Looks like a pitchpole waiting to happen. Perhaps this boat is fully foiling?

I can see how hoisting it over starboard would be quite smooth, but what about dousing over port?
Wouldn't the sail be literally pulled over the jib/forestay?
Or is there a similar hole in the other hull?
Going upwind the extra weight of the wet sail could be beneficial though.

Any ideas if this is even class legal?

It's not like the snuffers we use do anything to keep water off the spinnaker either.

I guess results may vary on that. I've had to park out and wrap a bungee around the bag to keep the spinnaker from being washed out the back on an early SNU because the water was so rough. That was on Lake Superior, and the only time I'd had to do that. It's pretty common for my bag to have water sitting in it when I pull the spinnaker out on the beach though. A spinnaker in good racing shape, the fabric won't hold any water. It goes up, and one flap or shudder later it's dry. That doesn't mean it doesn't carry water when its wrinkled up in a tube or bag though.

Rich posted this on Facebook and I commented on it. I see dousing on port as being very difficult. I'm not sure how wise it is to have the retrieval point behind the bridle and forestay either. The other thing is Marstrom played with, and I think some of the early Hobie Tigers came with a composite tube. I'm not sure if it was killed off because of usability, windage, weight, or what.


I see pro's and cons to this. I like innovation and new things being tried though. Even if this isn't a great idea, it might spawn one from it's less than stellar performance. Or it might be the cat's butt. I don't know It's interesting.

It's pretty common for my bag to have water sitting in it when I pull the spinnaker out on the beach though.

In the end a good try but not successful with the main issue water filling the kite and not being able to hoist the spinnaker in a timely manner. both boat used conventional snuffers during the series.

Last day of the Oz national series, Jason Waterhouse and Brett Goodall appear to have a commanding lead though Brett Burville on the windrush edge is a few points behind. 20 knots forecast for today which will favor the Windrush.