My thoughts on the jib are that all the bighead sails have a relatively small jib that just shapes the wind into the slot so you really just need to match your sail shape with your jib shape, the Taipan 5.7's went to self tackers by dropping the tack to the top of the spin pole using a stainless steel rod to give them a longer jib with roughly the same area, I'm not sure about lifting your hounds or putting your jib higher than the hounds. The F18 mast is only 20cm shorter than the 5.8 so you could try some F18 sails as a starting point and see how they feel and see if the mast holds the leach up.
Couple of other things to consider, the 5.8 mast is designed to loosten your diamonds as the wind gets higher allowing the mast to depower the rig by bending into the slot in gusts.
On a reach the 5.8 is the most fantastic boat I've been on, I've got video of me on a reach jumping over and through waves in over 20 knots on the 5.8 and it's totally controlled, I've never pitchpoled it on a reach but on downwind course's I've gone in big time. I run a F18 spin on my 5.8

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Yea, an abrupt turn above the hounds. Maybe pushing 30*.
Jeff, you have to see some stuff up there that looks pretty scary once in a while when you run spin, right?
I had a spin and sq top on a 5.7 also. I think it was a lighter mast section than the 5.8 & 6.0. Saw that thing bend off pretty bad also. Close to the 5.8, but I usually ran less weight on the trapeze and couldn't push as hard as Manny with his 5.8.

I mainly saw the wild mast with my old style fat spin that fluffed around as soon as I got going properly. The F18 spin behaves nicely and doesn't do such dramatic pulling to the side. My Taipan 5.7 was set up beautifully when I got it and I just pulled the spin up and went double trapped at 185kg crew weight, I haven't got to that stage yet with the 5.8

20 CM?!? Well, shoot. Sounds like my best route is buy a used F18 main and chute. That way i could save $$$$ by buying used as opposed to new/custom. the only question is will it look like hell, e.g. boom is way too high. I can't get the thing lengthened either because it's tri-radial construction right?


As for the chute, i have to add a pole and halyard anyways, i'll just place them wherever i have to in order to make the chute work.

bada bing bada boom!


The jib, i'm afraid WILL need to be custom however...

Am i on the right track here? this way i'm not spending the same money as a used F18, but still getting a major modernization of the rig..... or will this route yield a frankensteined POS?

I wouldn't plan on keeping up with a real F18. I think your underestimating the difference the hull and foil shapes make.

I may have missed it, but are you planning to race or just tear up the water by yourself?

no, i don't plan on keeping up with an f-18, i just want to get as close to them as possible, while spending as little as possible....

I am just going to be ripping it up by myself, with the occasional portsmouth event.

It won't be a POS but will be a frankenboat, if you sail your boat as is around 20kts you will feel the controllable power in it, I don't know how the boat will react to having a third more drive up high with a square top but I can guess. A Tornado main is only slightly longer so perhaps have a go with the rig of one of those