An Interview with Sailmaker and Sail Designer, Dan Kaseler
“I’d guess people are over-trimming their spinnakers as much as 80% of the time.”
After a few recent races with very smart sailors who were asking an asymmetrical spinnaker trimmer to sail with no luff curl, my wheels were turning. This was a little different than how I had been taught to trim an a-sail, but maybe the advice is changing over time?
Since, like many of us, I’m settling for thinking about sailing instead of actually spending time on the water, I thought I would call one of the most knowledgeable people around when it comes to sailing and sails. More boats, new and old, are forgoing traditional symmetrical spinnaker and pole systems for asymmetrical spinnakers, so this topic could be relevant from sailors across the range of activities and boat designs. We hope you’ll enjoy this conversation with Dan Kaseler, owner of Quantum Sails Seattle and Raptor Deck, as he shares his thoughts on the nuances surrounding this question.
Background photo courtesy of Jan Anderson
Joe Cline
Joe Cline has been the Managing Editor of 48° North since 2014. From his career to his volunteer leadership in the marine industry, from racing sailboats large and small to his discovery of Pacific Northwest cruising —Joe is as sail-smitten as they come. Joe and his wife, Kaylin, welcomed a baby girl to their family in December 2021, and he is enjoying fatherhood while still finding time to sail, make music, and tip back a tasty IPA every now and again.
