Spinnaker Launch

Hi there,
Many of us use the bow launch system, as it produces the quickest launch as well as allowing us the flexibility of doing jibe sets at a moments notice.
We have hooks set up just inside the companion way, so we can always pack the spin from the top step and not have to send somebody down all the way inside on an upwind leg.  When a boat has a lightweight crew, then the issue of sending them down below is negligible, so it really is a matter of choice.
Cabin launches are fine, especially if you have a local sailmaker who can keep repairing the spin after it gets caught on a piece of rigging on the way around the whole rig as you are sneaking it up as you get to the weather mark.......
There is no need to send the bow crew past the mast on the downwind leg, except to re-set the headsail in the Tuff Luff / Head foil, and that happens moments after your rounding. Our foredeck crew only ventures on the foredeck if the need arises, in other words if a major f** up occurs.
Lots of different ways to get around the race course, which is one reason this is such an awesome sport.

What kind of conditions do you normally sail in?  I am assuming you sail out on the ocean, so big swell, current, tides, all that stuff....  The Laser 28 is very tender, so yes you are right when you want to keep the weight off the bow in big wind and wave conditions.
Conditions will dictate the best way to proceed, but you should try the bow launch, as it might come in handy some day.......
Regards
db

Thanks for the info, confirms what I thought. There are plusses and minuses with everything. The companion way launch is useful for us but the pre-feed and lauch have to be quick and good. I sometimes sail on a Beneteau Figaro and this has a bow launch which I thought was done to make it easier single handed (hoist and then square back)and they tend to be going longer legs.

As for the set-up for the companion way, we have two light and taught lines running from the hatchway upto forward of the windows underneath the cabin top. The bags hook on this and can be pushed forward so you can get below. We quite often have two kites plugged in; heavy and medium or light and medium depending on the wind conditions.

Although we mainly sail in quite a sheltered bay, (the venue for the 2012 olympics) we're quite often in waves and a lot of wind. It seems to have been howling for weeks here - 72knots in a gust on saturday. We raced on sunday when it was only gusting 30 odd!

Check out the FarrOut blog for photos of too much weight on the bow in a lot of wind: http://farroutlaser28.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-get-your-gybe-wrong.html

Cheers,

Jez

I love it. On boats this size we launch from the leeward rail, under the mainsail, instead of the bow. Our experience is that we can actually hoist the kite before reaching the windward mark on a bare away set with minimum risk of it filling. At the mark, the guy is pulled in and we are away. From the bow the crew must wait longer to hoist because it will fill. Pros and cons of both, but we developed a preference for this way back on my 1/4 tonner years ago, and took it to the Laser. We pack down below or in the companionway depending on number of crew and conditions.

Just the one major broach will let them catch up from behind.... Since we fitted a decent (both sides of the cabin top) kicker and boomstrut, I think the broaches have become less!

Jez,help me, I'm a rookie. How does a kicker/strut help w/ broaching? john

Ah yes, vang makes more sense to me. Do you let your boom go all the way to the shroud? I have a stopper in the main sheet to keep the boom off the shroud but I should probably put some more length so that the boom is just touching?
It *is* quite a crazy feeling when the rudder lets go and the stern goes into a power slide.john

Hi Bill,

I was down at the boat today and took a photo of the launch bag set-up.

http://farroutlaser28.blogspot.com/2009/11/spi-bag-for-companion-way-launch.html

Cheers,

Jez

That's basically what I have only I got the bag from APS at:

http://www.apsltd.com/c-2456-j24spinnakerpolesaccessories.aspx

I has batten stock sowen into the top edges to keep it open.