Cruising Chute technique.

[srm]

Tacking downwind with the asymmetrical I gybe by sheeting the main in tight furling the snuffer and resetting the chute on the other side. It takes time but as I am usually single handed it is a safe one step at a time process

Singlehanded I set the windvane fore and aft to run dead down wind. Let the sheet out so the sail flies forward then walked it around the boat to the new lead and sheet in. Then come round on the new gybe.
It may look as if I have lost control for a short while. One evening off Sumburgh Head a helicopter about to land at the airport came out to see what I was doing. By the time it arrived all was sheeted in and I gave them a "thank you" wave.

 

[thinwater]

I have two chutes. One asymmetrical and a smaller one not.
Dead downwind the symmetrical with the main feeding it from one side and with a preventer.
Tacking downwind with the asymmetrical I gybe by sheeting the main in tight furling the snuffer and resetting the chute on the other side. It takes time but as I am usually single handed it is a safe one step at a time process

Never a mistake. There can be a lot going on singlehanded and fewer people to sort out the hourglass if you goof. This has become my practice above about 10 knots true. It's dependable and takes only moments longer.

 

[B27]

I have two chutes. One asymmetrical and a smaller one not.
Dead downwind the symmetrical with the main feeding it from one side and with a preventer.
Tacking downwind with the asymmetrical I gybe by sheeting the main in tight furling the snuffer and resetting the chute on the other side. It takes time but as I am usually single handed it is a safe one step at a time process

Snuffing to gybe also gives an opportunity to put a cross on the chart, make tea etc.
We used to do that on my friends boat, but now we have a small boat, it's trivial to drop the asy and relaunch it the other side.
Means you only need one sheet too!

Main thing is, it's good progress and more absorbing than motoring in light airs.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

In spite of flaming’s view, we use ours with a snuffer. We don’t snuff to gybe, and only bring it round the forestay to drop when we’ve finished with it, if we need to. Ours is on a 1.5m bowsprit though, and the forestay is set back about 40cm, so there’s a big hole to float it through when you gybe.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

The difference between using a snuffer and a top down furler is, you don't have to leave the cockpit to handle a big asymmetric sail.
Sometimes, I hoist the asymmetric whilst at anchor when I'm expecting a long down wind leg, and don't recover it until I'm back at anchor.
I think the risks associated with wrestling a suffer on the foredeck of a rolling boat, becomes increasingly unacceptable as you get older.
I set up the up down furling system 6 years ago, after trying a snuffer, which I found a nightmare, to conventional furling, where I had a problem with a bubble of sail forming about 2/3 up the luff.
With the top down furling I can stay behind the wheel, turn down wind, ease the sheet, press the button on the winch to furl the asymmetric, and the sail is safe. Job done, no dancing around on the foredeck, trying to persuade a reluctant sail into a little tube.