of velcro that keeps on the stay when not in use. We put a stopper ball on the end so that it is easy to grab and hoist the pole. We no longer run it back to the cockpit.

David - Do you put a strip of velcro at the mast base and one on the topping lift to keep it out of the way when not raised? In the past we ran the topping lift through the aft jaws, but inevitably, when the bowman pulled it out 50% of the time had it wrapped around the pole the wrong way. Also - how do you handle the foreguy? Is it run aft or do you also put a cleat on the mast?

on Vee Jay spin halyard and topping lift cleated at mast. caused too much confusion in the cockpit. AND because we are roller furled the bowman hauls in the roller from the foredeck right after the spin is raised

Topping lift run to aft jaw attached on shoud base. Down haul aways attached and runs back to cockpit for control where we may need the weight and need to have close coordination with trimmer. We never change the pole height during a gibe ... only let off the downhaul 1-2 ft.

Bowman's job is to make sure pole doesn't get twisted and topping lift doesn't get screwed up or he gets no cold beer.

spin halyard still runs though base of mast and can be pulled through straight line to a winch if needed.

Keep the topper untwisted by pulling the slack out right after disconnecting aft end of the pole from the shroud base. Also ensures plenty of cold beer.

We have the velcro on the starboard lower shroud. We always hook the aft end of the pole to the upper starboard shroud and then we velcro the topping lift down to the lower shroud (it basically follows the lower shroud down from the topping lift exit point).

For the foreguy we have an eye at the forward base of the mast with a fiddle on it - we then have a single block with a snap shackle on it which attaches to the bridle - so this gives us 2:1 on the foreguy. It also keeps the foreguy out of the way of all the sheets since it is not attached to the deck and it keeps you from having to ease and tighten when you move the pole forward and aft since the pivot point is the same as the attach point. This is not lead aft.

So both setups are handled by the foredeck person. But the only time there really needs to be communication about adjustments to the foreguy and topping lift is when the poll height needs to be adjusted.

David ... do you run the spin out of the forward hatch .. or rail.
v

Rail for initial launch then from the hatch for second leg.

I have trouble when I moved the forestay to the mast base and tried to use the hatch launch as it is right over the hatch.
Do you live with it or have to solved that?
Thanks
V

Thanks to everyone's help we flew the kite on White Dolphin for the first time today. Here is a picture of the hoist:



And here is one of my crew going up the mast after the new halyard got jammed cause the splice was too thick, and we had to let the sheets fly so we could come about to miss a shoal:



Good times

It has not been a problem,it just lays to one side of the hatch - but they do make sure it is on the side the pole is on. Once the guy is pre-fed and the pole starts to come back it is far out of the way. We do mostly windward take downs so the pole is off for the douse.

I hate that - put a stopper ball on the halyard.

Instead of a stopper ball or eye splice, I just use an anchor hitch to tie the shackle to the halyard. Here is a link for an example;
Anchor Hitch Knot Example
It does not come loose, is light weight and easy to tie.
After a season I cut the shackle off to shorten the halyard a few inches which repositions new halyard cover at the clutch.