Using a take down line tied to the tack is probably the easiest for single handing. This is an extra line to the tack line. See here;

Hi Grich,
Some suggestions:

Prep
- Have a big bag on the foredeck lashed to the mast or a couple of sail ties over your shoulders to tie off/stow the kite.
- Flake out your spinnaker halyard and tack lines.
- Ease main out fully.
-Gybe preventer on.
-Set autohelm to run as deep as you can.
- Sheet in the kite to bring the clew in and position the sheet length so the clew is reachable from the mast position when the kite collapses. Lock it off if its back in the cockpit.

Takedown
- Unfurl headsail. Sheet it to blanket kite but give yourself working room.
- Blow the spinnaker tack line. Fully. So the 'luff' is out forrard flapping in the breeze.
- The sail should depower and the clew collapse inwards to the centre line.
- Drop the kite halyard out of the jammer/cleat/tailor and ease a good foot or so. Leave it unjammed but with a few wraps on the winch so it slowly pays out as you keep working. (Try a few different wrap amounts to get it feeding nice).
- Gather the clew (If you cant reach the clew, you're not running deep enough). Gather in the foot till you get to your tack.
- Drop more wraps of the halyard winch and accelerate the drop. Gather the kite in as you can and stuff it in bag/tie off.

Post
-After kite is temporarily secured, set autopilot to head up a bit, give yourself a nice comfortable angle, don't stay heading ddw.
-Take your time cleaning up the lines/kite.

Cheers!
SB

Just an after thought; when blowing the tack, if you can use a form of quick release on the tack like a Tylaska trigger release, that's even better'er than trying to get the tack line to run clean.

shaggybaxter said..
Just an after thought; when blowing the tack, if you can use a form of quick release on the tack like a Tylaska trigger release, that's even better'er than trying to get the tack line to run clean.

i have 3 hatches close by, would it be ok maybe shove it down one of them

grich62 said..

shaggybaxter said..
Just an after thought; when blowing the tack, if you can use a form of quick release on the tack like a Tylaska trigger release, that's even better'er than trying to get the tack line to run clean.

i have 3 hatches close by, would it be ok maybe shove it down one of them

Good idea - also use a retrieval line to the kite as per here, lead down the hatch;

www.uksailmakers.com/news/2020/2/20/how-to-the-string-drop-takedown

You've probably seen this - we have done all 3, some more than once.............

www.quantumsails.com/en/resources-and-expertise/articles/three-common-spinnaker-mishaps-and-how-to-fix-them