# drifter vs asymetrical spin



## mrkeith (Jan 25, 2006)

hi, whats the difference between a drifter and an asymetrical spinnaker? can one be used like the other and vice a verse?


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## trantor12020 (Mar 11, 2006)

mrkeith said:


> hi, whats the difference between a drifter and an asymetrical spinnaker? can one be used like the other and vice a verse?


I thought they're same, just that different sail loft calls it by different names like, UK Sail call it Flasher, ...


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

We once had a drifter that was an oversized genoa, fully hanked on but made of ripstop nylon like a spinnaker.
These have pretty much disappeared with the advent of the asymmetrical Cruising spinnaker, called various names such as flashers, etc by different manufacturers. These in turn have evolved into the powerful A sails used on the J sprit boats, AC boats, other sportboats and ocean racers.


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## resdog (Mar 29, 2006)

The drifter I had was made of very lightweight nylon and was hanked on. An asymetrical is not hanked on and has a different cut. I always considered my drifter as a huge lightweight genoa.


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## mrkeith (Jan 25, 2006)

is it worth having both an assymetrical spin and a drifter? or no need. i have an assym ...do i need a drifter?


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Depends on what you want to do...if you're cruising....cruising fast on a schedule....racing...

Here is a good show of a drifter

Its just a good light genoa, "almost" a gennaker on the stay track. good for light downwind sail in light winds..


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

An Assym. spinnaker is legal to race with, a drifter is usually not. Do you need one ? No - but if you sail downwind a lot in light air it would be one of a few sails to consider.... It's not going to do a lot that your spinnaker can't do though.


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

You may want to do as I am thinking of, get a 150'ish reacher over a drifter to go with the asymetric. This is more of an upwind sail for light winds. Built like a genoa, but with 2'ish oz nylon cloth. Then as the article Gui showed, you use the 110-130 for heavier winds.

Marty


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Hanked on vs flying*

A drifter is hanked on and an asymmetric is set flying. Drifters will generally be bigger and point higher than an asymmetric. A drifter is certainly much easier to use when roller furled on.
My opinion on why the asymmetric has gained popularity is the most boats don't have an extra forstay they can devote to it so they go with a sail set flying to simplify things.


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## kernunnos (Mar 31, 2015)

What is the second sail? I have a similar shaped sail & it was called a Drifter when I bought the boat. It does not hank on and has no forestay of it's own.
read on as I have to post 2 more till I can post a link....mercy must be a spam thing


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## kernunnos (Mar 31, 2015)

Ok here is number 9


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## kernunnos (Mar 31, 2015)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zwvreIy9j.../f0o797omARg/s1600/Morningstar+Frers+50_1.jpg

ok this is the link to the previous question


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## oysterman23 (Jul 22, 2011)

I have a drifter with a wire luff in 2.5 nylon which has 4 hanks. I use below 10 knots windspeed if the wind is iffy or from broad reach to run. Its a lot of fun. On occasion Ive tensioned the luff wire very tight which allows better pointing. But think I may have a simple rig figured to draw it closer to the furled jib. Anyway mine is abit small...Id love to have a big one to play with!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk


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## kernunnos (Mar 31, 2015)

Mine comes back to the cockpit winches...aka jib sheet winches...it's huge, light as a feather I don't have a clue what the weight is and it's for a J30, my boat is a Tanzer 7.5... 24'7".
It looks alot like the secondary (spin) in the photo.
I have flown it in 15kts.


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## PaulinVictoria (Aug 23, 2009)

The one in that photo is a blooper. IOR throwback racing sail, magnificent sail, usually best left in the bag.


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## kernunnos (Mar 31, 2015)

That sure looks like mine, although I fly it the other way......like a massive Genny..180% or so. I keep the tack on a 5/16 line(sheet?) off a block on the foredeck so I could fly it just like that....
I do pick up a couple knots with it


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## PaulinVictoria (Aug 23, 2009)

Well, if you fly it, don't break anything and it works then great, use it, don't worry about what it's called


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## kernunnos (Mar 31, 2015)

I like your 'tude man. It flys great.


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

PaulinVictoria said:


> The one in that photo is a blooper. IOR throwback racing sail, magnificent sail, usually best left in the bag.


I keep this article bookmarked just in case someone brings up THE BLOOPER. I am too young to ever have sailed with one thank god.

Memories of a sail that lived up to its name in every way


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## kernunnos (Mar 31, 2015)

Well thanks... I fly it with my main and it works great, only, I fly it backwards... clew & tack reversed..... what do I know?


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## kernunnos (Mar 31, 2015)

This is my "Drifter"


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