Sock vs Top Down for Assymetric

[Howler]

I also have tried both on our 41 ft sloop with a ~1400 sq ft assym. I started with a top-down furler but eventually sold it in favor of a sock. Here are the reasons:

1. The extra weight of all the top down hardware made for too much weight to haul around in the sail bag.
2. You need to haul the furling line for a long time, when sometimes you want to douse the spinnaker quickly.
3. The helm (which doesn't have generous side decks on our boat) was crowded with the aft double block and furling line.
4. The spinnaker never really wrapped as nicely as I'd like and therefore, I didn't like sailing with the furled spinnaker hoisted, defeating some of the supposed advantages.
5. In order to adjust luff tension with a topdown furler, you need additional costly hardware.
6. The sock just works (most of the time... see note about control line twists) as it's supposed to.
7. The sock is lighter than the furler drum & line, anti-torsion cable, double block, etc. of the topdown furler.
8. The sock makes it quick to deploy and douse the spinnaker.
9. It's easier to adjust luff tension with a sock rig.

A couple of tips for best sock performance:

Check the control lines by running from head to foot with fingers separating the up and down lines (sliding along the outside of the control line channel on the sock). Make sure there are no twists! Do this every two or three times you use it, especially for larger boats.

To deploy or douse, head to a broad reach and sheet out the main to provide wind shadow. If you do it on a beam reach or higher, the sock or halyard can swing behind the mast spreaders.

To douse, in addition to heading downwind, release the tack to take the pressure out of the sail before hauling down the sock.

[Happ]

I’ve had both. I’ll go with a Furler. First of all I’m not standing upright on a deck. Of course when I’m launching the chute it is usually light wind. But if a breeze comes up I can simply roll it up and when everything settles down I can lower the chute and stow it away. When work with a sock I’m often standing and supporting my self with the sock line. One slip and I “could” be in trouble.

[Talbot]

I have a sock on a full spinnaker, and top down on my asymmetric. I single hand a lot and while cruising the assymeyric stays rigged. Could not do that with the full spinacker. Top down is my choice for the assymeyric and would not change it

[gulfislandfred]

A bit off topic, but for those of us on a tight budget:
I was given an old symmetrical spinnaker suitable for my trailer sailor, (Sirius 21), and my friend/sailmaker told me she could move one patch up, restitch the foot, and give me back an assym, for one hour of labour.
I have had a great time with the assym. Easy sail to use, especially on a smaller boat. I just gather it in my arms and stuff it in the bag, or down the hatch.


Where I live (Sailish Sea, BC) there are often old 'racing spinnakers' on boats and in basements that people never use, and will part with, cheap or free.



Hard to find cheap assyms. My latest, a 1975 Newport 30, came with TWO 'racing' symm spinns. Priority is to get a furler (CDI FF6 - I'm a big fan of halyard in foil, no upper swivel) installed for the Genny I already have, but there's a low price converted Assym in my future.

[YANDINA]

On our 71 ft ketch I handled a 1600 sq ft single handed using the sock. Set the autopilot to point up wind, pull down the sock, then release the halyard as I stowed it in the forward locker.

It was a drifter and never left it out if there was any WIND.

[FabioC]

Originally Posted by Howler

I also have tried both on our 41 ft sloop with a ~1400 sq ft assym. I started with a top-down furler but eventually sold it in favor of a sock. Here are the reasons:

A couple of tips for best sock performance:

Check the control lines by running from head to foot with fingers separating the up and down lines (sliding along the outside of the control line channel on the sock). Make sure there are no twists! Do this every two or three times you use it, especially for larger boats.

To deploy or douse, head to a broad reach and sheet out the main to provide wind shadow. If you do it on a beam reach or higher, the sock or halyard can swing behind the mast spreaders.

To douse, in addition to heading downwind, release the tack to take the pressure out of the sail before hauling down the sock.

+1 on the control line. "Managing" the control line is the key with the sock. In addition to making sure that there is no twist in the line itself, it is important that the control line is always on the "right side of the funnel" (i.e., pointing inner), so the sock does not twist around the sail while hoisting and dousing. Have the crew clear the control line every time and coil it in front of them, between them and the bag. They should hoist and douse always facing the bow and never let the line wrap around their wrist or any other part of their body. Also, the coiled line should be away from their feet at all times.

+1 on tripping the tack line on the douse. By tripping the tack line (vs. easing the sheet), the sail deflates fully AND moves leeward and aft towards the mast (we douse on a broad reach). You want the crew near the mast for safety, not exposed in the middle of the foredeck, so if the sail comes aft a bit, it would be right on top of them and it is going to be very easy to lower the sock. If you have to douse downwind and you need the crew on the foredeck closer to the bow, then they should not be standing, they should be on their knees. Head up a bit once the sail is in the sock, and then ease the halyard. With a little practice, the sail should drop straight on top of the bag, which you want a little forward of the shrouds.

[CAVOK]

We’ve had a furler for our asymmetric, but have always had difficulty with it on our short crewed 46’ mono.
When you include all the hardware, they are quite heavy and bulky to store. When furled they do have a lot of windage & can easily jam on the refurl, so using the KISS principle we are putting a sock on for this season.

[nfbr]

Originally Posted by FabioC

+1 on the control line. "Managing" the control line is the key with the sock. In addition to making sure that there is no twist in the line itself, it is important that the control line is always on the "right side of the funnel" (i.e., pointing inner), so the sock does not twist around the sail while hoisting and dousing. Have the crew clear the control line every time and coil it in front of them, between them and the bag. They should hoist and douse always facing the bow and never let the line wrap around their wrist or any other part of their body. Also, the coiled line should be away from their feet at all times.

+1 on tripping the tack line on the douse. By tripping the tack line (vs. easing the sheet), the sail deflates fully AND moves leeward and aft towards the mast (we douse on a broad reach). You want the crew near the mast for safety, not exposed in the middle of the foredeck, so if the sail comes aft a bit, it would be right on top of them and it is going to be very easy to lower the sock. If you have to douse downwind and you need the crew on the foredeck closer to the bow, then they should not be standing, they should be on their knees. Head up a bit once the sail is in the sock, and then ease the halyard. With a little practice, the sail should drop straight on top of the bag, which you want a little forward of the shrouds.

Re, blowing the tack. On mine thats what I do, but it drops about 4ft of the sail in the water over the rail. This worries me a little.

[StoneCrab]

For all you guys looking to convert to furling, I am looking for a 50'ish sock to buy.

Please PM me if you have one for sale.

[LeeV]

Absolutely another benefit if starting from scratch is the cost difference between a sock and a flying furler setup. I have both and like my gennaker on its furler. The sock and an asymmetrical fill the slot nicely

[CAVOK]

Lots of good information here.
Thanks all.

[bensolomon]

I use a sock on my boat with Asym the past 10 years solo sailing. Easy peasy, and I sit on the fore deck when hoisting and dousing. Keep the whole thing in a bag.

[Noahr]

I use a top-down Selden GX10 on my 34 footer with an 850 sq. ft. asymmetrical while SINGLE-HANDING. It works well.. The key is watching what you are doing and watching the sail furl. This translates to me sailing with a single reefed mainsail and no jib, when using the asymmetrical —to get a good view of things while furling from the cockpit. I can also jibe ok without furling.

[DragonflyBob]

We are outfitting our new Dragonfly 32 with a Colligo top down furler that will be paired with a North EasyFurler chute. On this chute design, the torque line is sewn into the luff of the sail (similar to a Code Zero) with the intent to make furls tighter and more consistent.

Dragonfly’s standard chute package for new boats is based upon a sock launch/retrieval but given that our sailing with this boat will be my wife and I , we believe it is safer and easier with the furler especially given this chute is nearly 1,200 ft2 in size. We have a lot of experience with furlers over the years and from a safety standpoint our biggest mantra will be launch and retrieval always at deep TWA’s (140-160 degrees). We have an autopilot on the boat so it will come in handy when we furl the sail allowing my wife to keep slight tension on the sheet while I operate the furler to help insure a neat and tight furl.

We do not plan to sail with the furled sail hoisted. It will live on the trampoline in its sail bag and will always be lowered after furling. We are setting the boat up with systems to deploy and retrieve both the Code Zero and chute furlers to/from the bowsprit similar to how the IMOCA and ULTIM tris are set up.

We will be very deliberate when we set this chute. If we are sailing doublehanded, in over 12 knots, we will probably defer to using the Code Zero with the barberhauler. If over 16 knots, we’ll probably go to a barberhauled jib. We might also explore adding a DDW setup but we like sailing downwind at AWA angles of 90-100 degrees if the VMG practical for our course. It makes for more comfortable (and faster) sailing.

[Triumph]

selling a code zero sail with a harken furler - fits a boat similar to a Beneteau 33. New condition. $1500 for all .... cheap to ship in its bag
Triumph in Tampa