Asymmetric Spinnaker Help!

We just have the larks head on our 5k and its never caused us any problems (the problems are usually helm or crew related :D)

We've also put some fabsil or some kind of waterproofer on the kite at the start of the season, and the kite does feel a bit nicer, especially after a swim. Another think we did this year thats really helped is lube up everything the pole touches on the way out and its made launching the pole much easier.

Im sure someone who can stay drier in a 5k will have some better advice though.

Originally posted by marke Following what Al said - find the centre of the sheet; pull a bit of the core out and splice a thin piece of spectra (or similar) about 150mm long into the core.  Push the core back into the outer to make it look neat.  Attach the clew using the thin spectra - the sheet then has a smooth surface to go around the forestay on drops and gybes. Holmenkohl really works well on B14 kites - it doesn't recover the fresh crackly kite feel, but it does make the cloth shed water and very slippy around the forestay.  I easily covered two kites with a single £30 bottle.  I was very sceptical when I first tried it, but it is easy to apply, really works and lasts a long time - in fact my favourite kite is the oldest one I have - made good with holmenkohl.  Expensive - but good value

Many thanks! This what i like...a bit of boat pimping  Im thinking that the Holmenkohl may well be worth it, as it may give some life to our old old spinaker (with lots lots of patches) and save us the £700 of a new kite. Who would have thought sails for such a 'mature' class could be so expensive?

Originally posted by simonrh Oli, Is it you I end up chatting to on Wednesday afternoons up there while messing with my Vortex? Just bought the 5K? Next time you are up have a look at the vortex kite sheets as they hang out from under the cover. It's not pretty but just dragged the core out in the middle of the sheet, stitched through the cover and put a thumb knot in it. Kite is then attached with a short Dynnema larks head loop. Hasn't failed yet. Pimp my MPS website is good for info.

Certainly wasnt me.... may well have been my helm Mark though. Ill find out if it was him and if so still take a glance at the sheets.  Does it not worry you putting a thumb not in it as this then promotes it getting caught up?

Cheers

Following what Al said - find the centre of the sheet; pull a bit of the core out and splice a thin piece of spectra (or similar) about 150mm long into the core.  Push the core back into the outer to make it look neat.  Attach the clew using the thin spectra - the sheet then has a smooth surface to go around the forestay on drops and gybes.

Holmenkohl really works well on B14 kites - it doesn't recover the fresh crackly kite feel, but it does make the cloth shed water and very slippy around the forestay.  I easily covered two kites with a single £30 bottle.  I was very sceptical when I first tried it, but it is easy to apply, really works and lasts a long time - in fact my favourite kite is the oldest one I have - made good with holmenkohl.  Expensive - but good value

We goa bit further- find the middle of the sheet, and pull a short section of the core out through the cover. Stich to hold this loop in place. Stick the loop through the eyelet, and put the tails through the loop. We have a webbing eye, which makes getting it undone a bit of a pain.

Originally posted by Neptune Does that mean that outings in your 600 are going to be even rarer on the circuit now Oli? Mark RS600-963

haha, fair point, but hopefully not. Ive been away doing the heavy boat stuff so far, but im back now and hopefully will be getting back out there. I shall however be "playing" in the 5k at points.