Hi Keith,



The sock only hangs down about 100mm at the front and gets allot thinner as

it gets to the back. We use a 49 sock on our boat with an anodised alloy

ring at the mouth cut in the tramp.



See the attached



spi.conv.01 - shows the sock under the tramp

spi.conv.09 - shows the alloy ring (sock mouth) front port corner of tramp.



The sock has zippers one each side that are sewn on so we car remove it for

repairs. Just behind the ring we have velcro sticking the sock to the

tramp. The sock is silicone coated spinnaker material as is the spinnaker

so it slides in and out easier.



Our sock was developed by John Forbes and Darren Bundock and fitted by Red

Head Sails in Gosford NSW Australia.



A secret to the sock is if it is too tight it will be hard to retrieve and

if it is too loose it will gather water, so you may have to experiment.



Another option would be a sock that runs from just in front of the bridle

mounted on a hoop to just under the front beam. See pic of F-18 at

http://www.kcc.ozehosting.com.au/Photos/F18_Billy_Buster_09-2002.jpg



With regard to tying the tail of the halyard to the head of the kite, when

you pull in halyard the kite head goes up to the top of the mast and the

excess halyard follows. Same principle as the retrieval line/halyard tail

going up to the centre of the kite. It just dose not have to run to the

back of a sock, through and out the other end to the middle of the kite.



I have not tried this on my boat as I went straight to a sock but other

kites at my club did before they went to a sock and found it worked great.

The sock however, I find the best method.



Regards

Stephen Medwell.

Team Tornado 'ALIVE'

www.tornadoalive.com