I love sailing, but I've never been about racing. For me, sailing is a Great Escape - physically and mentally challenging enough to get my brain to let go of some of the weekly stresses, and get grinding on factoring Apparent Wind, checking the telltails, and yelling 'Coming about!'
This explains why I've never experienced spinnaker sailing.
Spinnakers are the giant foresails that billow out in front of the sailboat, like the inflated breast plumes of the Great Frigatebird. They capture huge amounts of air, and as a racing strategy, are the last burst of downwind run - the final sprint - towards the finish line.
A spinnaker sail is inherently quite dangerous, as the giant sail is loosely rigged at three points, and when dropped (either as a result of loss of wind, too much wind, or just as a matter of changing course), the billowy sail can end up in the drink where it can very easily fill with water and dramatically yank the boat to a stop, or worse yet, drag it down into the depths. Handling the sail itself can be a monumentous task, and the steps involved with raising, tacking and lowering the spinnaker involve crew positioned out on the foredeck, one of the most vulnerable positions on the boat. Combine that with big wind, sudden propulsion once the giant sail inflates, and you've got a lot to manage. And as was born without the 'need for speed' gene, I've never been motivated enough to try it.
Saturday's skipper confessed to us early on that he had 'spinnaker lust', and if the conditions seemed condusive, that he'd like to give it a go. The wind conditions were mild, but enough to make it worthwhile, so we practiced a drill in the sheltering wind shadow of Angel Island before taking her out on the greater Bay. By days end, we'd hoisted and retrieved the spinnaker three times, and I managed to get this shot from my position at the spinnaker halyard winch.
Although it was an adventure, a beautiful sight and a stunning upper body workout, I'm still not gung-ho on the spinnaker. I think I'll stick to seeing them from afar. But I'm glad I can say I've done it!
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