SETTING THE GENNAKER:
The bowsprit must be folded out in position and secured. You can best set the gennaker
from the lee trampoline netting behind the mainsail. Mount sheets, the halyard and the tack
line. Make sure that the lines run correctly, that the gennaker halyard for example is not
twisted around the forestay or the diamond spreader. The sheet runs just around the
forestay and on the inside of the side stays.
Hoist the gennaker all the way up in the spinnaker sock – set and secure the sheet in leeward
side of the winches. The best is to use the genoa winch on the cabin top, pull the tack line
almost tight, then pull up the spinnaker sock with the endless line, make sure you are sailing
downwind. Then the spinnaker sock is up, you can now tie the sock line, that you have pulled
up, on the mast or on the cabin top. Then pull out the rest of the tack line, so the tack of the
gennaker is pulled tight to the bowsprit. Now you can luff up a bit closer to the wind, and
the gennaker will fill up.
CAUTION
If you feel any resistance hoisting it or sheeting it, stop pulling immediately. It does not take
much to rip it apart if it is stuck! When the gennaker is full, roll or furl up the genoa. It is very
important that your gennaker fills up with wind before furling the genoa or you will find
yourself rolling it into the genoa. It never pays sailing with both genoa and gennaker.
Then roll up the furling genoa, but not before the gennaker is fully set.
VERY IMPORTANT
If a wind gust comes, then bear off the wind quickly, then you quickly depower the boat.
In stronger winds always have the gennaker sheet in your hand.
JIBING WITH GENNAKER:
Jibing is VERY easy if you do it this way.
Bear off to downwind course without jibing the mainsail and just take your time. Make sure
the spinnaker sheets can run easy with no kinks. Then pull over to gennaker quickly – make
sure the gennaker sheet that you just released, is fully free to go all the way. Pull the
gennaker to windward and when the gennaker is now 2 to 3 metres to windward past the
forestay and keep pulling as you then also jibe the mainsail over. Never jibe the mainsail
before the gennaker. Look up and check the gennaker is not caught on the upper spreader
– this can happen and it will come off, if the sheet is not tight.
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