HOW TO ... Use spinnaker socks

Have you ever tried to explain how to use a spinnaker sock?

It starts with a hilariously phallic diagram. Then as you start to describe it, avoiding the comparison with a condom is almost impossible. After hoisting the still socked-spinnaker, the tongue twister gets too much and I normally give in to the temptation to just call it a ‘sausage’. By which point, everyone is either in fits of giggles or concerned I’m flirting with them.

It’s important to keep students calm so that stress or fear doesn’t overwhelm their ability to listen and learn. So, when the sausage is up and swirling around everyone’s heads, I try to encourage everyone to relax because ultimately at this point the spinnaker, although up, is not actually flying. But, the tack, foot, clew and all the sail cloth that doesn’t fit inside the sock normally flap so loudly it can feel like the moment the sock went up a gale started to blow.

Saying: “RELAX” And encouraging everyone to “take a BREATH!” doesn’t have the intended effect when you have to shout it.

So, at this point, I lean back into the double-entredres in a last attempt to lighten the mood and relieve some anxiety. “We haven’t skinned the sausage yet.” “The safety wrapper is still on”. And, if I haven’t already lost anyone to absolute panic, and I add in a dry grin or wink - it tends to work.

Ideally with a demonstration, the instructor is 100% sure of success. Otherwise, students - who are probably already nervous - lose faith entirely.

“If the expert can’t do it, how should I ever hope to?”

But, unfortunately socks don’t offer this luxury.

The sock hides away any potential twists or problems with the sail. The curtain draw is a bit of a leap of faith. And so, on top of keeping the crew calm, I have to keep myself calm too.

Once it’s flying, the next challenge is to re-sock.
On a serious note, I’m looking for a good verb here - anyone have any suggestions?

I begin with a version of a safety brief:

“If the sock-line pulls out your hands LET GO. Remember, nature will always win! The sail is replacable. Your hands are not.”

A human vs 200m² of sail cloth …

Somehow, it doesn’t seem to matter who it is - man, woman, non-binary-body-builder, child or adult - there seems to be some sort of cosmic urge to not let go of the sock line.

So strong is the magnetic pull between human hands and sock lines that I’ve seen even the most safety conscious sailors rip layers of skin on their palms, fly around the bow out of control, or even levitate up in the air! It seems that all sense is thrown to the wind when it a grip meets the sock line.

Perhaps there is actually some truth to the risqué comparisons…

OK - OK - I’ll stop there.

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As you can probably tell, coaching sailors how to use socks has historically not been my favourite.

Just as with teaching sail flaking, downwind helming in big swells or how to do a watch handover at 3am - I started using amusing innuendos and entertaining anecdotes ras a personal tool to stop me getting frustrated. It was only later that I realised it really helped the crew float above fear and overwhelm.

There is something intensely powerful in a teacher who appears so relaxed that they can play and make light of situation and laugh at themselves.

And, over time I’ve learnt to love them.

So much so, that on response to a few students in May asking me for a recommendation on the easiest spinnaker system to use, I said:

“Socks all the way!”

Unlike the stiff heavy torsion cables that come with top-down furling systems, they are very forgiving. They are lightweight. And they are easy to bag and move around. You are not so limited in sail shape as you are with a bottom furling system so they allow for a deep, curvy spinnaker. And, if they go wrong, switching to a traditional spinnaker drop is not difficult at all. I always like an easy plan B :)

The truth here that I hope we all take away is that spinnaker socks can be overwhelming and annoying for everyone. You are not alone if you feel that way! And this goes beyond the words to describe them being vague and uncomfortable!

Socks are are used on long luffed, large, curvaceous spinnakers and they are therefore associated with powerful sails and big boat speeds. They leave you a little blind when you rig them. And, they are notorious for misbehaving during re-socking.

I’d wager that this last point is where most people using socks could improve.

Dousing sails is like an entry ticket into using the sail. Once you know how to depower it, drop it and put it away - then, and only then, do you qualify to fly it.

So, let’s start there.

This made me laugh. I'll leave a Tip.

Paid subscribers can keep reading for:

• My preferred heavy-air sock drop

• The light-wind “Shadow Douse”

• What to do when the sock completely fails