Dousing the Spinnaker on a Cat

[mdsailors]

We have a 50 ft St Francis Cat and have yet to figure out a reliable way to douse the asymmetric spinnaker with the sock especially in stronger winds, 18 to 23 knots...any guidance would be most welcome, thanks Steve & Bonnie

[monte]

We have a parasailor in a sock. I don't know if it would work the same but generally the mate sits on the port bow seat, facing aft with the sock control line in hand, we bring the wind to 160 degrees on the starboard tack, the skipper releases the sheet in control, the parasailor folds neatly in half and the crew pulls down the sock. About halfway down the skipper releases the starboard guy and once fully down the skipper lowers the halyard while the mate tidies the foredeck. This method should work with or without the main up. We do it fairly easily as a couple up to around 30kn TWS

[Catalysis]

You might try this option as used on the Antares:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...npsjouPiRinqzg


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[cwyckham]

I'm just a humble mono sailor, but I expect it should be the same process.

The key, in my experience, is to release the tackline instead of the sheet. This brings the sail right back behind the main and you can pull the sock down from a nice comfortable midships position instead of up near the bow (though I like monte's point about using the nice little bow seat you cat guys usually have).

My tackline just goes to my docking cleat, so my process is:

1. untie the sock control line from the midship cleat (or wherever you like to tie it).
2. Drive the boat fairly deep (greater than 150)
3. adjust the sheet until the clew is just forward of the boom
4. walk forward a few feet and untie the tack line - assym is immediately depowered and gets sucked behind the main.
5. walk back to midships and pull the sock down.

[Kaptain Ken]

Regardless of the particulars mentioned in the other posts, the one key ingredient is the use of a sock. We have a Lagoon 440 and an asymetrical spinnaker with a sock - works great!!!

[canadian cat]

Originally Posted by mdsailors

We have a 50 ft St Francis Cat and have yet to figure out a reliable way to douse the asymmetric spinnaker with the sock especially in stronger winds, 18 to 23 knots...any guidance would be most welcome, thanks Steve & Bonnie

A trick I learned from a Steve Dashew video. Place a block on the deck and have the sock downhaul line pass through. This way you pull your self onto the deck rather than up into the air. I have my downhaul line long enough to have my back against the mast. Releasing the tack line and the block and one person can douse in 25+ (that is if you ignore wife's wisdom to douse at 18)

[jaybird1111]

We don't have a sock. Don't need one.

Leave the main up. You should, anyway. It supports the mast (sort of like a backstay) and it will block the chute when you turn deep to stall the chute right before you take it down.

--Steer deep, stalling the chute behind the main.
--Crew grabs the clew, pulling it inside the shrouds
--Crew begins to bring the foot of the chute together, not unlike pleating or drawing a curtain. Meanwhile, tack is eased accordingly to allow the foot to be gathered.
--Once foot of chute is gathered and brought onto the nets/into the bag, then crew calls for halyard. Control the drop as crew is pulling the sail down. Crew pulls the gathered chute into the bag.

If all of this is done right, you'll be set for the next chute-set, too.

[canadian cat]

If you have a sock. The whole procedure is a one person and autopilot affair. Same principles as with no sock, but when your young family is down bellow you can get the kite down rather than cut it away.

[Palarran]

There was an excellent thread on this last year. One poster suggested to release the tack instead of the spin halyard. I haven't tried it yet but will because his description really sounded like it would work well. He used a snap shackle that had a rope release on it - pretty slick but boy are they expensive.

Use the google search under the search tab. I'd try "catamaran spinnaker sock" or something like that.

[Palarran]

I looked but can't find that thread. Anyone else remember it?

[markpierce]

Pull in the leeward sheet under the mainsail's boom, gathering the sail, while letting out the halyard and windward sheet and stowing the spinnaker boom.


Not like this:

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by Palarran

There was an excellent thread on this last year. One poster suggested to release the tack instead of the spin halyard. I haven't tried it yet but will because his description really sounded like it would work well. He used a snap shackle that had a rope release on it - pretty slick but boy are they expensive.

Use the google search under the search tab. I'd try "catamaran spinnaker sock" or something like that.

You shouldn't need a fancy block. Usually the tackline just runs back to a clutch. In my case, it just runs back to a cleat. Easy to release.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Pull in the leeward sheet under the mainsail's boom, gathering the sail, while letting out the halyard and windward sheet and stowing the spinnaker boom.


Not like this:

His spinnaker has a sock.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

You shouldn't need a fancy block. Usually the tackline just runs back to a clutch. In my case, it just runs back to a cleat. Easy to release.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

All our boats are going to be a little different in set up. I have 40' of line from the tack of the sail to the clutch which would be a lot of line to allow free. This is the shackle he described.
http://marine.wichard.com/images/pre...-2650-0001.jpg

[thinwater]

I like to use the sock because the spinnaker will not fit through the locker hatch in the bag, and the sock serves as the bag.

Otherwise, I would hoist and drop from the bag; it's faster if the main is up... though the sock is still nicer single handed.