A big thanks to Judy Blumhorst at Hyde Sails USA, Northern California, judyb@hydesailsUSA.com, for the asymmetrical spinnaker she sold us back in the winter. Just launched for the first time this past weekend and hoisting, sailing, gybing and dousing the sail all went according to plan. Lots of high pressure weather with light winds over the west end of Lake Ontario. The exact conditions we wanted to use the sail in, when there is just not enough wind to effectively power up the genoa. In <5knots wind we were able to get moving through the short period waves coming from the east (left over from some weather 100 miles away at the other end of the lake). Still went up and down a bit due to the short waterline length, but to be able to get some forward movement was a joy. Normally we would say nuts to this and head back to base. Stayed out for 6 hours on Saturday and the heat helped the winds up to 10-12 (some small whitecaps showing) and we had a lot of fun with the sail. Sailed again on Sunday with similar conditions and got better at setting it all up. Launched from a bag hanging in the companionway Have to mention that Judy B patiently answered my questions about set up and rigging here on the forum, and in the several phone calls she made on her own initiative to talk to me. Real nice to work with her. We went with a 1/4" halyard (polyester double braid) off a swivel block ahead of the forestay at the mast head. Tack line is 5/16" double braid that feeds through a swivel block at the stem fitting then up through a Spinlock stanchion guide on the pulpit. I chose the Spinlock ( https://www.spinlock.co.uk/en/organisers/wl-range/stanchion-furling-line-lea... ) as there are not protruding screws or hardware to possibly snag the sail if the drop went wrong. The swivel block on the stem fitting is a double. The other sheave handles the jib down haul. We don't have a furling headsail. Still working out where to permanently lead the tack line. I know some members here run it along the side deck and up the coaming. We led it back across the stbd sided of the coach house to the jib halyard cam cleat which is between the main hatch and the grab rail. Just pulled the jib halyard out and fed in the tack line. I have another cam cleat beside that dedicated to the spin halyard. I guess either position (side deck or coach house top), the line has to cross the deck at some point. Just not sure if I want to run bulls eye guides down the side deck and reduce useful deck width from the already narrow area available. Will work that out. For the spin sheets we used a 1/4" dyneema core/polypropylene cover. Nice and light, does not absorb water. And we did dip them a couple of times. Little bit slippery, but the large clam cleats aft of the winches on the coamings do hold them. Julie can hold the lines okay with gloves, although she did ditch the gloves after a while and was still good in light air. Had one gybe where the sheet we were letting off dropped below the bow, and caught under the deck/hull joint, right at the nose. Had to clear it prior to the next gybe. We used the jib sheet turning blocks moved all the way aft on the genoa track. So had to pull the jib sheets out and run the spin sheets. Might invest in a second set of turning blocks to leave back there. Also looked at just lashing some blocks to the stern cleats, but they would have to come off to rig dock lines. Thanks again Judy, and to the several forum members who sent me pictures of their spinnaker set up. Bill Wickett Makin' Time M17 #622 Cambridge, ON
