I don't steer at all when I hoist the spin solo. I drop the traveler all the way out coming around A mark, steer deep so the boat will go straight, then in a flurry of hands and elbows I get the spin up asap, 3-4 fast long pulls usually it's up, mark your halyard at the clete so you know when it's up, then I grab the tiller, steer up, pull up the traveler to about 1 foot out, grab the spin sheet, trim in and hold on, be ready to bear off quickly if it fills in a puff. I dump the mast rotator off and the downhaul off when I have time.

You MUST drive looking back over your shoulder for upcoming puffs when it's blowing and gusty, and you MUST start your bear off well before the puff hits you, so as it hits you can accelerate with the bows up, instead of trying to bear off in the puff and driving the bows under, which is slower, and swimming is slower yet.

Hopefully it will be light to medium air for your first solo ride, but if it's blowing, just dump the spin when things get crazy. You can pull the daggers up half way, that will help you bear off quicker without stuffing the bows under. If it's light to medium, you can sit well inboard to fly a hull, and just steer to keep it up.

For the take down, prepare for it well ahead of the C mark/gate, I just dump the sheet, then the halyard, ease the main and steer down a little more, maybe ease the traveler too, but haul in the snuff line ASAP, again, 3-4 big fast pulls, then set up for the rounding, boards down, downhaul on, rotator in, traveler up, main in, etc.

When it's blowing, I hook into my trap wire even if I have no intention of trapping, as if (when) you get thrown over the handlebars, you want to be attached to the boat. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />