Dousing My New Assymetrical With Sock

[rigormortis]

So, have brand new 1.5 oz assym. from Lee Sails. Looks good, had it up once in very light air.
I'd like to learn from others on best technique/sequence for dousing it.
Do I just loose the sheet, start socking down and release the tack when partway down? I have a quick release on deck for the tack.
I don't like the idea of letting the sheet go completely. I am singlehanding. I assume having some mainsail up makes all this easier.
Easiest and proved way, please. One asks, one learns.
Thanks,
Pete
Soul Upon the Ocean

[swagman]

Leaving the mainsail to blanket the gennaker makes good sense.

You don't indicate what sized boat / sail but if it were me I'd not bother with a sock - invariably they foul up almost as many times as they work. But this way works with sock or simply handing the sail down solo.

Fit a new jammer for the halyard on the mast, even if you lead the halyard back to another in the cockpit. When you want the sail down check the mast jammer is closed, open the cockpit jammer, let the sheet fly (if you can at the clew) and wander forward to take a big handful of sail in your arms as you back up towards your mast. Keep in the lee of the mainsail, fire your halyard mast jammer, and haul the sail down to you swiftly. I usually reach high and initally drop to the deck bringing six feet of so with me, then bundle as much as I can under my body bits.

I would try to learn to be comfortable letting the sail off the sheet or indeed, letting the sheet go. It only turns the sail into a big flogging flag and apart from the flailing sheet, its unlikely to be dangerous.

But conversely I'd not let the tack go until the sail is firmly under control on deck or half way below. If you lost both sheet and tack before it was off the masthead you'd probably find yourself having an interesting time getting it all back.

Maybe trial the method in sub 5 knot winds, and only work your way up after you feel competent.

Cheers

JOHN

[cwyckham]

ATN recommends steering down deep to blanket with the main, trimming the sheet to bring the spin behind the main, blowing the tack, then snuffing and lowering.

This keeps you of the foredeck and at the mast for all the hard work. You can run a tack line back to make it easier to blow the tack

[Cheechako]

Singlehanded a sock may be more work..? But maybe better if the wind is piping up. . If the wind is docile I would tighten the sheet, go forward, and with the halyard in one hand (one wrap on the winch at the mast), pull the sail down on deck on the lee side, flipping the halyard occassionally as you pull down so the wrap lets a little halyard out each time. Once on deck, wrap a tie or bungy around it, go back and release the sheet, and bundle it up.

[delmarrey]

This youtube is about spin'r poles but shows the basics.

Using a Spinnaker Pole - YouTube

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

ATN recommends steering down deep to blanket with the main, trimming the sheet to bring the spin behind the main, blowing the tack, then snuffing and lowering.

This keeps you of the foredeck and at the mast for all the hard work. You can run a tack line back to make it easier to blow the tack

I single-handed with the asym and used this method. Easy-peasy!

You do have an autopilot, right?]

[rigormortis]

Thanks for help guys. Hud, I do not have an autopilot, only windvane. I will attach a tack release line I think to keep fire drill to a minimum. What could go wrong?
Pete

[roverhi]

I could not set the spinnaker on my W32 with the self steering vane steering. The speed picked up so much with the spinnaker up that the vane did not have enough relative wind to sense how to steer. It worked better on my current boat but I made up an 4' x 8" light air wind vane out of corrugated plastic. It was super sensitive to the wind and would maintain control. You might have to make up a large light air wind vane or set up a tiller auto pilot to your vane for the spinnaker to work with the self steering. Had an Aires on the W32 and WindPilot Pacific Plus on my Pearson. The Aires steered better on other than DDW sailing though the WPP vane is no slouch.

I released the sheet on the Asym. and then pulled down on the ATN snuffer. No problem getting the sail snuffed but had a hard time lowering it and keeping it out of the water on a beam reach. Definitely want to head off and blanket the spinnaker behind the main if possible.

[rigormortis]

Peter O:\
good idea about the larger vane. I will be looking for something suitable to make one before I depart here (Kota Kinabalu) as the winds look to be light until I get well up the Straits of Malacca. Or they're squally and blowing too hard, or they're perfect. Such is sailing.
Pete

[Mike OReilly]

Another vote for sheeting in, blanketing with main, and blowing the tack. I've done it with and without a snuffer. Either way works fine, although I do like my ATN snuffer. Just be sure to keep the assym blanketed, and it's pretty easy.

[roverhi]

I got the plastic from a Plastics specialty house in SoCal. It was about 1/4" thick and made like corrugated cardboard. Apparently came in 4' x something sheets and they cut it into 8" strips for me. The guy at the plastics place was a sailor and cut the vanes out of scrap stock. The first one was cut with the corrugations horizontal and didn't work as it kinked and folded over in the first strong wind. The 2nd set had the corrugations running vertical and made the sail to Hawaii from SF without a problem. It did get quite a workout as the vane seemed to flop from full port to full stbd with the following seas and often had quite a bow in it. There wasn't any subtlety in it's movements.

[Capt.Don]

We head deep downwind, ease off the sheet and the sock comes right down, no problems. I can't easily ease the tack, as there's usually a lot of pressure on the line and it is cleated to the bow-cleat. I've never had any problems dousing the asyo.
Don

[rigormortis]

Mike:
I am also from Thunder Bay. Where are you sailing these days?
Another question: the sock up and down lines--what do you do with them? Do you run them through a snatch block near mast or let them hang free?
thanks

[Capt.Don]

I just tie the sock up/down lines to the nearest handhold by the shroud.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by rigormortis

Mike:
I am also from Thunder Bay. Where are you sailing these days?
Another question: the sock up and down lines--what do you do with them? Do you run them through a snatch block near mast or let them hang free?
thanks

Neat. When did you leave our frozen lands Peter? We're still up here, mostly sailing Lake Superior (it's incredibly beautiful up here, as you well know ). Two more years and we cut the lines. I'll PM, or see you on your blog. Love to hear more about your travels.

We just loosly cleat the snuffer's up/down haul lines at the mast. We have lots of cleats there since our lines do not lead aft. I am lucky enough to having a sailing, and life, partner. One of us works the foredeck while the other manages the sheet and tiller. I must admit I've never run the assym while soloing.