Dropping the kite double-handed may seem a daunting challenge, but provided you take adequate steps to ensure the spinnaker is deflated, a drop can be successfully achieved by any size…
spinnaker
Get out of that! What to do when your spinnaker snags a racing mark
It looks a rather pleasant day on the Solent with 15 knots and sun, and crews are enjoying what they probably believe is a decent race. However, as can be…
5 tips: spinnaker drop – how to drop the kite without drama
The leeward drop and mark rounding was looking fine and you were about to nail a few more places, so how come just two minutes later you are looking at…
Get out of that! – Ken Read deals with a wayward spinnaker
This is a highly precarious position, and one that you should never find yourself in because it can be avoided. My first impression/guess would lead me to suggest the crew…
How to choose the right asymmetric spinnaker for your kind of racing
What should you be looking for in an A-sail for your boat when the bulk of your season’s racing is a mix of inshore racing round the cans and windward-leeward…
5 tips: the gybe set spinnaker hoist – when to use it and how
There is always a temptation to keep things simple on the racecourse and opt for a bear away spinnaker set. However, some basic compass and tide checks can reveal how…
Bluewater Sailing Techniques Part 5: How to set up a spinnaker safely for long downwind passages
In the fifth instalment of our bluewater sailing videos, we explain how to set up a spinnaker safely for long downwind passages when offshore cruising or ocean crossing
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 9: Spinnaker trim
There’s nothing quite like surfing off a wave in the open ocean, spinnaker straining and helm vibrating under your fingertips. For me it’s sailing at its best. In this article…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 10: Hoisting a spinnaker
The basic principles of hoisting a spinnaker are easy to grasp. More importantly, they are the same whether you are sailing fully crewed, short- or single-handed and use an asymmetric…
SAIL FASTER SAIL SAFER advanced techniques series Part 12: Spinnaker problems
I have encountered more than my fair share of problems with the spinnaker when single-handed and it can be a total nightmare. The size and power of the sail that…