DIY Asymmetrical Stow/Launch Bag

[Paul D.]

When my spinnaker/asymmetrical launch bag disintegrated last season from years of stowing on deck, I thought up a solution for one as a Minnesota winter project. Just finished it.

The bag needed to

• - Securely stow the sail on deck as space below is at a premium
  - Be as UV proof as possible
  - Be able to fit the entire sail and its sock and lines
  - Work as a launch bag so the sail can be rigged whilst still in the bag and then doused into it after use
  - Be able to be used as a regular sail bag and thrown below, or taken home when desired

Taking a hybrid approach I mixed what I thought were the best features of my old bag, which I got from a fellow CD owner on this forum, and from the lifeline stowage bags I've seen aboard other boats, often used for staysails.

Two yards of Cape Dory Monkey $hit Brown (MSB) Sunbrella, a 48" finished #10 Vislon zipper from Sailrite, some webbing from Axman Surplus and left over grommets were the materials Below are some photos.

While I haven't tried it out yet as the boats are still in the snow here in the great white north, spring fitting out season is upon us and hopefully it will work and I can report on how it does or doesn't around memorial day. We really like flying the sail so hopefully this bag will make it simpler and easier.

[John Stone]

That looks like some really nice work Paul. Interested to hear how it works out.

[mkaplan]

Hi Paul. How did your spinnaker bag work out? How do you secure it on deck? I recently purchased a vinyl(?) waterproof travel luggage type bag for this purpose. I'm trying to design a process so that the spinnaker doesn't get twisted when I secure the tack and clew and raise the sock. I'm considering a 3ft length of pvc pipe connected to tack and clew while stowed in bag. I'll raise the sock first, then make sure the pvc pipe and foot of spinnaker is not twisted, then connect tack and then run the sheets to the cockpit. How do you do this?

[Paul D.]

Thanks for asking and reminding me.

The bag works fine though I only flew the spinnaker once really. Just like the old launch bag except a little narrower and not on the deck. Here is a shot of it rigged below (Fun fact, the CD36 to the left is my brother's "Mariah". We were both in Grand Marias at the NorthHouse Folk School Dock.)

The bag has webbing loops sewed into the top and bottom ends of the bag. I lashed the ends to the pulpit and the station aft with small stuff. The flap can go over or under the top lifeline as you see fit. It vercro's to the bag over the zipper.

The way I separate the spinnaker tack and clew is by clipping them to each end of the bag. I sewed in loops either end below the top on the inside as well. After dousing the spinnaker with the sock, I drop the sock into the bag and attach the tack to the forward loop and the clew to the aft loop. Leave the head of the sock right at the top in the middle and zip up the bag, make fast the tack and clew lines. The bag does sit a bit on deck, but I thought it may sag a bit. No worries.

[mkaplan]

Thanks for the info and the photo. My main reason for having the bag on the foredeck is to avoid carrying it forward from a cockpit locker or companionway. If it's at hand then maybe I'll use it more often. Because I plan to keep it on deck all the time I'll probably tie it down to stanchion bases to make a smaller target for boarding waves.

I hope to sail the Trans-superior race this summer. Maybe I'll see you out there.