I thought it might be a good problem for students to work on. The answer as you said may not be feasable but that's a conclusion they would have to decide. Not everything has to have an answer within the limits available. The math for a drogue cone would be interesting to accompliish.mastreb wrote: I don't have any good way to determine how much pulling force a drogue will provide or how much a spinnaker requires to haul up, but my guess is that the drogue isn't going to be enough without a force multiplier, and then you're talking about a really long line to be storing aboard for that function. Is setting a spinnaker that difficult? (I've never done it, and I'm almost certain I'd go to a drifter before a spinnaker as a second headsail after my Genoa 150).
Hoisting a cruising spinnacker or 150 genny solo isn't that hard but four hands (two pair) are helpful and the drogue may illiminate one pair needed for hosting leaving the other pair for the port and stbd sheets.
It would be interesting to see the result from non idoctrinated minds.
Have fun