BR20 rigging and raising spinnaker

[Conor]

Hi

When I bought my 2011 BR20, in came with the spinnaker but none of the lines etc except the pole. Does anyone know if there is any detailed information on rigging the spinnaker, ideally a diagram or maybe photos?

My boat has a fold down cup under the deck which I assume the pole sits into when out. The pole has a line twice its length coming from the narrower end, next to which is another hole drilled diagonally. I now have a double block on the mast for the halyard and a couple of small blocks for the sheets.

I am guessing that I need about 12m of line for the halyard and 15m for the sheets? The plan would be to hoist the spinnaker and tie off the halyard to a mast cleat and have the small blocks on strops where the mizzen and jib sheets come inboard.

I am really confused about the pole arrangement.
I am guessing I need a short tack line going through the diagonal hole on the pole. However some of the pictures I have managed to find seem to have a line going from the end of the pole to the towing eye so this is also a possible use.

 It is the long line on the pole that really confuses me. Is it to pull the pole in/out?

I am quite baffled, any advice on the pole arrangements and launch /recovery would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Conor

[Conor]

Doh, I have just found the following detailed thread which may answer most if not all of my questions, thank you!
https://www.swallowyachtsassociation.org/wordpress/?page_id=17&URL=https://www.swallowyachtsassociation.org/smf/index.php/topic,721.msg4508.html#msg4508

[MarkDarley]

I’m sorry I only saw this after coming home from the boat today. If I get to the boatyard tomorrow I will send photos.

Warning: my boat is not a production boat. It is a kit built wooden boat but the principles will be the same.

The spinnaker pole it held forward by a line that runs from the aft end of the pole forward through a block attached to the bow bulkhead (with reinforcements behind the bulkhead…I pulled mine off the bulkhead) and aft through a camcleat mounted under the deck.  I will try to get photos for you.

In my case I have a ring set into the end of the pole and a block for a tack line.
I lead the tack line back to one of my mooring cleats on the foredeck, the one to windward, if I have a choice, as it helps support the pole.

Ratchet blocks are necessary on the spinnaker sheets typically anchored at the rowlock mounts.
When I asked Matt Newsom why my ratchet blocks were not larger, his response was :
“Do you see backstays”.
As in, if you cannot hold the spinnaker on relatively small ratchet blocks, you probably should not be flying it!

Hope that’s helpful,
Mark

[Conor]

Thanks Mark, at least I now know what to look for!

[Graham W]

There’s a section on using the standard BR20 spinnaker arrangement in the manual from 2010 which can be found here http://www.swallowyachtsassociation.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/BayRaider-June2010.pdf

[Conor]

Thanks for the link.

There seem to be different arrangements for the spinnaker pole, some with cleats under the deck to deploy it. Mine however just has a fold down cup under the deck which it sits into. It makes getting the bob stay tension tricky as too much tension and it becomes tricky to get it forward enough to bring the cup down. Something to experiment with I guess.

The cup has a hole drilled in it which I guess, based on reading the other threads, allows you to run an adjustable tack line through it.

That said we had the first sail with the spinny yesterday with borrowed sheets etc. and although the wind died off towards the end, it all seems to work. Now I am shopping for spinnaker bag, sheets, ratchet blocks etc....that'll keep me busy during the week.