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Good photos

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Here is a nice shot of an E-35 in the Mac race-making nice use of the spinnaker staysail!

Happy holidays to all!

S
 

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Mark F

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Great photo Seth.

So what are the mechanics/aerodynamics in play with a spinnaker staysail?
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Staysails

Whether a spinnaker or genoa staysail, you get the benefit of additional sail area, plus the resulting "double slot" increases the effectiveness of the mainsail by adding to the airflow on the lee side of the mainsail. Keep in mind that a genoa or spinnaker creates its' own driving force and at the same time feeds its' exhaust air onto the backside of the mainsail (thus increasing the lift created by the mainsail by increasing the airflow delta between windward and leeward sides of the mainsail), so that the lift created by a sloop rig is greater than the sum of the individual sails.

Adding a staysail increases the flow onto the backside of the mainsail because there is further compression of air between the leech of the spinnaker (or genoa) and the backside of the mainsail-thus increased velocity.

Of course,all of the sails must be trimmed correctly for this all to work, but you can see this at work in the photo...

Got it?:)

Cheers
 
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tenders

Innocent Bystander
Is that a specially cut sail, or just a 90% jib tacked down to the foredeck? Seems like the whole fleet there has the same sail inventory.
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Not a jib

Staysails are purpose-built sails, and are VERY different than a # 3 jib. They are MUCH deeper in shape, lighter in fabric weight, and shorter on the hoist than a # 3 jib (if you tacked your #3 at the staysail tack point, it would be too long on the hoist). A #3 jib is designed to operate in very high load applications (close sheeting angles and lots of breeze) whereas a staysail operates at much deeper angles and at lower apparent wind speeds (partly due to the broader angles and also becuase after 20-25 knots of breeze you don't really need or want the extra sail area). This is why the difference in shape and weight.

The whole fleet is using them because unless you are in an One-Design fleet with a class-limited sail inventory (like the Ben 36.7), they are an essential part of your downwind inventory.

Make sense? Clear as mud?;)

Photo copied from Sailing Anarchy Thread about old sailing pics..

S
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
spinnaker vs genoa staysails

BTW- A genoa staysail is a very different sail. Meant to be flown under a reaching genoa/yankee/jib top (all higher clewed sails which are open enough in the lower sections to allow a small staysail to be flown), they will tack at about the same place, but are much shorter on the hoist (no more than about the height of the pole topping lift or about midway between the upper and lower spreaders for reference), and much shorter on the foot. They are built with much sturdier fabric since they can be used in a lot of breeze (and sometimes by themselves without a genoa), and are flatter in shape as they are part of a much narrower slot than a spinnaker/spinnaker staysail combo).

See the photo of the "E-35-2 Under Sail" Aquarius in the scrolling shots on the front page of the website....

Time for lunch!

S
 
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Emerald

Moderator
or a cutter rigged Independence 31, as seen on the brochure's cover photo
 

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Seth

Sustaining Partner
Those other boats

Just for reference, I believe the red boat is a C&C Redline 41, and the white boat is a Cal 40-not bad compnay for the little 35-2!

Go E Boats!

S
 

Mark F

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Thanks for that explanation on how the spinnaker staysail works, Seth.

How can you tell that you have the sails trimmed correctly? Would you use the standard leach tell-tails on the main or do you need to know what's going on farther forward on the leeward side of the main?

I love this stuff :).
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
sail trim

Glad you like it.

Spinnaker will be trimmed eased as much as possible, with a curl in the luff of about 8-12". The staysail will have luff telltales, just like a headsail. Set the lead so they break evenly top to bottom (just like any headsail), although it is best to have the top break just a tiny bit early (meaning the lead is just a few inches aft of the point where you have an even break). This keeps the top of the staysail just a bit open. The reason for this is that if the staysail is overtrimmed, it will pull air off the leech of the spinnaker, making it want to collapse. Most people respond by overtimming the spinnaker, which is slow-so it is best to have the staysail just a tad soft up high, and it won't tend to screw up the spinnaker so much.

Then, trim the mainsail as usual, looking for all the leech telltales to be flowing aft (use the traveller and vang to do this), and in general have the sail eased just short of luffing (along the luff).

And away you go!
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Great E 36 shot

Here is a great shot of the RH 36 Albatross, which I sailed in the 1 Ton North Americans in Traverse City to a top production boat trophy and about 5th or 6th overall IIRC (need to look that up!).

This shot is from the 82 MAC race, in very good form with good trim and a spinnaker staysail doing its' job-although they should get some weight out of the cockpit, and move a few folks forward so as not to drag the back end so much-but not too bad.....

The other boat is actually a Choate 40, which at the time rated about 2 feet higher under IOR-about 40 seconds/mile faster IIRC, so they are looking very good in this pic!:egrin:
Enjoy the love!
 

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Ericsean

Member III
Clew height

Seth,

I noticed in the first photo the Ericson has a high clew on the staysail, while the other boats have low clew, close to the deck.

The second photo,both boats have high clews. Is this the preferred cut for a staysail?

Kevin
 
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