Spinnaker Virgin.

Never sailed a spin before and taking my Tiger to a short distance race this Saturday anybody have some tips or a link to some info on flying a spin on a beach cat?

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Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
Join us on our Facebook group: Surfside Sailing

Well since you have no reply's I will throw my thoughts in, I am no expert but I have some spin time in on my former H18

Before launching spin
Let up on the down haul
Let the mast rotate
Sheet in on the main

When your ready, turn down a little deep and pull the spin up as fast as you can and cleat.
Sheet spin in and turn leeward to heat spin up.
As the luff collapses, turn windward some to keep it full.
As your speed decreases from going deeper, turn leeward again to heat it up again.

Take down
Uncleat haylard and let it down and pull the retrieval line as quickly as you can. You don't want to be trawling for shrimp.

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2010 AHPC C2 #218

Turning to windward is up wind... leeward is down wind. It's reversed.

Turn up to heat up. Turn down to fill the sail when the luff curls.

When sailing the chute... sheet out till the luff just starts to curl (luff). Sheet in slightly. The luff should break... luff every so often when close to the perfect sheeting for the heading. If the chute luffs, head down or sheet in.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Yeah !!! What "he" said !!!

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Happy Sailing,

David

Your most likely mid-pole snuffed. If you have a seperate tack go ahead and pull the tack out as you are rounding the upwind mark. Once rounded get the chute up as quickly as possible. Keep the main sheeted hard and the jib, just like you are going to weather. Come up to heat the spin and get the hull lifted and then bear away carrying the speed with you.

Remember that if you get overpowered you will need to dive down, always be aware of boats beneath you! Releasing the main traveler some will backwind the spin and slow you down slightly. Never release the main halyard when flying a spin, quick way to bend a mast.

Be cautious at the downwind mark as you are dousing to avoid stalling and conflicting with more experienced skippers coming in very hot.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

It turned out to be blowing in the 20's so I didnt feel confortable flying the spin for the first time in those conditions. It a was a reach for 80% of the trip so I still was the 2nd one back to the beach I will probably correct out 3rd or 4th but still not bad for my second trip on this boat.

NCMBM Thanks this was the info I was looking for can you tell me how the rotator should be set when the chutes up?

_________________
Floyd
00 Tiger
http://www.HobieFleet33.com
10 Mile Surfside, Texas
Join us on our Facebook group: Surfside Sailing

I keep it set just as if I am going to weather. The spin creates so much air the main thinks it is going upwind. IMO the jib is just along for the ride with the spin up. You are probably self tacked on the jib so just set it for upwind and forget it.
Thats one of the best things about sailing the spin, very few adjustments from upwind to downwind. There are some tricks to flying the spin on different angles but you will learn those as you go. Watch what the more experienced skippers are doing and follow, thats the way to learn. Then ask questions on the shore about what you saw or did, most skippers are happy to share the knowledge.

Your not letting the mast fully rotate?

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2010 AHPC C2 #218

No. The apparent wind is still coming from the front of the boat. By rotating the mast it would present a blunt surface. You don't drive the spin dead down wind ever. If you were sailing the H18 without a spin then rotation would be in order as the wind would be more behind you. I am not an expert so I might be wrong on this but thats what I do. I have considerable pre-bend in the mast and run lots of downhaul so the sail is fairly flat without rotating.