Phill-
At Greg's suggestion I tried this out this weekend. First observation- it's a PITA to rig it this way- You have to adjust the luff after every jibe (along with the usual jibing stuff). Second observation- You have to really have a loose luff to get it to weather and if you then want it tighter you have to readjust the halyard.
More importantly to me was how it sailed - and it sort of confirmed my (surprising) conclusions based on previous sailing of the spi tacked on the leeward bow - In very light air it seemed fine, in fact almost like a Symmetric spi on a keelboat - had to float the clew out pretty far and it would fly fine. Problem was as soon as the breeze came up or I tried to "heat it up" the apparent wind went way forward - If I steered to keep the spi drawing the main was totally stalled - even with the traveler all the way down! So I COULD go deep - slowly- when I released the windward tack line and let the tack go to leeward I actually had to travel the main up and they were both drawing well with much greater speed which I could then carry down. So I switched back to my original system-
I also tried the "big" kite (21sqm) this way and it's just too much - probably too full with too much overlap.
On the comments about "mindset" - I slightly agree- but from my experience on "A"'s I do know how much windage upwind can affect one boat vs another and there is no way a boat with a pole sticking out the front can not have more windage going to weather than one without.
On the comments of quick to rig- I launch off a trailer that will not accomodate my pole - I launch at a ramp and it's a PITA to rig the pole once the boat is in the water. I've tried the "tricks" to speed pole rigging (remember Wouter- I put my second autoratchet blocks on sail slugs and would just slide them into the front beam rear track?).
This still isn't a prefect system as I would like to rig up a snuffer system for it - something like a "snail" might be nice or a short pole w/ snuffer mouth just forward of the front beam.
As for the comments on this being done before, as mentioned I remembered this from some of the old Worrell races. Last night I reviewed some of my old Worrell tapes and it was interesting - in 1985 Randy Smyth had a reacher and spi tacked at the bow and in most of the pics where I could tell it appeared to be no higher than mid bow and at the end of the 1000 miles they showed it about 4" to weather of the leeward bow. So I'm not claiming to have "invented" anything, and I agree on the "loose" tack- but it seemed to be about the right tension and the wind keeps it blown to leeward- so the more the wind blows it to leeward the tighter you sheet (which wants to move it to windward). I have separate tack and halyard lines right now and this may not work with a "one line" system - haven't tried that yet.
Anyway, I'm putting my money where my idea is and should be getting my new chute sometime soon.
As to the clew being to weather of the tack - this doesn't happen in my experience because the closest the tack can get to the leeward bow is about 3-4" so it's close but not to weather.
I hear a lot of people "knocking" this idea but heck, it's my "stock" 17sqm chute so it's not hard to just try it out-
Just think, if it "works" you don't have to buy or carry a pole around with the attendant weight and complexity, all it requires on a "stock" uni Taipan is the spi halyard attachment point, a cleat on the main beam and a swivel cleat at the bottom of the mast plus spi and spi bag, a halyard, a small block with becket and a small bullet block, two "stoppers" and you can have spi fun all you want!
Remember also, this is for a uni Taipan, this may not work well or at all with a jib- I am also looking forward to the longer luff-
Kirt
