Stupid Spinnaker/Gennaker/KiteSpinnaker Question

[gopher]

Hi there
well I think you have your answer, so all I can suggest is get in touch with your local sailmaker as they usually have secondhand ones lying around as i am a sailmaker we always have a couple lying around and you never know.
To recut and fit not too expensive but I am talking about in the UK only.

[Auspicious]

Sean,

I think you are getting basically good advice here. You definitely need a dedicated spinnaker halyard. You'll find that a useful thing to have for other purposes as well: hauling you to the masthead, lifting dinghy or such onto the foredeck, kedging off, .... You'll also need a block forward for the tack line. Finally, you'll want turning blocks on the toe rail all the way aft. The sheet will come off the sail clew, run through those blocks, then forward to your primary winch. Oh -- and the sail. Get the sail. <grin>

You may find that you can get the boat moving faster with a reef or two in main to expose more asym. I usually sail with one reef at 140 - 160 and two DDW.You'll have to see how your boat responds.

Beyond that, spend some time flying the thing before you get more doo-dads. I personally (YMMV) don't use anything else.

If you skip the beads and trim the tack line well you can get some rotation to windward from the asym and increase projected sail area.

I don't use a sock. With two aboard, we blow the tack and take the sail down under the boom. I haven't tried flying the chute single-handed yet. I want to think it through first. Several people I have very high regard for are big advocates of socks, but I'm not yet convinced.

Good downwind sails are great. Go for it.