asymmetrical spinnaker sock

Dec 25, 2018
28
ODay 34 262 Galesville MD
Hi guys. Hope your sailing season is going well. Mine sure is. I am considering buying a sock for my a spinnaker because I want to use it solo and it seems the easiest and safest route. My I length is 43', so how long would you get the sock, around 40'?
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Check with ATN for a sock size. For solo sailing consider a top down furler operated from the cockpit to deploy and douse the spinnaker.
 
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Aug 11, 2011
857
O'day 30 313 Georgetown MD
My sock does not cover the last two feet of the spinnaker. It is stock from the sail maker, paired with the spinnaker. Having said that I sometimes feel that it is not long enough when trying to douse, but I am sure the manufacturer knew what they were designing. I like my set up, don't think a furling system would work on my O'day 30. Having said that I always seem to struggle raising it. Multiple tries to untwist the sail inside the sock seem to be a natural process each time I bring it up from below. Someone on our list may have the answer to that, so please do share.
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Curious what your sail/sock maker said about their design and the problems you are having?
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Someone on our list may have the answer to that, so please do share.
A lot depends on frequency of use and how much the socked asym gets disturbed while stowed. You need an easy reference for port/starboard when attaching the halyard
When dousing, favor one side or the other, according to your habits of deployment. Seemed to work for me when I flew an asym on my old Mac25.
Are the sock's uphaul control lines fully sleeved? Mine were only partially sleeved, which resulted in some confusing tangles!
 
Aug 11, 2011
857
O'day 30 313 Georgetown MD
I believe mine is only partially sleeved with inside line guide straps for the un sleeved areas. That's generally where my lines get twisted.
 
Jul 12, 2011
1,165
Leopard 40 Jupiter, Florida
My ATN sock (Sailboat Spinnaker Sleeve | ATN Sailing Equipment) was installed by the sailmaker and also does not completely cover the sail. It's a little bit of a pain to have four feet of loose spin cloth outside the sock on deck. Perhaps there is a reason, but I could never figure.

It sometimes hangs or is tough to launch, etc. Coming down is where it pays for itself. I take the pressure off by blanketing behind the main, and douse it in the sock. NEVER go around with a spinnaker without the main up - if winds build you may have to cut the thing down.
 
Aug 11, 2011
857
O'day 30 313 Georgetown MD
NEVER go around with a spinnaker without the main up - if winds build you may have to cut the thing down.
HA HA.....you must have been watching me a few years back! I fought for twenty minutes (felt more like two hours) to try and bring it down while my boat spun in circles and the Spinnaker tangled with my forward shroud. (Pre Furler times)
I swore that I was not going to destroy the spinnaker, what ever it took!!!!!

AND I DID MANAGE TO GET IT DOWN. I SAVED THE DAY. TOOK ALL MY ENERGY!
 
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Aug 7, 2015
97
Oday 34 previous, O’Day 40 current Annapolis
I see you’re ear Annapolis. There’s a guy that usually shows up at the Annapolis Sailboat show, don’t remember his name, that makes them somewhere near Deale. Never did purchase a asym for my previous 34 but he had a good product that was more reasonable than ATN
 

jrowan

.
Mar 5, 2011
1,294
O'Day 35 Severn River, Mobjack Bay, Va.
We just use a spinnaker bag which clips to the bow pulpit & then attach the spin halyard to raise it up. Easy peasy. I have never had a problem raising or lowering the spinnaker. As far as it being single handed, I would just lock down the wheel or turn on your autopilot, if you have one that works.
 
Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
...NEVER go around with a spinnaker without the main up - if winds build you may have to cut the thing down.
I sail with my Assym a lot without the main up. My sail is 1 square inch smaller than the 95.5% of standard class spinnaker size to get a code 4 ASTM rating so it is a very large asymmetrical. To douse with the wind it up I head down to below 160º and blow the sheet which lets it flag out in front of the forestay. I then use the sock retrieval line from a position just aft of the forestay so that I am pulling straight down the luff of the sail. If I stay back at the mast it is hard to pull the sock down but not if I am on the bow.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,726
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I fly my a-spin when sailing solo. I do have a sock, and a sail bag that I can clip to the lifeline to keep the bag from flying overboard when I raise the sail. Not the easiest, but if in light winds and I am going to be sailing for a while, it is worth pulling it out.

I think the sock makes dousing it and getting it stowed a lot easier.

Greg
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,991
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
if in light winds and I am going to be sailing for a while, it is worth pulling it out.

I think the sock makes dousing it and getting it stowed a lot easier.
:plus: to both ideas.

As @Hayden Watson suggests (blowing the sheet) letting the sheet loose depowers the sail so that you can corral it into the sock. Interestingly the TopDown furler systems also encourage letting the sail fly forward and luffing to make the wrap easier.

A caution on a luffing sail, if you are using a metal snap shackle to connect the sheets to the sail be careful in your working the bow. This is where a soft shackle earns it's keep. Making the recover of a sail flapping in the breeze a safer experience.
 
Jul 12, 2011
1,165
Leopard 40 Jupiter, Florida
My great fear in just blowing the sheet and letting things fly around in front is the dreaded forestay wrap. I've been downwind in 20+ knots with a wrap around the furled headsail about 30 feet off the deck. It was not a good experience.:poop:
 
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DArcy

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,690
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
Check with ATN for a sock size. For solo sailing consider a top down furler operated from the cockpit to deploy and douse the spinnaker.
I've used both, socks and top down furlers. I personally find the sock easier to manage. Mine is a few feet short of the spin luff length as well; I'm not sure why but it seems to be the way they are made.