GNAV v's Kicker

Agreed, Mike, up to the point where you say "the gnav would induce less bend".

With a conventional kicker you can use a ram or lower shrouds to effectively lock the gooseneck in position, so that the only effect of the kicker is to apply leach tension. With a gnav, sure you can lock the position of the attachment point of the gnav on the mast in a similar manner, but to prevent bend you also need a system to stop the gooseneck moving aft, inducing bend. Some sort of puller or second ram at gooseneck level would do it, but I've yet to see it, and do you really want two arrangements to manage?

On the 3000, the gnav brings big benefits in terms of crew space - especially welcome in light airs - but it comes second to a conventional kicker in terms of mast bend control, imho.

I'd actually already considered using the composite kicker-gnav system proposed by GRF, which could be rigged such as to remove the aft pull at the gooseneck and the attendant bend (effectively you'd be pulling the gnav slider from the heel of the mast instead of from the gooseneck). Use the combo in a blow when mast bend control is critical and remove the kicker in light airs when space is more important. But so far, it's seemed like to much faff - deficiencies in my sailing are far more significant than any minor gains achieved, but for top sailors maybe something to consider.

mast rams appear on fireballs as well as 5ohs and the main reason is instead of chocks to stop the bottom of the mast moving a lot of the newer fireballs have gone for chocks again and a puller for down wind to stop the mast inverting.

as for GNAVs they bend masts lots, but so will kicker usually the difference with gnavs is that they are loading the mast above the goosneck at one single point theis is usually supported by lowers the the same point the gnav hits the mast as on the laser 4000, either way works but i prfer kicking as it provides entertainment when the crew goes full on into it during high speed wire to wire tacks