Hi all,

I have sailed single handed with spinnaker for 3 years or so, my boats have been set up to sail single handed only. I have not used kite with crew on off the beach cats yet.

I am glad Hakan replied before I did, because I was starting to think I was on my own. I drop main and traveller before hoisting in strong winds and pull back in only when spin sheet is partly trimmed to stop it flapping. My sheets are not long enough to let it flag out in front. It has caused no problem with my mast, I think these worries are over stated? When winds are high it is very unstable to keep main pinned right in , no problem when kite is flying but as Hakan said a problem when pulling kite up, I also drop traveller and sheet when dousing, otherwise as you slow down and round up main starts working and over you go. Gybes are still a un resolved problem in high winds, currently I am trying to keep main in tight and gybe then correct back as soon as main flips over. It seems that main carries apparent as you bear away in gybe so you are actualy past dead downwind before main flips, which means if you gybe as usual you will be to high on new gybe and main pinned in tight will tip you over.

I tuck tiller ext. between back of my legs as I kneel on tramp, by rocking back and forth it is amazing how much you can steer. I never have no control of tiller whilst dousing or raising.

When capsized with kite I still concentrate on getting rig and bow upwind before pulling kite into snuffer. I did at one stage think kite more important but mast can still go down and cause bigger problems. I tip over on average every second weekend of sailing. I don't worry about this, as if you don't push your limits you don't know where they are. I must admit, I probably tip more outside of races than in them though, I do try to sail more conservativly in the races, but sometimes capsizes still happen.

My spin cleat is located on a plate at side of centre tramp mounted mainsheet cleat. This has a guide ahead of cleat and pulley behind, which causes it to automaticaly cleat as it is raised and come out of cleat as soon as it is lifted to pull kite down, never need to go forward.

Definatly no cleats on spinnaker. When neccesary to use both hands to pull kite in, I tuck tiller under my back arm so I can use two hands. I don't think I do this alot though, I will have to check this weekend how I pull it in most of the time.

Regards Gary.