Life is Like Sailing - Using the Spinnaker

[@Oggiwara1]

Thanks for the great tutorial. It is the best and most easy to understand spinnaker tutorial I have seen!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Svein Arne Grønnevik Thanks so much Svein! I really appreciate hearing that the video made sense and was enjoyable to watch! :)

[@alexkudryavtsev5059]

I found this video very informative and I appreciate the text with proper spelling. thank you.

[@StormSignal]

Great. Thorough and informative video. Thanks for this and all the others that I am catching up on. Fair winds and happy sailing.

[@lifeislikesailing]

+StormSignal Glad you enjoyed the video and found it informative! Thanks for watching!!

[@SuperHotjane]

Very informative video, with little wind and done slowly it shows how you maneuverer the spinnaker pole, very good.

[@lifeislikesailing]

SuperHotjane Thanks and really glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@1markvchs]

Great job. For a newbie like me it was very informative. Always wondered how a spinnaker worked. Love your videos!!!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Mark Ogden Thanks and really glad you are enjoying the videos!

[@SailingMonea]

That was a really great video on sailing with the spinnaker! Good job Alfy!!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Sailing Monea Thanks and really glad you liked the video!!

[@StanFerris]

Another great tutorial, Alfy! I've seen a few "twists" (like an hourglass) when racing, and now I know what caused it--- not sheeting in timely. There was a spinnaker pole on my boat when we bought it, but I'm not sure I could handle all that by myself.

[@lifeislikesailing]

FerrisMedia Thanks and really glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, the letting the sheet out too far can definitely be one reason the spinnaker twists. For sure the spinnaker is nice to operate with a few people on board! :)

[@Choppermurman]

Your Spinny method and rigging is exactly the same on my 27 Catalina. Good vid. Enjoyed the series. Fair winds.

[@lifeislikesailing]

***** That is cool you have the same set up! Thanks and glad you enjoyed the video! :)

[@kimchambers6685]

Thank you for taking the time to make the video. Very helpful

[@lifeislikesailing]

Glad it helped. I have a more recent episode on Single Handed Spinnaker Sailing also. :)

[@jchase5408]

We had a nasty spinnaker wrap last week, about 4 times around the furled jib, while we were sailing south down the west coast of Van Isle... we ended up motoring in reverse (so the spinnaker sausage/ballon wouldn't chafe on the front of the mast) all the way into Ucluelet before we found a wind shadow (behind a large dockside building) big enough to get it untwisted!

[@lifeislikesailing]

J Chase OUCH, that sounds like a miserable thing to have happen! Glad you got it all sorted out eventually!! Hope the trip is going well!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Pfsif A genoa and a jib are headsails for upwind, A genoa is a sail that will go past the mast, a jib is smaller and won't go past the mast. A gennaker is an asymmetrical downwind sail and a spinnaker is a symmetrical downwind sail. The gennaker doesn't use a pole and the spinnaker does.

[@ismzaxxon]

excellent. I have the same settup on my new boat. I didnt know how it all worked. i may have to rig up a downhall system. love your work :)

[@lifeislikesailing]

+Terry Peake Very glad that you can now try your spinnaker out and thanks for watching! Glad to hear you enjoy the videos! :)

[@MrWhiteHeal]

Hi Alfy, great video. I like your way of explanation. In simple way, people can understand how its works. I look forward to see more films like this. Ps. It would be nice to see some playlist with title " how to.." on your chanel. Greetings from Poland.

[@lifeislikesailing]

+Tomek Kmieć Thanks for the comments and I am glad you liked the video! I was hoping that that video would make sense with the way I explained it and I am glad to hear that you think it did make sense. I will look into what videos I could put into a 'how to' playlist. :)

[@TheADVENTURESoftheCAYMANJEWEL]

Great video as always. Ive never used my spinnaker and looking forward to finally doing so. Mines in a big sock so hoping its easy to use.

[@lifeislikesailing]

The ADVENTURES of the CAYMAN JEWEL I never used a spinnaker before I bought this boat, my last boat only had a gennaker. I sure enjoy the spinnaker though for the races and have a genre for cruising. :) Glad you enjoyed the video! :)

[@lifeislikesailing]

***** Thanks and glad you enjoyed it! I will try and do a video soon about how to pack the spinnaker. :)

[@moejaime2654]

WOW ! You explained everything so well . I have seen expert videos and they are not has good has yours Alfy . Now I know what it looks like to put up and take down a spinnaker in real life . Have you though of making a series on teaching sailing ?

[@lifeislikesailing]

Moe Jaime Thanks so much Moe!! I am humbled by your kind words and I am really glad that you got so much out of the video! I really appreciate getting your feedback, it sure makes me feel like I am on the right track when I find out it all made sense! :) I have thought of making more videos about how I sail my boat, I just need to find a way to quit my day job so I have more time to make the videos! haha

[@garygreen8737]

thanks , very helpfully, as always great video !! question, you ever think about doing charters ?

[@lifeislikesailing]

gary green Thanks Gary! Glad you enjoyed the video! I have thought about the charter thing. If I ever did it I would like to focus on taking people out who want to learn more about sailing, not just a charter to drive people around. haha

[@morgan17121712]

Thats a really hard video to shoot and edit! You nailed it! Great job!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Morgan Flower Thanks Morgan!! I really appreciate hearing that the vide made sense! :)

[@MaverickSailing]

Great video, I look forward to spinnaker packing video!

[@lifeislikesailing]

Maverick Sailing Thanks and glad you enjoyed it Adam! Hopefully I remember how to pack it, usually the race crew does it for me! haha

[@SGMCCOLLEY]

Well done indeed. I thought it was very clear. It would be hard not to understand it when someone else views it along with your other video(s) about how you have your boat rigged. I'm sure I can take parts of this now and incorporate it my own single handed attempts at using the spinnaker. (maybe I won't slowly coast over it in the water next time!). Thanks again, Stephen M.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Stephen McColley Thanks Stephen! I'm really glad you liked the video and I hope it helps you figure out things on your boat! :)

[@passmeby9398]

Good step by step. No problem understanding. (even for me!)

[@lifeislikesailing]

Pass Me By Glad to hear it was easy to understand! Makes me feel like I am on the right track with delivering the information. :)

[@sailingspokojny7014]

Hey Alfy, My 69' Pearson 24 came with a spinnaker, spinnaker pole, halyard and topping lift but nothing else. I usually leave the spinnaker equipment at home because I usually solo sail. My brother wants to sail with me an thinks we should use it. The Video was helpful but I would like to talk to you more about the rigging details etc.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Dennis Cline Hi Dennis, check out my video about the spinnaker pole set up and that should answer some or all of your questions regarding the pole set up and rigging. :)

[@sailingspokojny7014]

Hi Alfy, Thanks I did check out the video. It looks like I have a lot gear to acquire but at least now I have an idea how to rig it all. Fair Winds and Full Sails

[@lifeislikesailing]

Dennis Cline Glad the set up video helped! I also had to get my pole properly rigged and do a few other things before I got my spinnaker system working! :) Fair winds!!

[@oldmatelots2748]

Very good explanation and supporting footage. Question: you referred to launching the kite sometimes while the Genny is still drawing but I didn't see any secondary winches, How do you manage all the sheets on one pair of winches?

[@lifeislikesailing]

Old Matelot Thanks and glad you enjoyed the video and explanation. :) It isn't easy to do the set without secondary winches for sure. I am lucky that the Barient 28 it pretty big and I can get at least one or two wraps with the spinnaker lines at the top on the winch on while I leave just one or two wraps of the genoa lines on the bottom of the winch. Then make the change. Like I said it isn't the easiest or the prettiest, but we manage it. Of course this would not be a heavy air situation that I would do this in. lol

[@NikkiN777]

For the newbies among us, how about showing how to pack the Spinnaker, so that it comes out the way you want it to.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Nikki Newman You read my mind! I am planning to make a video about that when I get a chance. :)

[@CS-iu3pz]

Thank God for MV's.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Chris S lol

[@BradHubbardbadone]

On the boat I've been sailing on recently (Carter 30) we've been throwing around some ideas about how to do the spinnaker better and I can't wait to apply some of the lessons learned here. Is the reason for the jaws on the pole pointing up so you can let the sheet (or guy) fly easily if you have to? I've seen them pointing up and down before on different boats and wondered which was correct and why. Thanks for a great videos Alfy, you'll make a good sailor out of me yet ;)

[@lifeislikesailing]

Brad Hubbard Hey Brad! Really glad you found this video informative! From what I understand the jaws face up because the sheet/guy will usually want to rise up because the spinnaker pulls the line upward. The reason there is a downhaul/foreguy on the pole is to keep the pole from rising so imagine the same upward force is being applied for the sheet/guy. If the jaws were facing down then it would be difficult to get the line out of the jaws with that constant upward force on the sheet/guy. I think it is also easier to attach the pole to the ring on the mast by pushing it upwards to connect as you can see in the video. Patrick was able to just shoulder the pole upwards to attach it at the mast. Well that is my 2 cents. haha Really nice to hear that you feel my videos could possibly make you a better sailor!! That is a huge compliment, thanks!!

[@BradHubbardbadone]

LifeisLikeSailing - Vancouver, BC that makes sense. I've definitely learned a lot from your videos and that makes me a better sailor and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Not to mention that I enjoy all your videos.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Brad Hubbard Well enjoying the videos is helps! :)

[@chrisjustiniano2254]

Great Video Alfy!, thanks for sharing. Not a racer myself, but it was pretty informative. I am mostly a solo sailor, but I have been thinking about getting a Gennie for faster broad-reaching. Maybe u can do a video on the Gennie if u get a chance. SV Lori Lee.

[@lifeislikesailing]

justice tek I have a genre and I am planning to make a video this summer showing how I use it. :)

[@Pfsif]

What's the difference between a Genoa, Spinnaker, and a Jib?

[@j3ah0o]

Is the spinnaker taken before deck only for folding it back up with no wind in it, or is there another reason? I've bender sailed, or even been on a sailboat, but I'm reading thru an old sailing handbook, trying to get a feel for the info before I can find someone to go out and learn with

[@lifeislikesailing]

j3ah0o Yes the spinnaker is taken below for repacking, but also to get if off the decks and out of the way so we can start the upwind leg without trying to control a giant spinnaker on the decks at the same time.

[@j3ah0o]

thanks!

[@lifeislikesailing]

j3ah0o not a problem and glad you asked. :)

[@jorgeconcheyro]

Oh God how I miss to jybe a spinnaker. More than once the pole almost threw me over board, and that's the fun of it ;)

[@lifeislikesailing]

Always fun flying the spinnaker for sure!!

[@jeanandre6299]

I noticed your boat has a baby stay, I recently got a boat that has one, but it is permanently attached. Yours is slack, when do you use it?

[@lifeislikesailing]

The baby stay is adjustable. I use it to put a bend in the mast which flattens the mainsail. This would be done when sailing upwind in a stronger wind.

[@jeanandre6299]

LifeisLikeSailing - Vancouver, BC thanks! That helps. I guess I'll add a block and tackle to mine to be able to get it out of the way of the spi pole...

[@cq7415]

Thanks.

[@tWoforgamenot1]

cool

[@brocklanders6172]

It's called a 'whisker pole'.

[@lifeislikesailing]

Brock Landers I have to disagree....the pole that is used with the spinnaker is actually called a 'spinnaker pole'

[@photobobo]

It's pronounced JEN-oh-ə, not Jen-o-a. Same as the town in Italy.

[@andersjakobsen9906]

;-)

[@brocklanders6172]

Sloppy. Very sloppy.