One of the biggest challenges cruising sailors face is how best to sail downwind with only your white up-wind sails set. The jib bangs against the mast and gets beat up and doesn’t provide much power. You turn on the engine and you then must put up with exhaust blowing across the boat. Neither are very attractive options. For years, UK Sailmakers has taught that cruising spinnakers were the solution to this sailing dilemma, but not everyone has come onboard with that philosophy.
Setting a spinnaker with the aid of a dousing sock still requires someone to go forward to raise the dousing sock and some cruising sails feel leaving the cockpit is a real P-I-A! You can’t set it at the beginning of the sail and just have it “set” until you are ready for it.
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