My boat has a smallish self tacking jib, I also have a genoa that I can rig to power up, I don't have a spinnaker yet. I saw this the other day and thought it could be a good versitile set up for me rather than going down the traditional spinnaker route. What do you think of this "Blue Runner" sail?http://www.elvstromsails.com/world/united-kingdom/elvstrom-sails-uk
Looks like a pretty good idea, though you'll need a dedicated furler, that will be the best part of 2 grand, a bow sprit or prodder.
I wonder if you couldn't get to hull speed with the poled out genoa and the main set with a preventer? After all you don't need the greatest sails in the world to cruise dead downwind.
In theory you could do the same with a twin track furler and identical headsails. No prodder, no spin halyard.
Select to expand quoteEC31 said..
In theory you could do the same with a twin track furler and identical headsails. No prodder, no spin halyard.
Exactly and use a spinnaker pole on one and the boom on the other.
It is a good idea, but...why invent the wheel when one is already rolling along? How many unused jibs one got in the sail locker?
Well, some of you guys must be 
spying on me because that is the exact way l sail with my twin jib set up but only outside, as this set up is not for the harbour single handed.
After the wind is raising above 14 -15 knots and my reacher is starting to over power the boat and l am on a long trip outside l use two jibs on
twin foils, with one spinnaker pole and the main boom used for the other side.
The main is either scandalized or dropped outright and it goes like the clappers up to 22-24 knots max. May be a bit more depending on sea state and other circumstances like forecasts, the sky, and gut feelings.
After that, drop one jib and raise the main with a preventer stay, goosewinged, and if it keeps coming up furl a bit of jib, reef a bit of main.
If it turns into a gale, furl jib, set staysail with larger stay sail and reef a bit more main until it is time to change for storm sail on the inner fore stay and the third reef or the trysail.
The spinnaker is another way, if one has a good strong cruising chute but the twin jib is safer and less maintenance with the main scandalized or dropped outright.
This is of course, nonsense to any racer, this set up is for long cruising trips outside, where there is a long long time between gybes.
The furling main is suicide as far as l am concerned
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Select to expand quoteandy59 said..
Looks like a pretty good idea, though you'll need a dedicated furler, that will be the best part of 2 grand, a bow sprit or prodder.
I wonder if you couldn't get to hull speed with the poled out genoa and the main set with a preventer? After all you don't need the greatest sails in the world to cruise dead downwind.
Yes Andy, you're right, I can get good speeds gooswinging, even with just the self tacker poled out we were seeing 8-9 knts downwind in 25+ knts wind coming past Sydney on the delivery trip, and surfing swells at 10-11knts, so plenty of speed. I just liked the elegant design of this, especially with singlehanding in mind, they don't need poling out.. Did you see that you can furl one wing over on top of the other and efectively get a code zero?, nice idea with lots of flexibility - if it works as well as the hype says. I'll be replacing my main before anything else and that wont be in a hurry, just pipe dreaming....
Used this setup in a Mooloolabah race last century after a mid day wipeout blew out the main. Twin headsails whilst the main was sewn back together.
Perfect set up if it's heading in the right direction.
