Projects, Mods & Maintanence

Hi Michael,

i would give the ATN Tacker and Sock a chance. It goes up easily with pretty much no modification to the boat. I have found it
works well with the wind on the beam to dead downwind. I find I have to put a deep reef in the main when ddw or I get heavy blanketing of the chute. On those days, I typically drop the main as I don’t want to steer that hard. The tacker and sock should have excellent resale value so the risk is probably small. I would invest in a nice turtle to house the setup. Plus, Eteinne is a very cool guy!

best regards,

Tom

Tom, thank you so much for the information on the ATN Tacker.  Does it work will running from a reach down wind?  It seems to me like you need to let the tack out more running downwind, but I'm not sure...I've never used one before...

I'm leaning more towards a bowsprit to get the tack forward and out of the way of the pulpit to allow the sail to be used in more AWA's.  There is a nice picture on the web of Kyrie, a T-4100 that has a sprit.  Although, the ATN Tacker is much more feasible to the pocketbook.

Thanks again and any more information you can give me on the ATN tacker would be appreciated.  r/ Mike

Hi Michael,

I can't speak to the addition of a bowsprit but can to using the ATN Tacker.  I have sailed on a T30 and T34 with these devices for flying traditional spinnakers.  The system works very well for light handed flying of a big chute.  The T34 also had a ATN snubbing sock which worked very well.  In both cases we did not attach a downhawl block at the pulpit, we simply ran the line through an eye just behind the bowroller.  The forces exerted on the downhawl seemed very light under the conditions we were sailing in (5-15 knots).  I could easily adjust the tacker height with the chute flying  I believe most of the force it transferred to the tacker attachment point on the rolled jib and the sheet.  I have single-handed my T30 using a tiller pilot flying my spinnaker.  Great fun flying up Buzzards Bay in light SW winds.

Best regards,

Tom McDonagh
S/V Servus
 

Looking for ideas on how to attach a tack line for running an cruising A-Spinnaker.  Has anyone put a bowsprit on their boat with an associated bobtail?  A block attached to the forestay below the furler?  Does anyone use the ATN Tacker (pro & cons?).  I have a Harken MK III furler and the bow pulpit to get around without chafing.  I don't want to attach a block to the anchor roller without modifying the roller to handle the upward forces.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  I can send pics if needed.  Thanks!