I have a sock, but I find it just adds another thing to do... but first.... how many crew? Are you singlehanding?
First, a gennaker works best with an adjustable tack line. Rig one from your bow roller, or install a wire or dyneema pendant on the stem fitting with a block on the upper end. One foot in height is adequate. The tackline should run back to the cockpit near a winch... there is a big load on this line, so a winch is needed, or some extra purchase.
Okay, this adjustable line allows you to rig the sail without going all the way to the bow. I keep it clipped to a stanchion around mid deck. I also keep the sheets clipped there, while the halyard is nearby on the mast ring. I actually set all this out when at the dock and plan the first hoist to use that side.
Anyway the sheets go a block all the way aft then back forward to a cleat. I have a pair of small winches for this purpose, but you can get along with any winch the line will reach. If I have crew, the trimmer will often bring the sheet across the cockpit to the windward side so he can get a good look at the luff of the sail. For that reason, make sure your sheets are long enough, at least double the boat length for sure.
One last thing, I highly recommend installing a pair of "twings" or "tweakers" on your sheets. These inexpensive little guys behave like "leads". Besides the angle change, they will keep the clew from bouncing and spilling air.
Setting: Bring the bag to the mid deck location on the leeward rail, turn down wind far enough to let the main shadow the sail. Call for the hoist, but first start "cheating" the tack forward. If you're short handed the driver might be able to handle the sheet or help with tack line, but the trimmer should concentrate on the halyard while the skipper maneuvers the boat to keep the sail from getting powered up before the tackline and sheet get loaded.
Dousing: There can be a couple strategies. In all cases the helmsman steers down to shadow the spinnaker.
--One is to pull the sail in under the boom(easier on smaller boats) with the clew sheet, where the crew can stay in the cockpit, but it must be under control... and even so the sail may get wet. Blow the halyard, haul the sheet, control release on the tackline to keep the foot under control.
--Normal takedown with crew on fore deck. Grab center of foot and start gathering as the cockpit crew controls the lines... The goal is to get the sail on deck and start stuffing the bag with the center first... hopefully leaving the three corners for last.
--You can also rig a "take down line"(I have one on my symmetrical chute, it's awesome). which allows the fore deck crew to simply pull down the sail from its center, under control, and neatly stuff the bag.
--And, of course, there's the sock. Which makes life easier when the sail is really large and the crew is not as large or agile to easily handle so much cloth. (like your wife or dad maybe
)
Finally, Perhaps the most important thing in all this is how the helmsman helps. Keeping the boat undercontrol, calling for the drop and hoist, letting crew know what is going to happen and when. Essentially, you're turning off the wind enough keep the sail from "popping" and overwhelming everybody, but not too much to keep the sail from billowing forward and wrapping around the forestay. Same thing on the takedown. Your goal is to keep the sail off the forestay and the shrouds.
Okay, that's my two cents. There are variations. Some folks like to put the bag on the pulpit, that's the way I was taught, but I took some classes and they set from the leeward side. Especially when using a pole and racing spinnaker. Stuff like that will vary. A lot will depend on your foredeck crew and their preferences. When I have new people, with no spinnaker experience at all, I will often flip the boat around in the slip pointing downwind but still tied to the dock. Then we can practice.... this is mainly for working with a pole.. but you could adapt it for gennaker practice too.
Good luck.
