Thanks guys. Maybe I'm a little premature im my assessment of a comfortable working position when setting and retrieving. We had a decent breeze Sundy [15/18k] and I wasn't sailing that shy to keep things reasonably stable so it may have been that and the fact that I wasn't sure just where to set the main during the kite raising and dowsing. I do remember a couple of times it went as you describe Wouter so I just need to replicate those settings I guess.

Another problem is my spanner is at the base of the mast and the control line comes up through an eyelet in the tramp. The line tends to cover the spi halyard on one tack which is not a desireable situation so I'm now looking at moving the spanner to control it from the boom which will make a big difference.
Thanks again guys, and Wouter, please elaborate on your above statement.