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Tips on using SPI
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Author:  Luis [ Wed Aug 18, 2004 12:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Tips on using SPI

Hi everybody, I've moving from a 18SX to a new Tiger a month ago. I would like to know from experienced sailors how you handle the SPI. In mine, there is only one Pulie winch Ratchet block at each side of the boat and I ruin my hands trying to hold the Spi sheet (yes, for those who ask, I passed the sheet in the right direction). I saw that i.e. all FOX or Nacra boats (there are not many TIGERS in Israel yet) they have two poulies at each side. Any comments about that?

Thanks,
Luis 8)

Author:  Tiger Mike [ Wed Aug 18, 2004 9:04 pm ]
Post subject: 

You will find the sheet tension very heavy till you get used to it. A few things to keep in mind - wear gloves and my crew lso tapes his hands to save the blisters. Secondly, you need to get the helmsman to stear a slightly lower course. We have found that a high course in relatively little breeze can have much higher sheet tension than a low course in a big blow.

Only the guys with young crews run sissy blocks down here (the technical name for them :). My crew was 15 when he got on board and after being sucked from one side of the boat to the other a few times whilst persisting has become one of the better kite crews around. If I were to to a very long distance kite race (kite up for a long period of time in 1 hit) I'd probably put the second pair of ratchet blocks on.

Michael

Author:  Luis [ Thu Aug 19, 2004 2:36 am ]
Post subject:  Ratchet blocks

Hi Mike thank you for your reply, I am a bit older than you crew (three times :) ) A week ago was the first time we used the SPI after a short trial in a light wind a week before.
Is true we both, my helmsman still need to lear to head down the wind and play a bith with the traveler, but this was a 140 KM in two legs, what is hard to handle nowadays what.

I will appreciate if yuo can recommend or send me some pictures of how other people have solved this matter.
We have another competition in 45 days shorter but with even much strongest weather.
Regards
Luis

8)
Tiger Mike wrote:
You will find the sheet tension very heavy till you get used to it. A few things to keep in mind - wear gloves and my crew lso tapes his hands to save the blisters. Secondly, you need to get the helmsman to stear a slightly lower course. We have found that a high course in relatively little breeze can have much higher sheet tension than a low course in a big blow.

Only the guys with young crews run sissy blocks down here (the technical name for them :). My crew was 15 when he got on board and after being sucked from one side of the boat to the other a few times whilst persisting has become one of the better kite crews around. If I were to to a very long distance kite race (kite up for a long period of time in 1 hit) I'd probably put the second pair of ratchet blocks on.

Michael

Author:  Dan DeLave [ Thu Aug 19, 2004 11:37 am ]
Post subject:  Double Blocks for the spinnaker

My crew is my girlfriend. She is about 125 at 5foot 7inches, so you can imagine that she is not a burley girl. When we started I did not head downwind when she was hoisting the SPI and sometimes we tried to have be sheet the spinnaker in while she was hoisting. That did not work. We then learned through some trial and error that it is more effective for me to head down a lot and not touch the sheet. Then when she is ready I will sail up to get the boat going.

That is not your question but it kind of leads to it. We sailed a couple of days without the extra blocks on the boat. After that she said that I will have to get another stronger crew, she did not think that she was capable enough. I did not like that option. We got this boat to sail together. I bought some automatic ratcheting blocks and mounted them where the other spinnaker sheet blocks went on the Tiger. Then I took the original blocks and mounted them near the front crossbar through a grommet in the trampoline and tied to the dolphin striker. The spin sheet goes through the outside block then through the one at the front.

We will turn on the second block if it is really windy, it has a switch. Because of the angle that the sheet bends now there is a lot of holding power even without the front block. She now has no problem holding the sheets in all conditions. She wears gloves and usually does not tape her hands. She had sore hands at the end of the Continentals after sailing for a week, but that is all.

The blocks that we bought are called Harken Carbo Ratchematics, I think. Right now we are using the stock sheet but looking for something even more comfortable.

Later,
Dan

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