more Asym spinnaker talk

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The 136 mile solo distance race went very well in the Laser 28. I finished about 20 minutes behind a Catalina 34 and 30 minutes behind a saber 38. Not bad for a 36 hour race! I experienced 6 to 9 foot waves and 25 mph winds, with gusts up to 35, and was averaging 12 knots, with spikes in the mid 14s with just the main and lapper! I tried to fly the chute, but I was only going 7 knots, and I was on my ear the entire time. 

The best part about the laser is how well behaved the boat is in those conditions. I was using the autopilot at 14 knots without any problems. 

Upgrades for next year's solo effort will include a furling headsail, and a furling downwind sail, both will provide me with PHRF credits. 

I was leaning toward the profurl, continuous line furler, because of the low profile. And the hope was to get a 155% that could be reefed/furled to the lapper LP and still look ok.. If not, I'm not sure what I should use for an all purpose headsail... any thoughts? LMPHRF does not give credit to under-canvased boats, so, using a lapper only does not affect my rating. And I won't get a phrf credit if I change headsails during a season, so what headsail should I go with?

The next big question is downwind. I want to go with a furling asym. The question there is where to attach the furler. I am getting a new pulpit this winter, so I could get one that was the one design dimensions but reinforced enough to attach the furler to the pulpit. Like this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LrZYadbbc4&feature=related

IF I go with a bow sprit, I would have to take a PHRF hit of 3 sec a mile for every foot the sprit sticks out beyond 12 inches in front of the bow. 

The other potential nice thing about the furler setup is I could use a code zero for light air..

Any of you guys have any advice on this stuff? anyone try something like this already?

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Chris Ross Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Skipper Joined: 16 November 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 70	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris Ross Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: more Asym spinnaker talk Posted: 20 October 2010 at 9:02am
	The 136 mile solo distance race went very well in the Laser 28. I finished about 20 minutes behind a Catalina 34 and 30 minutes behind a saber 38. Not bad for a 36 hour race! I experienced 6 to 9 foot waves and 25 mph winds, with gusts up to 35, and was averaging 12 knots, with spikes in the mid 14s with just the main and lapper! I tried to fly the chute, but I was only going 7 knots, and I was on my ear the entire time. The best part about the laser is how well behaved the boat is in those conditions. I was using the autopilot at 14 knots without any problems. Upgrades for next year's solo effort will include a furling headsail, and a furling downwind sail, both will provide me with PHRF credits. I was leaning toward the profurl, continuous line furler, because of the low profile. And the hope was to get a 155% that could be reefed/furled to the lapper LP and still look ok.. If not, I'm not sure what I should use for an all purpose headsail... any thoughts? LMPHRF does not give credit to under-canvased boats, so, using a lapper only does not affect my rating. And I won't get a phrf credit if I change headsails during a season, so what headsail should I go with? The next big question is downwind. I want to go with a furling asym. The question there is where to attach the furler. I am getting a new pulpit this winter, so I could get one that was the one design dimensions but reinforced enough to attach the furler to the pulpit. Like this.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LrZYadbbc4&feature=related IF I go with a bow sprit, I would have to take a PHRF hit of 3 sec a mile for every foot the sprit sticks out beyond 12 inches in front of the bow. The other potential nice thing about the furler setup is I could use a code zero for light air.. Any of you guys have any advice on this stuff? anyone try something like this already?

jez rees Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Rookie Joined: 25 June 2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 43	Post Options Post Reply Quote jez rees Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 October 2010 at 10:34am
	Hi Chris, I would think that you need a sprit to run a furling ayso and make it gybable. The popular furling system for this type of sail in europe is probably Karver KF, all I know is this is what Open 60s and Classe 40s use. http://www.karver-systems.com/karver_us_news/cat_GB.pdf For me it wouldn't be worth the rating hit. I would have a good pilot that can hold the boat as you retrieve to the companionway by using a long tack line that can be released on a clutch right next to you. Once you've got the foot gathered behind the main you can blow the halyard. Easier than trying to furl a powered up kite without a coffee grinder.... It's a pain to have to re-pack and launch from the rail but trying to pre-feed the tack from the companionway single handed is only going to mean that you have to go up there when it gets snagged on the pulpit or shrouds. Furling seems a nice option but I'm not sure that the top furler wouldn't snag on the forestay as well. Congratulations by the way on single-handing in these conditions , you're an inspiration! Have you got a keel bulb?

Chris Ross Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Skipper Joined: 16 November 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 70	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris Ross Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 October 2010 at 6:13pm
	My boat's foils are class legal.

Chris Ross Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Skipper Joined: 16 November 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 70	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris Ross Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 October 2010 at 9:07pm
	thanks for the compliment by the way. The top two battens on my main are full, and I invert them in a hounder. I also use the #4 jib. At one point I tried to reef the main, but I lost 1.5 knots of boatspeed, so I shook it out straight away. My main is very very flat; in light air I ease the outhaul. I use the backstay, and pinch a bit in gusts...

WarBird Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Skipper Joined: 25 January 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 92	Post Options Post Reply Quote WarBird Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 November 2010 at 12:50pm
	..and he climbs the mast in twenty knots under autopilot when the headboard shackle lets go!!!!!

Chris Ross Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Skipper Joined: 16 November 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 70	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris Ross Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 November 2010 at 7:26am
	that was kinda scary... and probably not the smartest thing I have ever done.. but it was fun..