Anything from the mast forward is the foredeck's responsibility, setting and stowing the spinnaker pole, raising and lowering spinnaker halyard, raising the jib halyard, releasing jib clutch block and gathering the jib on deck (when lowered) and gybing the spinnaker pole.

Pre start
It is important for the foredeck to know the start sequence timing and should have a watch. At thirty seconds to the start the foredeck person should be at the bow of the boat calling distance to the line, this is indicated by the number of fingers, corresponding to the number of boat lengths from the line. As the time approaches the start the foredeck can sight the line and use a thumbs up or thumbs down to indicate whether the helmsperson should head up or fall off. After the start gun the foredeck should come off the bow and be on the rail just behind the shrouds.

Approaching the windward mark
Spinnaker bag should be hooked to the lower lifelines, do NOT trap the sheet or guy under the hook. The guy, sheet and halyard should be  attached to the sail, avoid launching the chute sideways by making sure the halyard is attached to the head of the spinnaker, the head shackle should be taped. Make sure all sheets are OVER the top lifeline. In windy conditions velcro the bag shut and make sure the halyard has enough slack so that the sail does not get pulled out of the bag prematurely. To make life easy, all this should be done on port tack.

Bear-away set
Once on starboard tack the next call will be for "Pole Up". The foredeck's job is to grab the guy, unclip the pole at the front of the mast, clip in the guy, push the pole forward and attach pole to the mast ring. At the call for "Pre Feed" you can now help pre feed the guy with your right hand. Once "Hoist" is called jump the spinnaker halyard until the chute is all the way up and call "Full hoist". Ensure the pole is set correctly before releasing the jib clutch and moving to the bow to pull down the jib. Make sure the jib is all the way down and inside the lifelines before moving back to your position just in front of the mast. Call for slack on the port jib sheet so that you are prepared to gybe. ...Go to clean up.

Jibe set
This assumes the jibe set has been planned for and the spinnaker gear brought around to the starboard side. At two boat lengths pull the clew of the spinnaker out of the bag and run forward as much as possible. As the boat bears away around the mark hoist the spinnaker (you will probably be finishing the hoist as the boat gybes) as soon as the jib has gybed, unclip the pole from the front of the boom, pull pole forward attach to the guy then attach the mast end. Ensure the pole is set correctly before moving to the bow to pull down the jib. Make sure the jib is all the way down and inside the lifelines before moving back to your position just in front of the mast. Call for slack on the starboard jib sheet so that you are prepared to gybe. ...Go to clean up.

Alternate jibe set
Sometimes there is no time to bring the spinnaker gear around the boat, or the jibe set is called at the last minute. In this case we will be doing a bear away jibe set. The sequence is exactly the same as the jibe set for the foredeck. Spinnaker up - gybe the boat, then set the pole.

Note: There are a few variations on the pole work for this set that we could maybe discuss in the bar!

Tack set
Once in a while due to a large left shift or the tacticians love of the port lay line we will find ourselves laying the mark on port. As you approach the mark on port at two boat lengths pull the clew of the spinnaker out of the bag and run forward as much as possible. As soon as the boat tacks around the mark you can continue as a bear away set, hoisting as soon as the pole is up.

Clean up
Be ready to gybe, clean up can wait if necessary. Once you have time, coil the spinnaker halyard in large loose coils and lay on the deck ready for the douse.

Gybing
At the call for "Prepare to Gybe" stand to the windward side of the pole, back against the mast, face the back of the boat to wait for instruction. Once "Trip when you like" is called trip the sail end of the pole off (In heavy air with a lot of pressure you can trip the mast end first), trip the mast end off the pole and attach the new guy, push the pole forward and attach the other end to the mast, call "Made" so that the back of the boat know you are attached at the mast.

Approaching the leeward mark
As the boat approaches the mark, "Jib Up" will be called and the jib hoisted. Face the back of the boat to wait for instruction, once "Pole down" is called trip the pole off the sail and off the mast ring, stow the pole along the boom asking for help from the pit person to guide pole into the bracket at the back of the boom. Prepare to lower spinnaker halyard. On the call for "Chute down" trip the halyard and control the descent while the chute is pulled in. As soon as the chute is under control move to your position on the rail for upwind. Don't forget to skirt the jib if needed !