Specifications

WPOperatingManual Page - 28 - Revised: August 12, 2009
3. Spinnaker System
An asymmetric spinnaker is stored in the sail locker. To raise the spinnaker lift the spinnaker bag to the
top of the hatch with the ring outside the hatch and the bag hanging into the sail locker. Attach the
spinnaker halyard to the head of the spinnaker and attach the spinnaker sheets to the two clews of the
spinnaker. Run the sheets outside of all rigging and lifelines to blocks that have been attached to the
toe rail near the widest part of the hull. A plastic tacking device should be placed around the furled jib
and a downhaul line run from the tacking device through a snatch block on the bow and to one of the
forward cleats. The tack of the spinnaker is attached to the tacking device. Steer the boat on a very
broad port reach. Raise the spinnaker to within a foot of the top of the mast. Attach a snatch block to
the bow pulpit and put the spinnaker sock line through the block. When the crew is ready to deploy the
spinnaker, raise the sock using the continuous loop sock line that is through the snatch block attached
to the bow pulpit while a crew member trims the starboard sheet.
The easiest method of gybing is to lower the sock, gybe the boat and manually take the spinnaker
across the front of the forestay. Then raise the sock and deploy the spinnaker on the starboard tack. An
alternative method is to steer nearly dead down wind and let the spinnaker sheet loose so that the
spinnaker flies out in front of the head sail. Then pull on the lazy spinnaker sheet to bring the clew of
the spinnaker around the front of the head stay and steer off on the new heading while sheeting in the
spinnaker.
To douse the spinnaker steer so that the mainsail is blanketing the spinnaker then release the snap
shackle that is attached to the tack of the spinnaker (a process known as “blowing the tack”). Release
the sock line from the snatch block and bring the sock down dousing the spinnaker.
When the spinnaker sock is completely down, slowly release the spinnaker halyard while a crew
member stuffs the spinnaker into the spinnaker bag that is suspended at the opening to the sail locker
with the plastic ring in the bag opening. Once the entire spinnaker body is in the bag, release the sheets
and the tack of the spinnaker and then release the head and stuff the remainder of the spinnaker into the
bag. Remove the tacking device from the jib stay. Unless you plan on deploying the spinnaker again in
the near future, the blocks should all be removed and stowed.
4. Whisker Pole Operation
A whisker pole for use with the jib is mounted forward of the mast. There are three controls for this
pole: a topping lift, a downhaul and a pole lifting line at the pole base. The pole rides up and down the
mast on a track and has a continuous line that is used to adjust the height of the base where it is
attached to the mast. A snatch block is attached to the toe rail at the bow and the downhaul is run
through this block and back to a block at the base of the mast then to a cleat on the mast. The base of
the pole is lifted with the continuous line and the topping lift is adjusted to keep the outboard end of
the poll off the deck. The jib sheet that is to be used is clipped into the outboard end of the pole and the
pole is adjusted using the three control lines so that it is parallel to the water and about four feet off the
deck. When the jib is sheeted in, the pole will be pulled aft. Be careful to ensure that it is not pulled so
far aft that it puts pressure on the shroud. The downhaul is tensioned to keep the pole forward and off
of the shroud. The jib may have to be furled to the first reef point to give good shape because it is a
135% jib.