Adding a spinnaker to a 12' dinghy

[perfusser]

I have been keen to add a spinnaker to my Gull, a 12' rowing boat that has a sloop rig (aluminium spars). I know that a symmetrical spinnaker would be easiest, however after sailing on a 16' skiff I really appreciate the ease of use with assymetrical spinnakers, as well as the speed . any way the problem I have is the best (?cheapest) means of adding the bowsprit, as there is currently a "lump" at the most logical point of attachement, and it will interfere with stays as well. Can anyone give me advice? cheers peoples.

[DavidG]

You don't need to set an assymetric on a pole fixed to the hull, you could set an assymetric spinnaker on a conventional pole (or longer) which fixes to a ring on the mast, this could be lower than the conventional spinnaker ring location.

If fixing a pole to the boat, there is nothing to say that the pole has to be fixed at the centreline, the RS400 pivots to windward.

Bear in mind that the power to weight ratio of the Gull means that you are unlikely to acheive any benefit in performance compared with pointing the boat straight downwind, however the assymetric might prove easier to handle than the conventional sail.

[yachtie2k4]

you don't even need a pole, you could just have an attachment point on the bow of the boat & attach the tack of the assy to that, much cheaper & much easier to handle.

[perfusser]

thanx guys, im thinking a conventional pole set lower would suit me fine, and not much more difficult to set up. I wasnt looking forward to cutting holes or resiting stay attachements anyway. I had considered not having a pole at all, but i wanted to at least feel like i was setting a kite, rather than a bigger jib!
By the way dave, ANY improvement in power to weight ratio has got to be good lol.
Cheers big ears

[yachtie2k4]

You don't actually have to cut holes, you could do what Skandia Wild Thing has done & get a good boat builder, or you could do it yourself, and build/buy a bowsprit to the length & strength that you need, and add it to you boat, but you need to reinforce with fibreglass or if you want really light, carbon fibre, the bow, to be able to hold the pole & kite. I am sure other people on here know, or know other people who can explain how to do it for you.

[perfusser]

The bow will be plenty strong enough for just about any kite and bowsprit, lol. Ive been considering a timber sprit, 3 pieces laminated together, should assist with strenght etc. There is even a convenient attachement site on the deck. Now all i haver to do is pull me finger out, find a reasonable second hand kite (Im thinking an MG kite would be fine, but does anyone know of a smaller one?)and get into it,
Cheers big ears

suprised a skiffy needs to ask these sort of questions.
never liked 16s myself...

you could probably pick up an old cherub kite down at belmont. even cheaper get an old symetrical MG kite and hack into it a bit. Raise the clew and take out some seam shape in the back half. you could do it on a home maching easily. half oz nylon isnt going to require a trip to a sail maker but of course 'phillips' just down from the 16's could do it easily.

with the pole there is no reason to move anything at all really. just mount the pole one side of the forestay fitting and angle it a little so the tip is in the right place. it dosent need to be adjustable or anything fancy so just bolting the thing onto the foredeck would be easy to do.

loads are not eally going to be a concern. merely dollars.

[yachtie2k4]

perfusser.
you more likely need to reinforce to hold the bowsprit on, thats all.

[perfusser]

"suprised a skiffy needs to ask these sort of questions.
never liked 16s myself..."
Oly been sailing them for a little while, and havent had to do much to it, let the skipper and owner do all the tech stuff lol.
I have a very handilly positioned cross cleat on the fore deck which could be used as a site to fit the pole, with a another site on bow fore a down stay, should be efficient and cheap, just need to find the smaller kite, cherub or mg should work out, hope the misses doesnt mind me playin with her sewing machine.
cheers big ears