posted 08-30-2006 02:32 AM               

And I have to add, I’m not a spinnaker expert!

Two years ago I was looking for a used 470 jib for my Haven when the seller offered a spinnaker too. Used class boat sails are quite cheap because professionals have to buy new one every season. And the quality is secured. The 470 jib is perfect for Haven for light winds as well as the spinnaker. You can found the sail, mast and boom dimensions from the 470 home pages.

But here are my spinnaker concept and results:
I do not have any permanent fittings. The jib halyard is used to hoist the spinnaker. Sometimes we use the spinnaker boom to spread out the original jib.

Picture: Transom flange eye and removable spinnaker sheet block.

I have removable turning blocks for spinnaker ¼” sheets to put them into flange eyes on aft ends for the dock line. Actual docking cleats are located 2 feet forward. Next the sheet is going forward and through a removable turning block to the side stay end.

Picture: Removable block at the side shroud

Then the sheet is going back again to the jib sheet cleat just behind of the oar lock, outside the coaming. Simple, isn’t it?
- Especially the gaff rig is mentioned to people loving ropes and fittings?

Picture: Jib cleat at the near the oar lock, the coaming edge is protected with a slice of copper tube.

The jib cleats are positioned so that I can handle the jib from both sides when sailing alone, and secondly, the 470 jib sheet comes in right angle directly to the cleat when used.

With Haven there is a special problem with the spinnaker: How to attach the spinnaker boom at the mast?
Because there are mast hoops sliding up and down along the mast one can not use standard fittings. I sketched some removable and embedded fittings for that.
But so far – there is just a rope loop tied round one hoop to fasten the spinnaker boom end. Then the boom must have 2 ropes to hold the boom in horizontal position. The upper line goes to a removable turning block fixed again in a hoop as high as you can hit. The lower line goes just “somewhere” close the mast foot, into lazy jack cleat. In my boat this halyard is coming out from the hollow mast at the mast foot.
Maybe somebody has better solution to deal!

The spinnaker boom is of wood, dimensions like 470. Maybe it should be 4 inches longer, because the rope fitting wastes some inches, if used.

The 470 size spinnaker is small enough to handle and the boat is capable to carry the sail without risks. Trying to sail to high (side wind) does not give more advances with temporary fittings (but keeps you busy during boring off wind legs).

I hope this gives some thinking for all!

BR,
Seppo