Hello from Australia

[Bill Brealey]

Hi everyone,

My wife & I have just purchased a Fountaine Pajot Belize 43 and transferred it down to Melbourne from the sunshine coast.

All of my sailing has been off the beach racing small monos & cats so bigger boat cruising is a new venture.

Our boat has a spinnaker c/w a huge spinnaker sock and I have no idea how to set it up and hoped one of you could give me some advice.

Cheers,

[Neptune's Gear]

Hi Bill, is it really a spinnaker (Symmetric) or a Gennaker (Asymmetric)? Likely on a cat to be a Gennaker. Do you have a prod? look for a fitting (block) on the end of the prod, or possibly on the fwd beam. Tack goes there, halyard on the top of the sock, sheet on the clew. Hoist the sail in the sock, then, when ready, hoist the sock with the cord in in the sock pocket. To drop the sail, bear away (sail behind the main as much as poss) ease the sheet, pull on the sock downhaul. Easy!! Gennakers in socks are great on a cruiser!!!
Matt

[Johnathon123]

Welcome

Have you got any photos to share? Its not real otherwise. Did you sail her to Melbourne yourself?

As for your spinnaker sock, it makes life really really easy. Extend the sock over the sail, leaving the clews exposed. The head should protrude out the top of the sock.

Next locate the line inside the sock used to hoist and lower the sock. lets call it the sock line

Once you have all those set, go forward and hook your sheets and halyard on. Hoist your halyard with the sail still inside the sock (keep your hand on the sock line or hook it up somewhere).

If using a pole brace back a little, sheet ready and pull the sock line , raising the sock and allowing the sail to fill with wind at your convenience not its. Gradually the sail will start lifting the sock from its own pressure. secure the sock line for later

Enjoy a beautiful reach or run with wine and strawberries.

To douse the spinnaker, ease the sheet completely, take the sock line and pull down the sock, lower the halyard and recover the sail without acres of billowing cloth, ease your brace and then pass the whole lot down the hatch.

Bring the boat on the breeze, sail home - being a cat keep eating strawberries.

Coordination is easier than it sounds and the whole thing removes any stress associated with spinnaker sailing for you, the admiral and the whole team. Amongst the simplest yet greatest inventions ever for sailing.

Enjoy

J

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!

[Adventurebound]

Welcome. Melbourne used to be an old tromping ground in a previous life.

[Mr B]

Where in Melbourne are you moored,
I will be in Yaringa, Western Port Bay, tomorrow about noon, If that helps,
There's a couple of cats in Hastings,
A couple at St Kilda and a few at Geelong,
And a few more in various places around the Bay,

[dirkdig]

We have 2 spinnakers on our cat at Geelong in socks which i imagine would be the same.
If you are around the bay i am happy to give you a hand.