The "Big" Spinnaker: The considered opinion of a skeptic

The use of the term ‘Big’ is a misnomer. It suggests more size, more power and implies more difficulty. It is bigger and more powerful but not more difficult. It is just more efficient.

When I first heard about the idea of using bigger spinakers I was extremely skeptical. I listened to various comments at an Australian AGM in Perth (1997?) and agreed with those that were against it. The comments that impressed me at the time included:

• Don’t we already have enough fun?
• Bigger kites will make the boats too hard to sail for all but the top half of the fleet.
• The fleet will become far more spread out.
• We will end up not having reaches
• Sails will cost more.

I am an average 505 sailor who has spent most of my time sailing around the middle of the fleet and found the boats challenging to handle in a breeze – particularly on reaches and gybing. I have always found that you have to really be on the ball when you are hit by extra pressure under kite on a reach. If you do not react fast enough the boom hits the water; the boat heals over and develops a great deal of weather helm. Pulling the tiller just causes the rudder to cavitate. You desperately try and release the boom-vang but the control line is under your backside. When it isn’t under your backside the ‘tail’ of the control line has been sucked out through the self-bailer and jams when you pull it back in. In short - to use our Aussie term - you ‘HIT THE PISS’.

A bigger kite? You’re kidding! We will just wipe out quicker and more often. Once the wind reaches about 20knots half of us will be lucky to get around the course.

The idea of a big kite seemed like a good way of ruining the class and was clearly only going to be ‘pushed’ by the good guys. The 505 is a dinghy. If you want to sail a skiff there are plenty to choose from. Don’t frig around with such a successful class. This was my view and is the view of many people I have spoken to.

Well, my crew has been sailing the boats for so long he was bored. He threatened to go on strike if we didn’t try the bigger kite. So I have been playing with one for about two months and have used it in a range of conditions from 5 knots (anything less and I won’t leave the bar) to about 30knots (anything more and I won’t leave the bar). I am here to tell you that I am no longer a skeptic and strongly believe the class will be better off with the proposed spinnaker dimensions. Let me explain:

The term bigger is a little frightening and misleading. Yes there is more sail area but the real issue is that the proposed dimensions result in a far more stable and manageable spinnaker. It is bigger. It is more powerful. The boat is much faster. The boat is more fun on square runs when you can trapeze down wind in about 8 –10 knots. (Exactly when to do this and which way to go down a run will add a tactical dimension to sailing the boats that we have not had before). The boat is more fun on the reaches because the crew is on the trapeze in about 5-6 knots of breeze.

In addition to all this (and the point I wish to make) is that the boat is also a lot easier to sail on the reaches – particularly in strong gusty conditions. The boat doesn’t want to round up every time you get slightly ‘out of balance’ or you didn’t see the gust coming. The rudder almost never cavitates. When a gust hits, the nose of the boat lifts up, the boat bears away and takes off. The driver really doesn’t even have to lean any harder or ease the main.

I have found the proposed spinnaker far more forgiving and honestly believe that there will be less capsizes than with our standard kites. Gybing is easier because you are moving much faster and have correspondingly more rudder control.

Over the years 505 sailors have developed a spinnaker that is very difficult to handle (due to the luff length restriction). It is very deep and long at the foot. Far too much of it is behind the mainsail and there is lot of spinnaker too far aft. In an effort to provide power on dead runs and broad reaches we have developed a sail which is a real bitch to handle on reaches and the boat invariably feels unbalanced. To obtain a forward driving force, we have to endure a lot of healing moment and drag.

The proposed dimensions allow the same (or more) forward drive with much less drag and heeling moment. The new kite is much further away from the mainsail leaving a much bigger slot. The boat just doesn’t choke up as much. The higher exit point on the mast causes the tip to be pulled to leeward and the boat de-powers much quicker.

Even in strong breeze we have found that we are sheeting the new kite much further forward and are using a lot more centreboard than we used to.

Whatever the technical reasons, the boat is a lot easier to steer and is very, very quick. It feels better, looks better and is a lot more fun.

The only downside is that you need to get your hands on a kite and there are obvious costs involved. Get together with others and share a kite. At the end of the southern hemisphere season I am happy to donate my kite to a northern fleet (if it is till in one piece). You won’t regret it.

I have spoken to many people about the proposed kite dimensions. Quite a few people are skeptical or believe there should be no change. But not one single person I have spoken to who has actually tried the new kite thinks we should stay with the existing dimensions.

Do your self and the fleet a favour! Don’t vote until you have tried it.

Michael Quirk AUS 8280