Recommendations for Taipan/F16 Spin Sprit/snuffer.

[Colin Soloway]

I'm looking forward to getting out and flying the spinnaker on the Taipan this year, and am thinking about trying to find something a little lighter than the Inter 20 sprit/snuffer I have now. 

Do folks have any recommendations on makes of sprits/rings/snuffers? Any used ones anyone would like to sell off? 

Thanks!

Colin

[cpi...@gmail.com]

Hi Colin,

Carbon windsurfer masts can work well and are light weight. The one we use is a little too light (fiberspar breeze kids mast) and so needs lots of extra staying. Maybe you could reuse your hoop and find an old normal stiffness carbon mast. Some assembly required…

-colin

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 2, 2026, at 4:19 PM, Colin Soloway <solo...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[David Nees]

Good luck. I looked for one to replace my broken pole. There are a bunch on FB Marketplace, but shipping is an issue. I ended up repairing mine. It's an H16 spin on a Getaway. I know, gilding the pig, but it's fun downwind.

David

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  David Nees

"Creating new worlds one story at a time"

[Patrick Nelson]

David, 

Do you have the comp tip mast? I've read of concern with the force of a spin on the comptip. Have you had any issues?

Patrick

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[David Nees]

I have a comp tip. So far, no issues. Keep the main tight enough to act as a backstay. When the pole broke, I had someone else driving while I played the spin. I wanted to see how high we could run it. I was watching the side shroud telltale and then telling him to go up a few more degrees. When I looked at the pole, it was bending up at a serious angle. I looked up at the mast, and the comp tip was bending to the rear, also at a serious angle. Then the pole snapped.

On reflection, I think the guy driving kept sheeting the main in way too hard each time we heated up a few more degrees until something gave. I think everything will be fine with reasonable sheeting. The guy driving is a big boy and easily exceeded the rig's limits.

You can find diagrams on where to attach the hoist. It doesn't go to the top.

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[Sam Carter]

Spin poles should have sufficient bridle wire tension to not bend when pulled up on. Once inverted, they are no longer in-column and tend to fail rather rapidly.  Of course, if that doesn’t break, something else might…

Word of caution-throw to the wind at your peril:

The Hobie Getaway/Wave beam connections and shroud eye anchor points are, well, meh. It’s all plastique. Those will likely fail first. However, the rig is an issue. Nacra broke their souped up getaway test boat rig (really a F16 rig) down in Australia by putting 2 big guys on the boat and sending it in 20kts+…it was a test so they were OK with it but sh$t happens. 

[Colin Soloway]

Thanks! John B has a pole and ring I'm going to take off his hands. Just bought a new snuffer chute. All advice welcome! 

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