RS SAILING RS Quest, Rigging Manual

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Lowering the Spinnaker-
To lower the spinnaker ease the guy forward. Uncleat the halyard and pull hard on the
retrieval line inboard of the port side tank. When the spinnaker is half down, let go of
both the sheet and the guy. Continue pulling the spinnaker into the sock. Only when the
spinnaker is fully in the sock, stand up and unhook the pole, followed by the yellow uphaul/
downhaul rope. Stow the pole on the windward side of the boom, unhooking the guy as
you do so. When the spinnaker is fully lowered, tidy the sheets and the halyard to keep
the cockpit area clear. You are now ready to sail upwind again.
13.7 - Using the Symmetrical Spinnaker
As with the gennaker, it is best to first sail with the spinnaker on a quiet day.
Hoisting-
Bear away (turn downwind) until the boat is almost on a run. If on starboard tack unhook the
pole from the boom. With your right hand pick up the windward spinnaker sheet (the guy) from
in front of the shrouds. Open the jaw on the front of the spinnaker pole with your left hand and
place the guy in the pole (making sure it is not twisted). Lift the pole forward and hook the
knotted yellow uphaul in the V jammer in the centre of the pole. If it is windy you want the pole
to be high and conversely if it is light the pole should be low.
Continue pushing the pole out and hook it onto the eye on the front of the mast. Pull on the
guy through the ratchet block. Pull a couple of feet of the clew of the spinnaker out of the
chute. Cleat the guy. Check the sheet to leeward is not tangled and is out of it’s cleat. Check
the windward twinning line is cleated and the leeward one uncleated. The spinnaker is now
ready to hoist. Stand over the halyard block and pull the spinnaker up as fast as possible.
When it is fully up the bobble on the halyard will reach the mast. Sit down, pull the guy in and
cleat it. The closer to a dead run you are, the further back the pole has to come. As a rough
guide, it should be almost opposite the angle of the boom.
Pull on the spinnaker sheet until it fills. Ideally the luff (windward side of the spinnaker) should
be just on the edge of curling. With a little practice the helm can help the crew with many of the
tasks. Once settled on a run it can be beneficial for the helm to sit to leeward allowing the crew
to have a better view of the spinnaker.
Gybing Starboard to Port-
Bear away onto a dead run, pulling on the guy to bring the pole aft. Cleat the guy and the sheet
with the spinnaker fuly set. It is the helm’s job to to steer to to keep the spinnaker full in this
situation. Pull down gently on the now port twinning line until it is fully in. You are now ready to
gybe.
Continue bearing away. The helm should grab the mainsheet to help the boom across in the
same procedure as if the spinnaker isn’t there. Once the boom is across, make sure you
readjust your course to be close to a run. Once you have settled down, the crew can now reach
forward and unhook the pole from the mast. Pass the pole from behind the mainsail up to
windward, ensuring that the yellow uphaul moves across the double V cleat. Pull on the string
connecting the plungers to release the old guy. Once this is done, grab the new guy (on the port
side) in front of the shrouds in your left hand and hook it in to the end of the pole. Push the pole
out as when hoisting and hook it onto the mast. Let go of the starboard twinning line. Pull the
new guy through the ratchet block and cleat. Settle down and enjoy the ride!
13 - Sailing Hints