Hoisting the spinnaker

When hoisting, blanket the spin with the genoa. Hang the spin pole on its hook, fasten lift and downhaul, and pull them tight, adjusting the pole into horizontal. The spin pole should be on the windward side of all the forestays, i.e. the opposite side in relation to the main boom. Fasten the spin bag to a stanchion under the genoa. Fasten the sheets well to the spin corners (clews), and pull the windward sheet (the “guy”) through the hook in the fore end of the spin pole. Pull the guy outside all stays and shrouds to the windward winch, outside the shrouds. Attach the sheets to their clews by the winches. Fasten the spin halyard to the head of the spin, seeing that the halyard runs freely outside the genoa (on its leeward side).

Now you can hoist the spinnaker. Do it with two turns around the halyard winch, steadily, without interruptions, as fast as possible. Try not to make the sail catch air before it’s fully hoisted, i.e. stretch the sheets only moderately until the sail is all the way up. Fasten the halyard carefully to its clew.

As soon as it is up, the sail may fill with a slight bang, or start to flutter. Slacken the leeward sheet and tighten the guy until the sail fills. Go on slackening the leeward sheet and tightening the guy until the luff curls slightly. Then slacken the guy just a little. Now the spin pole should be adjusted again.

Hoisting the spinnaker

When hoisting, blanket the spin with the genoa. Hang the spin pole on its hook, fasten lift and downhaul, and pull them tight, adjusting the pole into horizontal. The spin pole should be on the windward side of all the forestays, i.e. the opposite side in relation to the main boom. Fasten the spin bag to a stanchion under the genoa. Fasten the sheets well to the spin corners (clews), and pull the windward sheet (i.e. the “guy”) through the hook in the fore end of the spin pole. Pull the guy outside and always to the windward and wind, outside the shrouds. Attach the sheets to their clews by the winches. Fasten the spin halyard to the head of the spin, seeing that the halyard runs freely outside the genoa (on its leeward side).

Now you can hoist the spinnaker. Do it with two turns around the halyard winch, steadily, without interruption, as fast as possible. Try not to make the sail catch air before it’s fully hoisted, i.e. stretch the sheets only moderately until the sail is all the way up. Fasten the halyard carefully to its clew.

As soon as it is up, the sail may fill with a slight bang, or start to flutter. Slacken the leeward sheet and tighten the guy until the sail fills. Go on slackening the leeward sheet and tightening the guy until the luff curls slightly. Then slacken the guy just a little. Now the spin pole should be tightened.

Twisted spinnaker

If the spin gets twisted when you hoist it, try to untwist it with slight jerks at the leech. If this doesn’t work, lower the sail, untwist it, and try again. Make it a habit to try to avoid twisting it when bagging, and to check that it is OK before hoisting, by running down the edges with your fingers. BEWARE NOT TO GET THE SPIN INTO THE WATER.

Lowering the spinnaker

Hoist the genoa or furl it out, to blanket the spin. Check that the spin halyard can run freely through the mast. Turn slightly to the wind, while slackening the guy and tightening the leeward sheet. Release the guy from the sail, which will fly out to leeward. Gather the foot of the sail to the wheelhouse door. Lower the sail while the person who gathers the sail into the wheelhouse tells the person at the halyard how fast to let go. (If you let go too fast, the sail will drop overboard). Adjust the genoa. Undo the spin halyard and fasten it to the spin ring on the mast. Undo the spin pole.

Bagging the spinnaker

Run down both edge tapes with your fingers to make sure the sail isn’t twisted, and stow it beginning from the belly, loosely, without folding. Leave the clews (spin corners) and head on top, and pull a line through the eyelets. The spin will be ready for instant use again, if stowed like this.

Gybing

When running downwind, and changing course slightly, the sails may seem to be on the “wrong” side. You can switch them over, “gybe” them, by tightening the sheets, so that the sail is stretched midships, and gently letting the wind in from the other side. Then slacken the sheets. Avoid gybing in fresher winds, for the bang may damage your rig. Gybing a spinnaker of the NAUTICAT size takes experience, and we advise you not to try without having someone experienced on board.

Staysails

The mizzen staysail and the schooner fisherman staysail can be used when having the wind from the same side for a longer period. Particularly, the fisherman will give the schooner considerably more speed, making up for the lacking spinnaker possibility.

Propeller shaft lock

You will notice that when the boat speed exceeds two knots under sail, the propeller and propeller shaft start turning. If the noise disturbs you, you can install a shaft lock. This will, however, “brake” the speed a little.

When advancing swiftly under sail, and the propeller shaft is turning, run the engine for about 10 minutes every 4-5 hours to cool down the gearbox oil. The hydraulic pump, as well as the sea water pump are driven by the engine shaft, wherefore the engine must run (on idle or forward), to make the sea water pass through the gearbox oil cooler and to make the oil pass from cooler to bearings.