Just a word of caution about mast head spinnakers, I and Ballenger agree that the Mast Head spinnaker contributed to breaking my mast. Ballenger said the he would not warrant a mast using a mast head spinnaker.

:: Hi all,
::
:: I'm curious what the general thinking is regarding beam
:: reaching. How high should the boat be pointed while
:: flying the spinnaker before going back to the #1 - and
:: which spinnaker (masthead or frac) for that matter?
::
:: I'm asking because we lost some serious distance on a
:: beam reach during a recent PHRF race - and I don't know
:: if it was due to us being on the wrong side of the
:: course from when the wind filled in, current, or having
:: the masthead spin flying (it came with the boat in 2003,
:: and though this is the first season I've really used it,
:: I can't tell if it's a little bulgy or not.) The rest of
:: the fleet (including a couple of J27s) were to 15-20
:: boatlengths to windward of us with significantly better
:: boat speed. Our speed improved when we put the #1 back
:: up about halfway through the leg (I didn't try to carry
:: the masthead above 90deg), but this may have just been
:: the filling wind finally reaching us. What's the general
:: thinking?
::
:: Thanks,

:: Greg Hanket

:: #44 rhumbnutz

:: Havre de Grace, MD