TIPS ON USING THE TORNADO GENNIKER
November 17, 2002

After our recent trip to the Cayman Islands, I realized that there are still a lot of Tornado sailors out there that are only now learning to sail with the new rig. I decided to do this short article in response to several requests for where such information could be found.

This article will focus mainly on the Genniker (some call it a spinnaker) rather than the new big roach main or double trapeze. The new main is not that different to sail that the old one and the double trapeze is just a matter of getting used to it for the skippers. Once they realize they can keep themselves on the side by the way they steer, it is not that hard.

RIGGING THE GENNIKER

Snuffer Bag

Once you have decided what kind of "snuffer" or launching tube to install, the key is ensuring that it runs with the least amount of friction. I developed an inexpensive launching system (now available through funinthesun@juno.com that involves a stainless steel hoop tied onto the bow sprit and leads back under the tramp. This system is light, inexpensive and easy to repair at the point it wears from the halyard running over it.

Retrieval Patches

Whatever launching system you use you will have to ensure that the length of the bag or tube is matched with the positioning of the retrieval patches on the spinnaker. On the international scene there seem to be both 2 and 3 patch systems working equally well. The two patch system needs a slightly longer bag but can get the chute further aft when stowed which may have advantages for reducing the weight in front of the beam. (It is thought that ideal weight positioning is in the center of the boat nearest the main beam. This has yet to be clearly demonstrated to be faster.)

Halyard / Retrieval System

Once you have decided on a 2 or 3 patch system you need to design the most friction free halyard system. There are two systems that seem to be emerging. One system separates the tack line (line that pulls out the tack to the end of the pole) and the halyard. The other system has the halyard and tack line controlled by just one line that does both. The tack goes out first and bottoms out then the halyard goes up. We use this second system and I prefer it because it involves less steps in the hoist and douse - more economy of movement. If anyone has specific questions about either of these systems please send me an email. You really need to look at detailed photos or better yet look at a boat in person.

Halyard Cleat

The other issue is where to locate the halyard cleat. Some have it on the mast at chest level and some have it on the main beam or on the tramp. I prefer it not to be on the mast and as a practical matter fixing it to the main beam is easier that to the tramp. Having it low like this allows me to keep better footing in waves and allows me to put more force on the halyard because traction is not limited to my weight. Traction between my feet and the tramp actually increases as I put more force on the halyard. With a horizontal pull which is used with the mast mounted cleat, one's traction is limited to what is created by gravity pulling one down onto the tramp, and this is sometimes compromised with a wave lifting the boat in the air and dropping out from under one's feet. Pulling into a low mounted cleat also allows one to keep their center of gravity low in bumpy conditions, especially at the moment of truth when you want the line to go into the cleat. The high mounted cleat means one must stand up high to get it in the cleat at the end of the hoist.

High Tech Halyard

In order to further reduce friction and the problem of the halyard snagging when dousing, we have developed a special halyard design. Our halyard has three distinct sections. Using Samson warpspeed line we have the section of the halyard that goes from the head of the spinnaker (when hoisted) to about 6 inches from the halyard cleat made of 1/8" spectra line. About 6" from the cleat that spectra is spliced into a polyester cover and run through that cover until about 8" past the cleat. This way the section of line that is cleated is thicker and it grabs both the spectra core and the cover. About 8" past where the halyard goes into the cleat the polyester cover continues without any core. This empty cover then follows through the system (through the launcher tube and retrieval patches) and eventually ties off to the spinnaker retrieval patch near the top of the spinnaker. One line acts as halyard and retrieval line. The advantage of this system is the low friction of the bare spectra and the virtual highly reduced tendency of the empty cover to get snarled in the douse. The empty cover is flat and therefore easier to grip than a round rope as it exposes more surface area to your fingers to pinch. The empty cover also goes around blocks more easily that a thicker stiffer rope such as one with core and cover. This pliability also reduces friction around blocks.

Some Tornado sailors are also using a short piece of shock chord with a small spectra loop in the end, where the halyard runs through, to take up slack in the system when it is not in use. This may reduce the chance of a snag later when attempting a hoist or douse. We use such a system but others swear it is unnecessary.

Sailing the Genniker

Once you have rigged your boat for the Genniker there will likely be a period of tweaking that goes on to make sure it runs really smoothly. Sailing the Genniker is much like what we used to do when we did the "Wild thing". This involved heating the boat up (heading closer to the wind) until the windward hull was about 8" to 1 ft out of the water. The gain in apparent wind speed was enough to allow an accelerated boat to then bear down and carry that wind with it to sail a lower angle at a higher speed. This takes a bit of getting used to and feels like a very aggressive way to sail the boat. It is!

Weight Placement

The same "Wild thing" technique works with the Genniker but with some rather large differences. Depending on the wind strength the crew will be on the leeward hull anywhere from all the way to the main beam to about mid way between the beams. Where one sits is determined by looking at the bow. The crew should place their weight so as to keep the bow from diving under the waves. Once the crew has moved back to the mid-way point between the beams and that is not enough to keep the bow up, the next step is to move to the middle of the tramp. The skipper, who was sitting just inside the windward hull infront of the shroud will also move aft to just behind the shroud and onto the hull.

As the wind increases further, the crew will slide up all the way to the windward hull. With more wind still the crew will slide back along the windward hull and hook up to the skipper's trapeze. As the crew is sliding further back the skipper also slides back and down towards the middle of the tramp. This allows the crew to get even further aft to keep the leeward bow out of the water. Eventually the crew will go out on the trapeze and get into the aft foot strap ASAP before he/she is flicked forward and wrapped around the forestay like a rag doll. The aft foot strap should be located on the very aft section of the hull behind the back beam. We also have a forward foot strap for very windy conditions located just forward of the back beam.

A little trick for the crews - grab the foot strap with your aft hand before you go out and don't let go until you aft foot is in the strap.

The key once out on the wire and in the foot strap is to get your weight as far aft as possible. Righting leverage is not as important as getting the weight aft. The Tornado is more apt to pitch pole (go over forward) than simply tip over on its side.

Sail Trim

We have found that the ideal trim of the sail does not change much through the range of 6 knots to 15knots of wind. There seems to be an ideal shape that can be maintained only by moving one's weight. It takes a while to get a feel for this but I can describe it by saying you will be close if you ease out the sheet about 1 1/2 - 2ft from the strapped in position when the foot is completely straight between the tack and clew.

I like to fly the sail as close to curling as I can inside this narrow range. I will ease lots of sheet to keep the boat from tipping over or stuffing the bow under a wave. Ideally one does not have to do this often. If you find yourself frequently having to dump massive amounts of sheet it is either too windy to be sailing, you are at the Spa Regatta or the skipper is sailing too close to the wind.

Fairlead Positioning

You should have two blocks in the Genniker sheet system unless you are a mad man, who regularly does 50 one armed chin-ups with your skipper hanging off your legs. These blocks should include at least one auto ratchet. I like to make the auto ratchet the fairlead block (1st block that the sheet goes through). There is no absolute concensus on positioning but most boats locate this block on the 4th tramp lacing loop back from the main beam. The ideal position will change with wind speed and Genniker design, but that spot will get you into the ball-park. We like to shackle it through the webbing and lacing of the tramp to spread the load as much as possible. In strong winds we carry the auto ratchet on the 7th loop back from the main beam.

I hope these notes have been helpful and that you will soon be out enjoying the rush of the wind in your hair and the water over the hull. Both Oskar and I are available to coach. For more information please contact us at: info@sailforgold.ca.

Live Slow - Sail Fast

John Curtis