Poles on Asymmetricals

[STuma]

Over the last couple of Icicle Races, I noticed some boats using a whisker/spinnaker pole on the clew of their asymmetric spinnaker. What is done, they are sailing wing on wing with the main on one side and the asymmetric spinnaker poled out on the other side. I think this is more of a misunderstanding of the rules rather than a purpose breach of the rules. I apologize for the delay of me making this post, but I needed to verify I was thinking correctly before I said something. The Racing Rules of Sailing states the following:

"50.3 Use of Outriggers
a. No sail shall be sheeted over or through an outrigger, except as permitted in rule 50.3(b) or 50.3(c). An outrigger is any fitting or other device so placed that it could exert outward pressure on a sheet or sail at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck. For the purpose of this rule, bulwarks, rails and rubbing strakes are not part of the hull or deck and the following are not outriggers: a bowsprit used to secure the tack of a sail, a bumkin used to sheet the boom of a sail, or a boom of a boomed headsail that requires no adjustment when tacking.
b. Any sail may be sheeted to or led above a boom that is regularly used for a sail and is permanently attached to the mast from which the head of the sail is set.
c. A headsail may be sheeted or attached at its clew to a spinnaker pole or whisker pole, provided that a spinnaker is not set."

Basically, the sheet of a spinnaker cannot be held out by a spinnaker/whisker pole. There have been times I have seen a boat have the spinnaker pole and boom on the same side; this is not allowed either. There are some clubs that add this as a line item in their sailing instructions.

Besides it not being allowed by the rules, it becomes a HUGE advantage. Let's say a boat uses an asymmetrical tacked to the bow. They get a 9 second per mile rating bump. Now, they run downwind with a poled out asymmetrical. The disadvantage of using an A-Kite almost disappears. We are not intending to adjust parameters to make certain configurations a benefit, we are intending to make racing fair. The whole premise of the asymmetrical matrix was for like boats racing a windward/leeward course against symmetrical spinnakers. We fully understand the limitations of an A-Kite downwind, that's why there is a credit to the rating - because it becomes painful.

If someone has a question, you can PM me.

[Bee]

Thanks for the rule update.  I have never paid much attention to what the rules actually say about this, but I do agree poling out an A-Kite is illegal; as it should be.  I have not observed this on the Bay so am a bit surprised that some are actually doing it. I am sure it has a speed advantage. From my point of view its exactly equivalent to wing and wing with a giant headsail.

I have never been able to do it for very long but it is possible to run wing-and-wing with an A-Kite on most sprit boats.  Its all up to the driver and the trimmer.  The scary part is that this works best when sailing by the lee but it will work. I watched Lutz do  this on a J122 from the old J to the Kemah 1-2 finish. Fortunately he did not catch me but it was a marvel to watch. I was really impressed.

[WTnick340]

I plead the fifth. Actually, when there's a little wind and the water is flat, we sail "poleless" wing-and-wing with our a-sail without a lot of drama, but it's a small, fractional a-sail and not much of a sprit. The last icicle race we did put the whisker pole out while the a-sail was up on the windless second leg. I did not pay enough attention to these rules also, thanks for letting us know.

[STuma]

I plead the fifth. Actually, when there's a little wind and the water is flat, we sail "poleless" wing-and-wing with our a-sail without a lot of drama, but it's a small, fractional a-sail and not much of a sprit. The last icicle race we did put the whisker pole out while the a-sail was up on the windless second leg. I did not pay enough attention to these rules also, thanks for letting us know.

You are right, if the water is flat, running wing-on-wing can work. The crew can hold the sheet of the chute on the windward side, just not using a pole. many times a boat will sail x knots 180 degrees off the wind and x knots 150-140 degrees off the wind. This is something to check your VMG. Some boats, angles work; some, they don't. If one wants to get spunky, make a chart of VMG numbers sailing angles. Then, at times, you can run dead downwind and see which number is better. It will vary with wind and sea conditions.