Judy, Thanks for the info in cruising chutes in general and hoisting and dousing in particular. I have a few questions for you or other list members who want to jump in and contribute. Regarding using an assymetrical dead down wind, would one be using a whisker pole same as poling out a genoa wing & wing, or were you referring to using a spinnaker pole? On an M17 with a mast head rig, I would require a separate spinnaker halyard. Should this be mounted on a swivel block at the mast head? Do you have a suggested spin sheet diameter for M17? 3/16" Thanks Bill Wickett Makin' Time M17 #622 On Mon, Nov 7, 2011 at 5:07 PM, Judith Blumhorst, DC <drjudyb@blumhorst.com>wrote:
Hi Joe,
Google "spinnaker launching companionway". Most racers in boats under 25 feet launch their spinnakers from the companionway, not the foredeck. Usually with a crew of two or three (think J22, J24, etc).
For small boats, I think the easiest way to launch and retrieve a cruising chute is from a bag in the companionway or cockpit. I hang a bag in the companionway. Before I leave the dock, I rig the sheets, tack, and halyard so I can launch on starboard tack. (I leave all 4 lines rigged and clipped to the rail all the time.)
You don't need or want a snuffer on a micro cruiser. It's more work than it's worth for such a small, easily handled chute. Here's an overview of flying a chute on a small boat. How big you are and how much wind you want to fly it in determines how big a chute you can handle.
I'm a small woman, and I can handle the 175 square feet of a Potter 19 chute by myself and it's the same size the one for the M17. (Keep in mind that you can start with a small chute for learning safely, then sell it and get a bigger one if you want) . (I use a snuffer for the 600 square foot cruising chute on my Catalina.)
An easy-to-handle all-purpose cruising chute for a Monty boat will be at least twice as big as your 150% genoa. (It could be bigger, but that depends on the windspeeds you want it for).
Pick a spot where you have enough sea room. Drop your jib. Check that all your lines are free, especially the spin sheets. Set your course with the tiller tamer so the chute can be hoisted in the shadow of the mainsail (about 150 degrees to the true wind?) Haul the tack line until the tack of the chute is at the bow, about 3- 6" (?) inches above the fairlead/block. Secure it. (make sure you can release it fast if you need to cancel the hoist)
Haul the halyard ot the top and secure it.
Haul the working sheet, but not too tight. Keep it in hand.
Head up to a broad reach (120 degrees true?) or so to fill the chute. How high you go will depend upon wind speed. The goal in this step is to get the boat moving fast enough so the apparent wind moves forward so it's coming over the beam.
Finally, ease the tackline a bit, turn slowly downwind, and give a big ease on the sheet. The chute will rotate across the center line and project beyond the windshadow of the mainsail.
When you ease the tackline (and detension the lufff), the chute gets a shape similar to an asymmetric spinnaker and you can sail deeper angles and build up good boatspeed on a very deep reach. You can't sail DDW without a pole.
For reaching in light winds, tighten the tack line as you steer higer. that will give the chute a shape close to a genoa than a spinnaker.
Always be ready to give a big ease on the sheet if you get overpowered while sailing. But don't drop the sheet if you get in trouble -- instead, to totally depower the chute safely, you'll release the tack.
To douse the chute:
Turn downind to about 150-160 degrees, so the main can blanket the chute. Ease the mainsail so you can pull the chute in underneath the boom, into the companionway bag.
Make sure the lazy sheet is free, the halyard is free, tackline is free to run. Release the tack line and pull the working sheet towards you until you can grab the foot of the chute somewhere. Takes 3-5 secs. Release the halyard and gather up the chute. Takes another 3-5 secs. Stuff everything into the bag in the companionway. Stuff it in deep so the wind won't pull it out. Done.
Fair winds,
Judy B
PS. If you looking for new sails, now is the best time to order them. The fall discount ends Dec 5th. After the holiday season, prices go up and lead times increase to 6-8 weeks.
PPS. I didn't proof read this carefully, so I hope others will correct anything I wrote that's wrong. I'm not a certified sailing instructor, I just sail boats.
Judy Blumhorst Hyde Sails USA, Northern California judyb@hydesailsUSA.com cell: 925.208.1692 fax: 925.820.2327 skype: judith.blumhorst www.HydeSails.com/NorthAmerica
________________________________ From: Joe Murphy <seagray@embarqmail.com> To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Monday, November 7, 2011 9:42 AM Subject: M_Boats: cruisng chutes
I have been looking at the possibility of a Cruising Chute and found that almost all the discussions relate to 2 or more crew handling them. But these discussions seem to center on larger sailboats. Does anyone have any 'real life' advice on the use of these single handed on an M17? Joe SeaFrog M17