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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Add a Spinnaker or Gennaker

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Captmorgan
Navigator

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USA
220 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/10/2016 : 07:09:33

I have been sailing my Cat for a number of years but when I first started learning I always had a spinnaker. Now I dont and was thinking about adding it.

What are the best ways to do it. What do I have to know about stresses and winches.

Is there a good reference.

I read some of the posts but none that start with. the overview of adding one to a boat that doesnt have one.

I have seen some other sails see below:

UPS/Gennaker Sail

The Selden, continuous line, free-luff furler makes this sail exceptionally easy to handle. The Doyle Utility Power Sail (UPS) is as easy to use as your roller furling Genoa, yet easier to stow than a much larger cruising spinnaker. The UPS is fast becoming the standard auxiliary sail on new boats with small or non-overlapping jibs.

Just looking for the knowledgeable crew let me know more

"The Gal-Way" 1985 SR/SK Barnegat Bay, NJ

Enjoy Sailing =) Be Safe

Happy Sailing - John

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Edited by - Captmorgan on 04/10/2016 09:13:48

jfilion2
Deckhand

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Canada
22 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2016 : 12:40:15

I would like to know also.

Specifically:

What size and cut of sail
What hardware and where to mount it on the Catalina 25
Cost ?

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2016 : 15:54:11

Genneker = free luff. Drifter, hanked on luff. I prefer either over a chute of any description because they can tack inside the forestay.

Frank Hopper

hewebb
Admiral

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USA
761 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2016 : 04:01:41

I added a asymmetrical last summer I had already added a spinnaker halyard. I use an ATN tacker most of time. I have put a block on the pulpit and used that. Both worked OK. I plan to pull the boat in June and will add a spinnaker crane to the mast head as well and the necessary hardware to fly a regular spinnaker.

1988 WK/SR w/inboard diesel Joe Pool Lake
Hobie 18 Lake Worth

Life is not a dress rehearsal. You will not get another chance.

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2016 : 11:39:32

Gennaker is a big sail that is not designed to be tacked, only jybed. It is jybed in front of the forestay (inside the gennaker luff, or outside). Other lofts sell them as cruising asymmetric spinnakers.

North Sails Direct (previously Cruising Direct) made pretty nice stock sized cruising gennakers that were sold by luff length in 3' increments. I think I had the 30' one on my Catalina 25 TM and it worked well. They are pretty easy to find used (or at least I found a used one for each boat that I've owned). It was also really easy to rig (no pole), you just added a spinnaker halyard block (the masthead has a place for one), a tack line, and some sheets and turning blocks. If you already have two primary winches and two cabintop winches you won't need any additional winches to fly this, even if you set it before dousing the jib.

A symmetric spinnaker flown from a pole is more flexible and can be flown deeper. They are harder to singlehand with (because jybes require someone on the foredeck to handle the pole) and there is a lot more rigging required. They would be pretty essential to race the C-25 competitively in PHRF with flying sails.

Running rigging required for a symmetric spinnaker includes:
* pole
* track on mast with an adjustable ring for the pole
* downhaul to pull the pole down
* topping lift to pull the pole up
* twings to sheet the guys to the beamy part of the boat
* blocks at the transom for the sheets
* spin halyard
* low stretch sheets for guys and sheets. Asym/gennaker lets you get away with higher stretch sheets because the loads are a lot lower

I have both types of kites on my current boat and they both get a lot of use.

Alex W
Seattle, WA
Express 37 "re-Quest"
previously owned 1984 Catalina 25 "Lutra"

Edited by - awetmore on 04/13/2016 11:40:19

Captmorgan
Navigator

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USA
220 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2016 : 06:18:25

Thanks for the replies I was on the road and had not checked. Where do people put the cabin winches. I dont have any now. I have and extra halyard so I just need to replace the sheet its in bad shape.

I dont want to spend a fortune but IM interested about winches what are the best deals for reliability and price.

Also above Joe mentioned free luff Gennaker vs a hank on luff. If you have a hank on luff is it just a genoa or does it have a different cut. What is a drifter?

"The Gal-Way" 1985 SR/SK Barnegat Bay, NJ

Enjoy Sailing =) Be Safe

Happy Sailing - John

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Captmorgan
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
220 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2016 : 06:31:09

So I read a little more and found some posts but still need a little more clarity. Is the drifter just lighter material and shape but still like a genoa on how it attaches.

I have a furled Jib how would I use a drifter. I have also see the doyle ups power sail and was thinking of that.

http://www.doylesails.com/cruising/downwind/ups/

This is a next year project as I have a lot going on so I want to think about it and do my research.

"The Gal-Way" 1985 SR/SK Barnegat Bay, NJ

Enjoy Sailing =) Be Safe

Happy Sailing - John

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Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2016 : 06:51:53

A drifter looks like an extra large genoa made from light cloth. It might give you better pointing ability than a spinnaker, but I can't say from experience. I added an asymmetric spinnaker with a ATN sock and an added spinnaker crane and a home made "tacker".

Here is a photo at the dock:

And here is a short video showing the tacker:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt-GXf8cXrw

I liked the arrangement, so when I purchased the Gemini, it was one of the first additions to the boat.

A photo of the current rig:

Davy J

2005 Gemini 105Mc
PO 1987 C25 #5509 SR/SK
Tampa Bay

Edited by - Davy J on 04/16/2016 06:55:41

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1736 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2016 : 12:52:09

Great to see the video -- answers a ton of questions. Where did you get the "sleeve" that goes around the furled head sail or is that the "ATN sock" An elegant solution to one of my questions. As you appear to have the same fuller I do, that makes sense as well. Which loft did you buy the sail from?

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2016 : 13:33:42

quote:
Where did you get the "sleeve" that goes around the furled head sail

That is the homemade "tacker" that I mentioned. It is essentially a ATN Tacker. I came to the conclusion that if I hadn't already had the spare parts on hand, it would have been cost effective and time saving to just buy the ATN.

I copied Paul, he made one from a Round Up bottle. I used a 5 gallon bucket. Here are links to those threads:

Paul's Prototype:
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=27057

His test:
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=27224

My version:
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=27302

However, like I said, if you don't already own the bits and pieces, it might make more sense to purchase the ATN Tacker.

Forgot to add, both those sails are Rolly Tasker. I purchased the C25 spinnaker from Masthead Enterprises in St Petersburg FL. I purchased the Gemini spinnaker from National Sail Supply, also in Florida. National Sail Supply is Rolly Tasker's USA sales company.

Davy J

2005 Gemini 105Mc
PO 1987 C25 #5509 SR/SK
Tampa Bay

Edited by - Davy J on 04/16/2016 13:43:45

Sailynn
Navigator

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USA
178 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2016 : 23:44:12

If your on the west coast Sail Warehouse in San Luis Obispo, CA is the Rolly Tasker distributor. They carry Catalina sized sails in stock, including gennaker and socks for tacking and launching/dousing gennakers.

Lynn Buchanan
1988 C25 SR/WK #5777
Sailynn
Nevada City, CA

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.