What length should the tiller extension be? Mine's a bit too long, particularly awkward on gybes with the kite up. 

Should I have a continuous main/jib sheet? I've got one on at the moment, but it's too short so I need to change it at least partially anyway. We keep getting feet caught in it, which is always a pain.

Should the tack line tie off to to the block under the mast bridge that the spin halyard runs through as it exits the mast, or through the hole at the back of the starboard side of the bridge?

Are there any tricks to avoiding getting the tiller extension caught through the elastic at the back?

Finally, should the crew take the main sheet during tacks?

Thanks 

 

I am not sure how you are catching the tiller in the elastic.  It sounds like it might actually be too short.  When its light you want to be sat right forwards (near to the shrouds) so it does need to be long.  When going downwind just use a dagger grip with the rest of it going over your shoulder.  I also found it best to flick the extension over to the new side and just use the tiller itself for more control.  A longer extension was helpful here to make sure the tiller was over the gunnel and not wedged against the kick bars/ foot loops etc.

 

If I understand you correctly, only the spinni halyard should go through the eye in the bridge.  The pole outhaul will dead end at the inboard end of the spinni pole, run through a block mounted in the bow under the spinni chute (starboard side if memory serves).  It will then be dead ended on a floating block.  The halyard will run out of the mast, through the eye on the bridge and around the block under the bridge, through the floating block attached to the pole outhaul and back to the spinni halyard cleat etc.

The problem with a long extension is that getting it under the boom, particularly on gybes, is practically impossible to do in a decent breeze without a fair bit of notice. I can't really gybe the extension until I gybe the whole boat, which commits a lot to perfect timing getting it under the boom and forces me to be really exaggerated in my tiller movements during the maneuver. I'm tempted to buy another extension to go with my long (130cm) one and go twin tillers.

As you say, twin tillers are another option, a bit of personal preference - some like them, others don't.

 

As for that second eye, you should have a matching one on the port side.  They are used to dead end the elastic used to hold the haking straps off the deck.

 

Sorry about my earlier description of the tack line routing.  It should in fact go from the inboard end of the pole, around a fixed block in the bow, round a floating block (which is back to back with a second block through which the halyard runs) and tie off at the bow again.  It does not tie at the block under the bridge from memory

How do you tack a long pole then? Do you swing it round before the crew comes in or after they swing out?

 

I used to flick the extension over before my crew came in off the wire.

 

Just noticed your question about the continous sheets.  My crew and I loved them, it meant either of us could adjust either sail when nescessary.  Rather than buy a whole new sheet, splice a thinner rope on to either end so they run better through the main and jib blocks.  It is especially helpful when easing the jib in light winds.

Tomoore is right that you should be swinging the tiller extension more horizontally through the gybe.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmlzKgrFWh8 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmlzKgrFWh8  this video highlights it perfectly at 2:35. It does require "pre-gybing" the extension, so basically making sure your mainsheet hand is above the tiller hand giving it free space to 'rotate' inwards to the boat. 

Also, I know tapering would work for most of the time, but then I need the rope to be free-running on a windy 2-sail reach, and that would require tapering so far up the rope that I'd end up holding the the tapered section upwind, which would be difficult in wet conditions.

Its all personal preference, we had a continuous main/jib sheet, with 6mm main and 4mm excel elite jib sheet. The mainsheet and jib sheet were both tapered, the main tapered up to about 20cm away from the ratchet block and the jibsheet was tapered up to about 10/15 cm away from the jib cleat. They were attached with a knot, the knot stopping the jib sheet going out to far. 

Also an alloy jib cleat makes cleating and uncleating  easier but increases rope wear.