I tried several different "pole" lengths by moving the block at the tip. This was needed as the sailmaker made an error with my spinnaker making the foot too short. I went from 3.45 to as low as 2.75 mtr in front of the mainbeam, if I remember it right. I now have 3.25 mtr and have moved my sheeting block from the sidestays to the mainbeam. I found that below 3.20 mtr the spi would increasingly hang up on my forestay in cat rigged mode. It would want to move between the mast and forestay instead of between its luff and the forestay. It does so much more then when the jib is fitted. At 3.25 and longer the spi pretty much blows itself through the right gap and so I settled on that. At longer pole lengths the spi is noticeably easier to gybe. At least it is on my boat.

Wouter