WHY USE A SPINNAKER SOCK – SLEEVE?
Well, if you sailed with a spinnaker before, you certainly know that hoisting a spinnaker is the easy part; the tough part starts when you decide to douse that spinnaker of yours. This is especially true if you use a symmetrical spinnaker (also called traditional spinnaker), as they are somewhat harder to douse than asymmetrical spinnakers. There are plenty “disaster videos” on the web!
Using a spinnaker sock – sleeve will make dousing easy, fast, and predictable. Socks / sleeves can be used on asymmetrical spinnakers or symmetrical spinnakers.
How are spinnaker socks designed?
The mouth of the spinnaker sock – sleeve is specifically designed as an oval shape and built in a strong slick material to make dousing easy. :
- It will remain open when pulled against the sail,
- It will allow the spinnaker to slide right down without chafing
- It is light as not to put extra weight in the system
Spinnaker socks / sleeves are made of a strong and flexible canvas-type cloth, a light but sturdy fabric that is breathable and dries quickly.
The spinnaker is fastened inside the spinnaker sleeve with a swivel shackle to allow gibing.
How to size a spinnaker sock?
As a rule of thumb, the length of the spinnaker sock has to match the leech of your spinnaker.
When doused in the sock, the clew of the spinnaker must be outside the mouth of the sock.
Spinnaker socks can be ordered custom color
We have spinnaker socks / sleeves in 20 sizes to match any size of spinnaker you need.
You can choose your sock / sleeve color to match your spinnaker and boat color theme: grey, blue, red or white (white channels, white mouth). See store for pricing details
A spinnakers sock can be ordered in custom colors so it can match your color theme
Here is one of our customers dousing a spinnaker with a sleeve
Not sure how socks / sleeves work? Take a look at these two youtube videos from our friends at ATN.