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Tips for Sailing with a Spinnaker
In the Learn to Sail Course you get to sail downwind with a spinnaker. In our Performance Sailing Course, you practice over and over how to properly set a spinnaker. Performance Race Week truly hones your racing skills downwind while flying a spinnaker.
How to Douse a Spinnaker to Leeward
In this video you learn how to bring your spinnaker down on the leeward side of the boat. Here are some helpful hints:
- Reach up under the boom and start to pull the clew of the sail around the boat while releasing the after guy
- As the clew comes toward you, release the halyard, pull the sail down and into the boat manually, stuff it into the cabin down the companionway
- Make sure there are no twists as you haul the sail in or you will have to repack the spinnaker
- Secure the pole on deck
Want to learn more sailing tips? In the Learn to Sail Course you get to sail downwind with a spinnaker. In our Performance Sailing Course, you practice over and over how to properly set a spinnaker. Performance Race Week truly hones your racing skills downwind flying a spinnaker.
How to Douse a Spinnaker to Windward
In this video you learn how to bring a symmetric spinnaker down on the windward side of the boat. Here are some helpful hints:
- Send someone forward to disconnect the pole and stow it on the leeward side
- Pull the sail around to the windward side of the boat, and release the after guy as you bring the sail into the boat
- The pole and the lines controlling the spinnaker are now on the leeward side, ready for a tack set when you go around the next windward mark
- Be sure you run the afterguy through the end of the pole, before setting up for your next hoist
Want to learn more? In the Offshore Sailing School Performance Sailing Course, you practice over and over how to properly set a spinnaker.
