To save money:
1. When you capsize do not fall on the boom or the sail, both are weak.

2. Make sure that all your ringy dings are taped or covered. They can make the spinnaker split like a zipper.

3. Do not run over the chute. You can help alliviate this by pulling back on the spinnaker sheet, helping it stay out of the water, while your crew drops the chute.

4. Keep in mind that the chute has to be down when you are rounding the leeward mark. At first we had an agreement that the crew will make sure it is. After two times over at that mark we changed that to the skippers responsibility before heading up.

Just a note about setting:
We have found it easier to set when the boat is going downwind. I will ease a bit on the mainsheet and let the traveller go out. When she has the sail up she tells me and as I sheet in and travel up she is sheeting the spinnaker. This way she will have some shadow of the main to help her hoist and we will keep the back stay effect when she sheets in. May sound a bit too conservative for some but it works for us. Also, downwind, just go really deep at first then slowly work your angle higher and higher while you stay comfortable with the extra sail area downwind. This way you will not flog the heck out of that light sail, while learning, when you get overpowered and let it out.

Later,
Dan