Please select your home edition
Edition
Paleblue Batteries Done Better 728x90px TOP

Classic Asymmetric Sail Mistakes - And How to Avoid Them

by Wiley Nautical/Sail-World on 15 Sep 2012
Cruising boat La Scandell sailing with MPS - photo by Jenksie SW

Using asymmetric sails is not only for racing sailors. Cruising sailors on long journeys with good conditions and the wind behind are often tempted to use an MPS or other gennaker. And getting the MPS wrapped around the hull is not a good look at any time. In this article from the book Asymmetric Sailing, published by Wiley Nautical, Andy Rice shows how avoid some of the classic mistakes when sailing with a gennaker.

1. Make a Plan:
Know what you’re about, and what your aims are. Everyone on board needs to know what the game plan is before you start . As former 49er World medal list, 505 World Champion and America’s Cup veteran Morgan Larson puts it: ‘Even a bad plan is better than no plan. Of course if I get a bad start – which I often do – then you need a Plan B, of course!’

2. Prepare for the Unexpected:
Practice for when things go wrong. Put yourself in these pressure situations, and see how you respond. For example:

• Practice how to two-sail reach for that time when the wind suddenly shifts. Suddenly you have to start two-sail reaching, which can be the toughest point of sailing.

• The other common mistake is only to practise bear-aways on starboard tack. Try bearing away on the other gybe – and it feels totally alien. You won’t have to do it often but a port bear-away that feels like second nature is another weapon in your armoury. The strangest things often happen at the most crucial of moments.

3. Trawling the Kite:
But the worst can happen. Trawling the kite is a horrible feeling. Suddenly the whole thing is in the sea, trawling like a ?sherman’s net and the boat slows to a near standstill. Leeward heel is the main reason why the trawl happens. Bear away to give the kite that little bit of air before it has a chance to hit the water. Make sure that the crew are ready. Once they start the hoist that it needs to be one continuous movement that doesn’t stop at any point. If they stop and the kite just droops slightly and catches the water, then suddenly the job becomes twice as hard.

4. Twist in the Kite:
If the spinnaker goes up with an ‘hourglass’ twist, then you need to pay attention to how the kite is stowed during the drops. Keeping some tension in the gennaker sheet will make it much harder for the kite to twist on the way into the bag or chute. It’s when you let the kite ?og before you drop it that the problems occur. So keeping sheet tension on as late as possible is the key to twist prevention.

5. Keep a Lookout Downwind:
Remember the rule of keeping a 24/7 lookout. This can be forgotten when a short-handed crew is busy with sailing. There can be a large blind spot to leeward when you’re travelling downwind. One thing you can do is to sail the boat very ?at, or almost heel to windward. But, in light- to- medium conditions, this isn’t always practical. So it could be that either the helm or the crew needs to move to leeward occasionally, just to get a sense of obstructions, so that you know if there’s a possibility that you might be on a collision course and can do something about it.

But if you really want to get the most out of your asymmetric spinnaker, you'll find great value in the sailing book Asymmetric Sailing.

Championship-winning sailor, Andy Rice, guides you through the basics of these exciting craft before letting you into the secrets of how to make the most of your gennaker, valuable for the cruising sailor as well as those who race.

The book includes sections on:

• Rigging and tuning an asymmetrical spinnaker
• Hoists, gybes and drops
• Solo and crewed
• High speed sailing with asymmetrics
• Advanced skills with asymmetric spinnakers

If you can't find the book in your local marine book store, buy it online by http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470974265,descCd-buy.html!clicking_here.

Rolly Tasker Sails 2023 FOOTERZhik 2024 DecemberMcDYachts_Pyewacket-for-Sale_1456x180 BOTTOM

Related Articles

Sydney - Auckland Ocean Race: Lucky wins
The USA registered pocket maxi Lucky, formerly Rambler 88, has taken line honours in the Sydney Auck The USA registered pocket maxi Lucky, formerly Rambler 88, has taken line honours in the Sydney Auckland Ocean Race - crossing the Tasman in in just 68hrs. Four yachts are still racing.
Posted today at 2:12 am
Lucky joins PIC Coastal Classic
Lucky, the 88-foot Juan K-designed maxi has entered PIC Coastal Classic race. The New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club, organisers of the PIC Coastal Classic have welcomed the entry of Lucky, the 88-foot Juan K-designed maxi that has just set a race record for the the 2025 Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race.
Posted today at 12:56 am
12ft Skiff season ready to launch
With the 63rd Interdominion Championship between Australia and New Zealand opening the New Year The NSW 12 Foot Skiff sailing calendar has been announced and the program will be in full swing later this month, while the pot boiler 63rd Interdominion Championship between Australia and New Zealand, will open New Year's racing in January 2026.
Posted on 13 Oct
Abu Dhabi to host the GKA Kite World Tour
Top kiteboarders will take to Fahid Island's waters in a six-day spectacle of high-flying action Abu Dhabi will host the GKA Kite World Tour for the very first time, bringing back-to-back World Cups in Hydrofoil Big Air and Freestyle to Fahid Island, Abu Dhabi's newest coastal wellness destination and the world's first Fitwel-certified island.
Posted on 13 Oct
Mighty Magenta Community Hub launched
A unique platform for sailing and the marine industry The Magenta Project, a global charity driving equity and inclusion in sailing and the wider marine industry, is proud to announce the launch of the Mighty Magenta Community Hub - a bold and vibrant digital space designed to connect, inspire, and empower.
Posted on 13 Oct
Abu Dhabi to host GWA Wingfoil World Cup finale
The event will see the sport's top athletes descend on Fahid Island Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, will make history this autumn as it hosts the GWA Wingfoil World Cup for the very first time, serving as the grand finale of the 2025 FreeFly Slalom season.
Posted on 13 Oct
Renaissance of the two ACs?
A look at how the two ACs - the Admiral's Cup and America's Cup have evolved in the past few months A look at the events of July and August including the highly successful revival of the Admirals' Cup and international offshore racing. Is the America's Cup on a new tack? Behind the scenes in SailGP. Top racer for sale.
Posted on 13 Oct
Malta welcomes a world-class fleet
For the 2025 Yachting Malta Coastal Race The 2025 Yachting Malta Coastal Race sets sail from Marsamxett Harbour on Wednesday 15 October, marking the traditional warm-up for the Rolex Middle Sea Race, which follows on Saturday 18 October.
Posted on 13 Oct
NZL Sailing Team: McKiwis 7th in 49er Worlds
Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie narrowly missed out on a place in the revamped medal race on Sunday New Zealand's campaign at the 49er world championships in Cagliari came to a somewhat subdued end when Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie narrowly missed out on a place in the revamped medal race overnight.
Posted on 13 Oct
Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race Day 3
Unpleasant night at sea Last night was a harsh reminder of how a beautiful sail on the ocean can change in an instant, as it did last night, requiring quick thinking and action as crews worked together to bring things back under control.
Posted on 13 Oct