Spinnaker, Gennaker or Pole-out Genua - which is fastest?

[Chris eSailor]

I haven't used as gennaker. I'm told when its sheeted in it acts a bit like a large genoa. In which case how close to the wind can you go, and does it provide lift? So you have tellales?

[slug]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Here's and interesting article from Yachting Monthly where they did a comparision of the three types of sails that can be used when going downwind. Identical boats, sailing in the same wind, each one with a different sail set.

Which is the best way to sail downwind?

This should definitively put this issue to rest

Poled out foresail is fastest .... add a staysail to the windward rail to ventilate the main and you get even more miles

With spinnaker you loose too many miles. repairing
Burnt out autopilot drives, chaffed halyards, buggered up snuffers, Dropped over the side reaching struts
And when that spin wraps around the head stay and a man must go aloft Add in Broken teeth and ribs

[slug]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Here's and interesting article from Yachting Monthly where they did a comparision of the three types of sails that can be used when going downwind. Identical boats, sailing in the same wind, each one with a different sail set.

Which is the best way to sail downwind?

This should definitively put this issue to rest

Poled out foresail is fastest .... add a staysail to the windward rail to ventilate the main and you get even more miles

With spinnaker you loose too many miles. repairing
Burnt out autopilot drives, chaffed halyards, buggered up snuffers, Dropped over the side reaching struts
And when that spin wraps around the head stay and a man must go aloft Add in Broken teeth and ribs

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by slug

Poled out foresail is fastest .... add a staysail to the windward rail to ventilate the main and you get even more miles

With spinnaker you loose too many miles. repairing
Burnt out autopilot drives, chaffed halyards, buggered up snuffers, Dropped over the side reaching struts
And when that spin wraps around the head stay and a man must go aloft Add in Broken teeth and ribs

Agreed...
Had a spinnaker once... had crew who knew how to use it once..
Had 2 x 24 hour runs with the spinnaker deployed and on windvane south of 40º S... could drink rum.. fix mainsail... happy days..

Third time?

Not so lucky....

Spin went in skip on arrival....

[MartinR]

If the gu ys with the regular kite had done the same, they too would have gone much faster... at least, that is so on all the boats I've owned and raced.

Jim[/QUOTE]

Exactly, in racing we never sail DDW except when the winds were very strong. This also goes for a boomed out genoa. DDW in light winds is the slowest alternative. With the genoa you have two options, both sails on the same side or go negative on the main. Which is faster is much depending on boat and sail configuration.

[slug]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Agreed...
Had a spinnaker once... had crew who knew how to use it once..
Had 2 x 24 hour runs with the spinnaker deployed and on windvane south of 40º S... could drink rum.. fix mainsail... happy days..

Third time?

Not so lucky....

Spin went in skip on arrival....

Spinnaker or free luffs sail should be in every serious boats inventory

For. Smooth sea , light wind reaching , they are very effective

Unfortunately this means that they are not very versatile and seldom used
For many folks it’s a tough call

Valuable Storage space used for a spinnaker ? Or a full length sun awning ?

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by slug

Spinnaker or free luffs sail should be in every serious boats inventory

For. Smooth sea , light wind reaching , they are very effective

Unfortunately this means that they are not very versatile and seldom used
For many folks it’s a tough call

Valuable Storage space used for a spinnaker ? Or a full length sun awning ?

Hmmmm... invested in a geniker in 2012... comes out once per voyage...

then ..

depending on the mood of the wind gods... the wind either falls extremely light and that combined with the swell means it comes down again soon after it goes up...

or..

the wind will promptly freshen to a near gale.

[slug]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Hmmmm... invested in a geniker in 2012... comes out once per voyage...

then ..

depending on the mood of the wind gods... the wind either falls extremely light and that combined with the swell means it comes down again soon after it goes up...

or..

the wind will promptly freshen to a near gale.

My gennaker is 25 years old

Still looks good !

[RaymondR]

Poled genoa one side, genaker the other.

Maybe not the fastest but easily worked and no swinging boom.

[MartinR]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Hmmmm... invested in a geniker in 2012... comes out once per voyage...

then ..

depending on the mood of the wind gods... the wind either falls extremely light and that combined with the swell means it comes down again soon after it goes up...

or..

the wind will promptly freshen to a near gale.

Yes, that about sums it up regarding cruising spis.