Personally I don't think the retrieval line needs to be tighter at all. Am I missing something ?
Secondly you can also get a tighter luff at the top of the spi. Alot of crews run a bead in the halyard line there and you can move that closer to the top of the spi or remove it completely. Additionally I suspect your F18HT has a spi gat made of simple high tension line. You can pull this a little tighter and get a tighter luff as well. And if you really have to then you made yourself a higher spi gate very easily with a drill and a piece of high tension line. So I would try to get the spi luff more tight by modifying the gate setup at the top.
Do you have pics of this spi gate ?
p.s. sorry that this isn't an F16, but the same principles apply. Next time maybe on the general forum.
Don't worry about it !
Just don't tell this to W.F. he'll go ballistic if somebody tells him that the F16 calls is now supporting the F18HT sailors. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Welcome to the club PTP.
Wouter
