Spinnaker sock

You will find both views are strongly supported. I used a bag for a few years which was a real pain when short handed, not for the hoist but for the drop. I bought a snuffer and suddenly was using the kite a lot more. 65m2 kite.
 
Bag if racing or cruising with a full crew. A sock in any other circumstance. Using the sock I can use the asymmetric single-handed on my 36. The only drawback with the sock is the windage it creates between hoisting and deployment. I can see that there is potential for tangling with the furled genoa but it hasn't yet happened.
The alternative solution is an asymmetric on a furler. More expensive, more complication, but much neater.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The alternative solution is an asymmetric on a furler. More expensive, more complication, but much neater.

[/ QUOTE ]
No, I am using a symmetrical spinnaker
 
What size boat?

My views on this matter were recently given quite a going over by other forumites, but I absolutely hate the things.

Snuffers are not totally reliable and learning to use it without will give you skills that will stand you in good stead when it all goes wrong - see my thread about the question of seamanship in scuttlebutt.
 
It's a 36ft sailing boat and the spinnaker size is 90 sq.meters. What I see a big problem is droping the sail properly in the bag to have it ready for the next round during a race.
 
If you're racing then absolutely do not use a sock. They are slower to deploy and drop, costing you valuable time at the corners.
There are 2 ways of dealing with this, teach one of your crew to pack the kite as fast as possible, or in calmer weather drop the kite into the forehatch and leave everything attached so you can hoist it straight from there.
This is not without its problems, namely that you need to plan way ahead to make sure that the kite comes down the correct side for the next hoist and you're not 100% guaranteed to be twist free unless you send someone into the forecabin to run the tapes.
 
When racing a boat that size the technique is:

1 crew on cabin roof on lee side to take corner of spinnaker when it is released and haul in as fast as possible and push in direction of:

1 crew on leeward front corner of cockpit to push spinnaker into cabin as it feeds from crew above

1 crew available in cockpit to help at short notice if anything above goes wrong

Spinnaker to be packed into bag in cabin at first opportunity.

The key to this working is to always sail with the same crew and to practice, and practice.
 
[ QUOTE ]
does make packing the sail away quicker as well as dousing.

[/ QUOTE ]
Packing away quicker - well ok, if you consider putting away to only start once the kite is on the deck.

Dousing?

No. There is nothing quicker than dumping a halyard and pulling in on the sheet, certainly not socking a snuffer, then lowering a sausage. One step opperation Vs two steps.
 
It would be great for cruising while time factor is not a priority.
If you race, please forget it.

I used the sock to handle an asym in races for 1 year and now just keep the sock in stock and resume using the bag.

Pro -
no need to pack sail after drop - that's it

Con -
1. Need more time to sort out the long sock line when setting & packing the sail

2. If drop the sail on the opposit tack of hoist, the inner sock line will easily tangle with the sail and give trouble in next hoist

3. need to furl the jib before hoist the sock, then spend more time to raise the sock & tie it good, which kill time when rounding marks

4. need to dose the A-sail then lower the sock before unfurl the jib, which kill more time when rounding marks.

5. the bulk of sock & shackle add windage & weight at the top of the mast

6. you need to send 1 crew to foredeck to dose the sail & sock (no need if using bag)

Having lost all races in the year and getting too much troubles in hoist & drop around the cans, we finally removed the sock and fall back to using bag in races. Amazingly, we immediatelly won the 1st place in the next race !

With well trained crews, we once had only 3 persons (including the helman) on board to handle the big A-sail under the bag system without problem.
 
and an even more useful tip in my experience. if your competitors are not mad keen racers but family cruisers out for the day, forget the coloured sails altogether. you will gain far more from competitors cock ups hoisting and dropping and wrapping coloured sails round the forestay etc than you will lose by not hoisting one yourself.

there is absolutely nothing in sailing more satisfactory than watching your nearest competitor struggle with acres of billowing nylon whilst you plod away from him. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top