Usefulnesss of a Spinnaker Sock

[paul marko]

I would be interested in knowing how many CD owners use a Spinnaker Sock to set and retrieve their cruising spinnaker? I sail my CD/28 single handed most of the time and have had sone lively moments trying to tame my Spinnaker as the wind builds or it's time to change sails.

Put simply is a Spinnaker Sock worth the added expense and effort?

[mahalocd36]

I've never used it without one so I don't know what I'm missing in the excitement you are having

Seems to work pretty well in taming the sail. Especially if you are singlehanding I would think it'd be very useful.

[Bill Goldsmith]

Put simply is a Spinnaker Sock worth the added expense and effort?

Yes, particularly if you are short-handed. The value of a sock also depends on the style and construction.

Loonsong came to me with an asymmetical spinnaker and a basic sock. The basic sock was more trouble than it was worth, so I flew the kite right out of the bag for a couple of seasons before breaking down and buying an ATN Spinnaker Sleeve. HUGE difference.

The basic value of a sock is the ability to raise the sail while still contained, make sure your lines are organized and have fair leads, and when ready, just pull the control line and the sail fills. To douse the sail, just pull the sock back down. It is also particularly helpful when short-tacking like I have to do on the Hudson River. You can keep the sail up and tied off when beating, and then deploy the kite multiple times when on a reach, never having to lower the sail/sleeve into its bag until it's not needed any longer. That saves a lot of effort. If you typically use your Asymmetrical for entire day-long tacks, i.e. in the Caribbean tradewinds and don't need to set and douse often it may not be worth it.

My first sock was a simple tube with a stainless ring sewn in at the bottom, and the control line ran in the same tube as the sail. This invariably led to the control line getting tangled in the sail, and added a great deal of frustration. Also, the control line was simply a 1/4 nylon line that was tough on the hands.

The ATN Sleeve is a work of art. At the bottom there is a fiberglass bell which guides the sail into the sock, makes dousing easier and is much easier on the sail. It has the main tube for the sail, and a separate sleeve sewn onto the outside for the control line. Therefore, the control line never gets snagged on the sail and works flawlessly. The control line has a thick piece of nylon line spliced in for the part you handle and provides very good "hand." The part that goes to the masthead is 1/4" line that flows through the integrated Harken block very nicely. They also use a very high quality fabric that dries fast and is strong.

So I obviously do believe a sock is worth the cost, particularly if you expect to set and douse the sail fairly often or don't have an abundance of crew.

[Dalton]

It's got to be one of the best upgrades I've ever done. What a dream to set and take down. I would never have a gennaker without it. On my old Alberg 35 I even put them on my spinnakers.

[jerryaxler]

We finally gave up on the sock because of the snagging and twisting of the control lines caused more aggravation than they were worth. We went to a spinnaker gun to set up the spinnaker for raising and have not had any trouble since. It is a bit of trouble to take down, but we just release the sheet and haul her in and stuff it in the forward hatch until we are set with the new combination of sails. We then stow the sail using the gun and putting it back in the bag.

[paul marko]

Thanks to those gave their opinions about the usefulness of a spinnaker sock,you have convinced me on their utility. I think I will buy a Sail rite kit and make one.

Thanks again

Paul Marko