A spinnaker with a hole in it!

Well, not quite a hole, more like an aperture with a paragliding wing.

According to the Parasailor inventor, Hartmut Schädlich, the paragliding wing has two distinct advantages:

• It acts to create lift to keep the spinnaker up, especially in light airs and
• It acts as a pressure release for those unexpected gusts.

The main feature of the Parasailor, which has a cut similar to a tri-radial spinnaker, is a wide slot that runs across its entire width roughly one third from the top. The slot is held open by a number of shock cords so enabling the opening and closing of the slot according to wind strength. The top of the slot is permanently open, while the bottom half can be closed by a ruffed flap that runs across the centre from side to side and controls the amount of wind that is allowed to flow through. The Parasailor Spinnaker is hoisted the normal way and its geometry allows it to be set either on a pole, or directly fixed to the bow when sailing close to the wind. A well-designed douser with a wide-mouthed fibreglass collar makes handling extremely easy. Even the sailbag is of an ingenious design allowing the Parasailor Spinnaker to be dropped or raised straight from it.

I can see the benefits of the Parasailor on a long run cruise or cruising race and would love to know what round the cans die hards would have to say.

Contact info: Parasailor Spinnakers