Screecher
off a bowsprit!
First thing I noticed when
researching this is that there are many names for this type of
sail/configuration. Personally I like screecher because I think it describes
the result.
The basic idea of this configuration
is to run a sail off a bowsprit. I did this primarily to improve windward
ability on my heavenly twins catamaran especially in light winds.
I’ve finished installing and testing my new bowsprit and north sails G-0
sail (close hauled asymmetrical spinnaker or screecher or code zero, whatever you want to call it).
It was blowing about 6-8 knots yesterday, ran up the new sail (screecher, gennaker,
code-0, G0…whatever you want to call it), without the main cause I messed up
the main halyard and didn’t bother climbing the mast to free it. Managed to go
to at a good nick at what I estimate to be 45 degrees to wind, which is a vast
improvement on what it was before.
Granted, the head sail I was using before was, the very old and blown out, HT
stock Genoa. When the wind was blowing straight down the narrow channel I would
take forever and make a few feet to destination at a time 75 degrees? The only
thing I gained was blisters because most of it canceled out by the windage.
Unfortunately or fortunately the old genoa ripped so I needed a new sail.
Read an article on catamarans, bowsprits and the performance of a screecher: Article
I’ll fly a second sail (second hand light Genoa) off this bowsprit for running
and reaching in light winds and use a jib for fresher weather.
One thing to note is, because of the wide spreaders, the
sail is limited on how close to wind it can be pulled in so I can’t test it
closer than 40-45.
I used a Precourt code-0 roller furler with a 2:1 halyard. i.e. there is a
aluminum dog bone spliced to the bitter end of the halyard, this is attached to
the bail, the halyard is then run though a block on the sail and back down
through the mast sheave (or a block off the bale if you wish). This halyard can
be used as a spare for the jib or storm sail. Halyard is 5/16th” or 8mm.
The length of aluminum tube (consensus is round would be better than square
tube) is 8’ (2.43m) and the guys are around 8’ with lashing. The guys are
Dyneema low stretch as is the halyard because of the high loads this will take.
The way I’ve attached the bowsprit to the anchor cleat is probably not the best
solution but it’ll do for now, until I can get some welding done. This will
take some compression because of the angles of the guys and “forestay”.
Thanks to DavidH for his advice on sail combinations.
The Results
I don't have any hard data for this yet, watch the main site articles
for updates, but so far the results are awesome. It is like sailing a new boat
with many new sail configuration possibilities.
