The chute launched and figure8'd. Then the pole went skyward with the spinnaker, thru the forestay, pulled free of the mast and slammed into me like a battering ram, about an inch below my collar bone. I just grabbed it and hung on. It was a concerted effort to take down the chute. We were dead last that race.
Disasters continue The next race was more of the same.
The spinnaker sheet was run thru the bow pulpit so after I launched the chute I had to go forward and retie the spinnaker sheet after unwrapping the chute from the bow pulpit. I wrapped my legs around the pulpit and hung on for grim life. And I do mean grim life. Once again we were dead last. I wrenched the hell out of my left knee hauling up the jib for the last upwind and then battered it on the spinnaker pole during the last take down.