WHAT IS IT?

The cruising chute is basically a single luffed spinnaker, with a tack pennant rove through a block on the stemhead and taken aft to the cockpit. The luff is set flying (i.e. not attached to the forestay) and the clew is sheeted to the aft quarter.

The sail is designed to be asymmetrical, with the luff longer than the leach. The most efficient way to cut it is with a radial head, which achieves more area down wind; a couple of horizontal panels can help it spread the load (and the sail) across the middle.

The result does not measure to any rating rule, and will give an area somewhere between that of the genoa and the spinnaker. If it is to near the genoa size, it doesn't add much power to the boat's existing capability conversely if it is too near to the spinnaker area, it becomes unwieldy and defeats the object.

The sail should always be set with an adjustable tack pennant, so that the height above the deck may be varied. Ease both tack and halyard down wind, harden them on a close reach (which will straighten the luff and allow you to point higher). To lower the sail cast off the tack line and pull the chute into the cockpit under the main boom, by means of the sheet.