Whether racing with a crew or double-handing, there is often a frustration in sailing an asymmetrical spinnaker downwind in light air, knowing that one must sail longer distances to maintain speed. This is especially evident in a mixed and handicapped fleet with symmetrical spinnakers.

The snatch block twing technique will allow one to be more competitive by sailing a deeper downwind course and still maintaining speed. Thus far, we have found this technique to be helpful in true wind up to ten knots.

Attach a snatch block amidships to the stanchion base or toerail on each side, and rig the sheets through your spinnaker blocks as usual. When the spinnaker is hoisted, and just prior to trimming, the active sheet is placed through the snatch block as per the photos, increasing the sheeting angle. Project the spinnaker farther forward by raising the tack line and easing the spinnaker alyard. Then, by slightly over trimming the spinnaker, one allows for the leech to be closed, the foot to be fuller, and the wind to be retained in the sail.

The active sheet has one wrap around a winch to allow a full transfer of the sail’s energy to the boat in light air. Minimal disturbance to the sail is maintained by small movements of the helm rather than the trimmer, and moving crew weight slowly and deliberately to maximize VMG.

Unlike traditional twings where friction is an issue in light air upon gybing, the snatch block is released from the active sheet just before gybing, allowing the crew to have the normal sequence of a roll gybe, and then attaching the new active sheet in the opposite snatch block just prior to trimming the sail.

This technique allows us to sail ten to fifteen degrees deeper with the snatch block in light air conditions, thus sailing less distance to the downwind mark. In 8.1 knots of true wind, at 155 degrees off the true wind direction, we maintained a speed of 5.2 knots.