Hi all,
couldn't possibly keep my nose out of this discussion. Re how it feels under spinnaker,wildthing, maximum windspeed etc.
How it feels as in being dragged along by the kite or feeling fast is exactly the point. You have to dedicate yourself to the spinnaker, anybody can put one up and get dragged along but to get the speed takes feel which only comes with time. The feel of getting the most out of the boat under a well cut spinnaker is hard to describe. I equate it best back to the feel of when I sailed slalom sailboards you follow the apparent wind and feel totaly at one with the sail.
The difference in speed is enormous just ask the many larger cats who only used their kites occasionaly that I passed on my Mossie with spin last season.
As far as wildthing is concerned we had started doing it on Mossies before we fitted the spinnaker it was good training for sailing with spin., I think the kite just makes it easier no sitting to leeward in the spray.
As for maximum windspeed from what I have experienced if you can still sail you can put the kite up but again you have to work up to it. So far I have seen them up in 25 to 30 kts.
Regards Gary.