Ok Wouter, good stuff, thanks a lot.

Mate, it's no longer the rigging time which worries me. Having rigged the boat using several different procedures I now have what I believe is quite an efficient method that works for me.
I don't roll my boats for rigging ever. It's a process which has the potential to damage the hulls so I don't do it.

I tried leaving the spi in the sock with the retrieval and tack lines attached. It meant running the halyard through all the blocks and up the mast before raising the mast, which because I raise the mast from the front, turned out to be a nightmare threading the halyard and stays. I never got it right first time in several attempts which just seemed to prolong the agony. Now I detach the all the lines bar the pole vertical tensioner and tackline which both stay with the pole.

To rig, I simply run the halyard up the mast before raising it. After raising the mast, I fit the pole using a single pin. Next I attach the single vertical tensioner [permanently fixed to the pole] to the bridle using a snap shackle. Then I attach and tension the two bow lines to the pole end using simple stop knots at the bow and jam cleats on the pole end. I do all this before I tension the rig. Next, I thread the halyard to, and through the snuffer, connect the other end to the spi top, attach the tackline [which stays attached to the pole] to the tack, set the kite and thread the retrieval line. You gotta set the spi anyway to be sure it's all gone ok so it's no big deal to thread the retriever while it's up.
After I stow the kite, I toss the main up and I'm off,............well sort of <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.

Currently it's taking me about a half hour longer to rig and I'm OK with that. It's getting faster every time and I think I can probably get it down to around 20 minutes. I'm a slow rigger anyway <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

Really, I guess I'm still debating the question of simplicity and purity against the inherent complications of spi sailing single handed.