[MHml] Multihulls Digest, Vol 30, Issue 10

[Gordon Myers]

-----Original Message-----

Gordon,

Nice to see a sailmaker with a great reputation drop by.  Thanks for the 
thoughts on staggered weights - makes good sense and sounds like a good 
compromise.

Could you care to comment on the choice of symmetric vs assymetric?  I'd 
use this spinnaker especially for broad reaching/running conditions in 
up to 15 to 18 knots true.  All the "cruising" assymetrics I've seen 
struggle to go straight downwind in light winds unless you drop the 
main.  The bigger more racing chutes do better at rotating the luff to 
windward.

I know 3/4 oz can go up to that sort of wind range, but I am thinking 
increased durability with the 1.5 oz.  I'll have to talk to you when 
we're a little closer to buying one I guess. 

>          An interesting idea from a first class sailmaker.  I was a 
> little surprised that you were talking about a 1.5 ounce Spinnaker at 
> the same time as you were talking about dropping it after 15 true, 
> since the last time I used my spi in anger we were doing 15 knots 
> downwind under spi alone, in 15 apparent or 30 true, and the 3/4 
> ounce stood up to it OK except for a bit of repair tape that let go. 
>   
Don't forget you've got probably got a smaller chute than the one I'm 
thinking about - mine is for a rig about 51' I and 17' J.  As the sail 
gets bigger the loads get bigger too.

Evan Gatehouse


Hi Evan,
        Dave Calvert expressed my reply in pretty much the same thoughts. We
favour the asy spin but there are a lot of people who prefer the sym style
for dead down wind. Sure the sym spin is better dead down wind but as soon
as you sail a bit of angle, the asy is better, easier and a well designed
asy can still be tweaked to the windward bow and roll the luff around to
windward to work quite well.
 I try to read most of the posts here but miss a few when we are real busy.
Ross Hobson dropped in for a visit a while ago and it was good to meet him.
Pity he lost Mollyhawk as it was a very pretty boat and well ahead of its
time when first launched.
Gordon Myers.  www.gmsails.com