This is a great topic. I continue to experiment with my asym and would be happy to learn from you, and exchange ideas!
My setup: Selene had no provision for the spinnaker, and all the lines are at the masthead (which complicates the process). I have only a single pair of winches in the cockpit. With some advice from Ed, I installed the spin halyard as a first step.
The spinnaker tack I currently attach to one of the loops on the anchor bracket. I have a block with a becket on the loop, leading to a block with a snap shackle which connects to a soft shackle on the sail - that way when I release the snap shackle there is nothing hard to wack me on the head (except the sail). This setup gives barely acceptable mechanical advantage. Currently I just cleat off to the bow cleats; I intend to bring it back at some stage. Note that this means I fly the spinnaker forward of the forestay. I do worry of that steel loop is strong enough, but so far so good.
My asym is about 415 sq ft, i.e. 150%.
As for the sheets, I have a pair of sheet blocks which attach to sliders on the toerail track - again with soft shackles to make it easier to remove them when not in use.
The process is currently a bit tortuous as it is not ideal for the jib and the spinnaker halyards to share the same masthead winch - or the same cockpit winch - but it does work. So right now I only fly the kite in light winds.
Deploy/retrieval: If the jib is up, I feed the kite out of its bag behind the jib (to blanket it), then furl the jib, moving the spinnaker lines onto the winches. A bag which opened full length (a turtle) would sure help... The other way I have done this is to feed the kite out of the forward hatch - this is what I do if the jib is furled. It has the advantage that I can set the spinnaker up down below do it deploys smoothly.
Dousing generally unfurling the jib (blanket), blowing the tack, then with somebody below as a squirrel to pull the sail down the forward hatch. Getting it quickly out of the wind and down below seems like a good idea to me; on deck there is always a chance of it getting away.
Other thoughts:
- The sheets need to be long, as the lazy sheet curls around the sail (so you can jibe) . . . I think I used 60' 3/8 sta-set each side - too small for the winch tailing, but that is okay, personally I never want the spin sheet to lock up - no cleats, stopper knots, etc. If that sail gets away from you, I want the sheets to run free!
- Opinions on socks go both ways. I have an old sock, which has the interior lines loose (modern socks have the control lines in their own sleeves, to prevent tangles) and have not tried it yet. In general, when they work, they make things way easier. When they don't work, they make things way harder. Having said that, if I was single or double handed, I would use a sock.
- I have an ongoing debate with an experienced skipper/instructor about the optimum number of crew to manage the kite. I have done it single handed in light winds (with Otto the autopilot!); but if moderate winds (10-15kn) or racing a minimum of three - foredeck, sheets, helm. With Selene, 5 is ideal: Helm, jib sheet, spin sheet, 2 foredeck.
- Initially I ran the sheets to the stern block, but an asym is really like a big genny, and so the blocks work better (for me) on the track.
Phew. Quite the dump. Over to you guys!