First of all: I run the spinnaker with two strings on each corner - sheet to the back of the boat, guy to the front of the toe rail track. End for end pole, and I run an over-length (15.3') pole with over size (Express 37 leftover) spinnakers just to make things more interesting.

To set: Get the boat settled. Easiest to do this while still going up wind if possible. Lock the wheel. Sprint to the front. Hook up the pole lift and slide the butt end to the top of the track (my pole rides on a car with a pin-stop). Sprint back to the cockpit.

Correct course, get boat settled on the right heading again.

Pull the pole up. Pull the guy until the clew of the kite reaches the pole, and pull it back about 8" off the forestay.

Make damn sure the sheet is NOT cleated but is also not able to completely run out of the block (either a stopper or just cleat it at the bitter end).

Correct course.

Hoist. Faster. FASTER!

As long as the sheet doesn't load the sail up, you should be able to free-hoist the kite right to the top without getting out the winch handle.

Correct course.

Sheet in, fill the sail. Set the pole angle. Trim the sail again.

Correct course. Furl the jib.

Now you are set, and can basically steer with one hand and trim with the other as much as possible.

Take downs are actually fairly easy.

Un furl the jib, sheet it in half way and cleat it. lock the wheel.

For safety, I take the lazy (leeward) guy and tie it off hand tight somewhere in the cockpit, just so that if the kite overpowers me it can't get too far out from behind the mainsail.

Correct course.

Ease the guy to the forestay and let it go completely. Ease spin halyard 10'. Grab the working sheet (leeward) and pull the sail to the companionway under the boom. If you have eased enough halyard and guy, you will be able to collect the entire foot of the sail while standing at the front fo the cockpit.

The whole kite will essentially be collapsed behind the main. Now you can either let the halyard rip down and collect the spinnaker frantically, or throw the spinnaker halyard tail overboard and let the water provide some drag. I do either one depending on the wind, I have found at 8 knots or more the water actually provides so much drag that I can't really pull the sail down easily.

Stuff the kite down the companionway and you are done. 2 danger items - if the boat rounds up to weather too much the kite will go around behind the and of the boom and the sail will fill, this can get exciting quickly. Alternately the boat my jibe on you, this isn't a big deal getting the kite down but can scare the crap out of anyone nearby.

This would be the one maneuvre where even a bad autopilot would be an improvement.

Progress report:

One year later, same race. This year it was light air upwind all but 5 miles on the second day. First day took about 7 hours to cover the 27 miles, but I pulled off a second place in division. Second day started running under the heavy spinnaker, but ended upwind again and managed a 3rd on the day. For a total of 2nd place.

So, 2011 - 3rd, 2012 - 2nd, next year should be looking good! The C&C 30 that corrected over me sailed exactly the same course and basically I couldn't shake him from 1/2 mile off my transom the entire two days. The worst part is he used to do exactly the same thing to me in my Ranger 29 on this race, but then he owed me time!

[url]http://www.fcyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2012-SINGLEHANDED-RACE-RE...

Highly recommend the single handed thing to everybody, as always. We had 39 boats out for this two day race and it was fantastic!