OCSC's Sportboat Asymmetrical Spinnaker course Sailing on a 21st century sport boat, planing in 12 knots of breeze with a rooster tail from your rudder is a spectacular experience and the essence of pure sailing excitement. Whether you are a performance sailor, or just enjoy sailing, the asymmetrical spinnaker is fast, easy-to-use once you learn it, and completely different from a regular spinnaker. The course is taught on the Ultimate 24, 2004 Sailing World Boat of the Year -- a boat that weighs 40 percent less than a J/24 and sails 150 percent faster.
Topics covered:
Upwind boathandling
Mastering the standing rigging with adjustable headstay and no backstay
Proper management of the retractable bowsprit
Setting the asymmetrical spinnaker from the cabin basket
Trimming the asymmetrical spinnaker for maximum speed
Promoting a plane with spinnaker trim, crew position and rudder
Exploiting waves downwind, managing waves upwind
Maintaining visibility around the assymetrical spinnaker
Inside-out gybes
Dousing the asymmetrical spinnaker safely
Broach avoidance and prevention
Broach recovery
Heavy weather sail trim
Handling apparent wind fluctuations at speed
Successful completion, prepares you to:
Properly deal with speeds under spinnaker of 10-12 knots and closing speeds with other boats in excess of 18 knots address the unique problems of sailing upwind in waves at 8-10 knots.
Join the crew of a variety of sport boats out on the race course today, from Ultimate 20 and 24s to J80s, to Antrim 27s to Melges 24s and be a contributing member of the crew charter OCSC Ultimate 24s with the asymmetrical spinnaker. (OCSC membership required.)
If your spinnaker skills need more work, you may be certified for the Ultimate 24 for sailing with working sails only.
Good to know:
The Ultimate 24 is quicker, more maneuverable and less stable than the J/24.
Expect the boat to be more complicated and require a small amount of additional agility than the J/24.
It will help your enjoyment of the course tremendously if you read the entire manual before coming to class. Come armed with questions for the instructor!
We often ask the crew to consider spending the day out on the boat and eating lunch while aboard, underway to maximize learning time. If you need/prefer to have a shoreside break, that is quite okay, just let the staff know in advance and we will advise the instructor.
The upper wind limit for flying the asymmetrical spinnaker at OCSC is 15 knots. If you plan to charter the boat with the spinnaker, the insurance deductible is higher. Check with the office for details.
