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 Whether
you're out for a weekend sail
or heading across an ocean, the
right type and cut of spinnaker
can make your cruising faster,
more comfortable, and more fun.
Most boats should carry a full-size
spinnaker for best performance,
but if you sail primarily in windy
conditions or would like a reduced-area
spinnaker for easier handling
by your shorthanded crew, our
sail designers are ready to accommodate
your needs. Just tell us your
special requirements in the space
provided under "Your Spinnaker
Particulars" on the Get
a Quote form. |
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 We
can build your symmetrical or
asymmetrical spinnaker in any
of three panel layouts (Tri-Radial,
Radial Head, Starcut). Most cruisers
prefer an asymmetrical spinnaker
because a spinnaker pole is not
necessary to fly the sail. The
asymmetrical spinnaker also has
a narrower head angle, and its
girth and total area is 15% smaller
than a symmetrical spinnaker.
Usually, the asymmetrical spinnaker
is tacked to the boat's bow fitting
and used poleless as a very big
genoa; the asymmetrical spinnaker
is best used broad reaching and
as tight as 75 degrees to the
true wind. However, a symmetrical
spinnaker (used with a pole) will
allow you to sail directly downwind;
using an asymmetrical, it is necessary
to "tack" downwind (gybe
at roughly 90 to 120-degree angles)
to fly the sail successfully.
Most racers prefer a symmetrical
spinnaker's 15% larger area.
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SYMMETRICAL
(Conventional)
A
symmetrical spinnaker has
equal-length luffs and does
not have an airfoil shape.
It should be used with a
pole, and for running conditions
a symmetrical spinnaker
will outperform an asymmetrical
spinnaker. |
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ASYMMETRICAL
(Poleless)
The
luff of an asymmetrical
spinnaker is about 15% longer
than the leech, and the
sail has an airfoil shape.
Because it can be used without
a pole (secure the tack
to the bow), an asymmetrical
spinnaker is easier to set
and douse than a symmetrical
spinnaker. |
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 Choose
a panel layout according to the
size of your boat and how you
will use your spinnaker. Boats
40 feet and larger will get the
best sail shape and longest service
life from a Tri-Radial spinnaker.
For boats under 40 feet, a Radial
Head is appropriate. For smaller
boats (20 to 25 feet), a Crosscut
panel layout is fine.
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TRI-RADIAL
By
aligning the threadline
of the fabric to the radials
of the head and clews,
the Tri-Radial layout
reduces cloth stretch
and prolongs the useful
life of the sail.
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RADIAL
HEAD
Using
a radial design in the
highly-loaded head area
of the spinnaker makes
the Radial Head a good
choice for boats under
40 feet.
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STARCUT
The
Starcut panel layout aligns
the threadlines of the nylon
fabric with the major loads.
The Starcut is best for
larger and heavier boats.
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 For
most coastal cruising and weekend
sailing, .75 oz. fabric is recommended.
If your boat is over 40 feet and
you plan to carry a spinnaker
in breezy conditions, 1.5 oz.
fabric will have a longer service
life than .75 oz. fabric. In either
case, we recommend a furling sock
(sausage) to make handling the
spinnaker easier and safer. The
only measurements we need are
your boat's "I" (rig
height) and "J" (foretriangle)
dimensions, which can be entered
on the Get
a Quote form in the
"Your Rig Measurements"
section. |
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