Asymmetric spinnaker with dousing sock. Questions.

[MarkSF]

I have what I think is an asymmetric spinnaker with sock. I've done a little research and THINK I know how to use it. Is the following right?

Attach tack in front of the jib furler. The head is hoisted by the spinnaker halyard. The two sheets go in front of the forestay and back to the jib winches. The chute is gybed by pulling it across, in front of the forestay.

The sock when the spinnaker is deployed sits at the top.

Do you leave the sock hoisted, and the whole thing in the sock, when it's not in use, and then deploy it - or keep the whole thing below and hoist it when you're about to deploy it?

[TejasSailer]

This video might help.

North Sails: Gennaker Handling Video

[Faster]

You run your sheets, attach tack (usually w/tack line) hoist the sock/sail assembly, raise sock and fill/trim sail.

To douse, release sheet, pull sock down to collapse/contain sail, lower assembly, stow sheets and put sail away.

[MarkSF]

Thanks! Both very informative posts! If the wind is light on Sunday I'll try it. What's the worst that can happen? (making mental note to keep that sharp knife handy in my pocket)

[zz4gta]

Usually you attach everything, then hoist, and pull the sock up. When your done, you snuff it, then ease the halyard down to the deck and keep it below. In light air you can keep it lashed on deck. Leaving it aloft is a lot of weight and windage.

How you rig it will determine whether you do inside or outside gybes. All depends on when and where you plug in the halyard in relation to the lazy sheet. Inside gybes are hard to do in mod/heavy air on a boat that doesn't have a masthead kite and a sprit. I'd suggest outside gybes. This means that the clew will pass outside of everything, including the luff of the sail, flag out in front of the boat, and then be trimmed in on the other side. The danger is running over the new sheet and then trimming miles of line in on the new side.

[MarkSF]

Thanks. I see. Is it essential to take the tack line back to the cockpit? From the hardware I have, it looks like the PO just attached the tack directly to the bow.

But now I think about it, there was a block with a 6" line and a shackle. Think I threw it out Guess I know what it was for now.

[PaulinVictoria]

You want to be able to adjust the tack height and also to let it go in case of "interesting" situations so ideally you want the tack line back to somewhere easy to get to. Having said that, the boat I raced on for a while didn't have it led aft, then again I think we were slower with asym up than with the jib

[killarney_sailor]

I find for dousing that it works a bit better to release the tack (you need someway to release this quickly) rather than the sheet. Try both ways though and see which is better.

[BarryL]

Hey,

My Newport 28 came with an asym kite in a sock. It was a lot of fun to use. There are a number of web sites from sail makers that have videos on how to use the kite. Do watch them as they definitely help.

It is better to have an adjustable tack line but not a requirement. You can just tack it to something at the bow, but make sure whatever you attach to is strong enough.

Make sure the sheets go outside of everything and you should have blocks shackled to the aft corners of the boat - the sheets should have as wide a run aft as possible.

Dousing is much easier if you head deep downwind and use the main to blanket the spinnaker.

My current boat doesn't have a chute and I do miss it.

Good luck,
Barry

[MarkSF]

I figure I'll try it this weekend without all the accessories, and if I like it will get the various blocks for the tack and sheets.