Dr. D,
I recommend that you acquire a collapsible whisker pole. With a three-segment pole you can store it in the cockpit locker when not in use, like a boat pole. I have a Beneteau 311, with a J measurement of 11' 4", and a Forespar 7-17' pole, model 407100. I bought this pole used for $100. This pole is a little undersized for my boat, but I only use it in light winds and am careful to not overdo it. I have marked my pole so that I can extend it to the PHRF maximum when racing but not further. If I am sailing/racing singlehanded and anticipate using the pole, I set up the pole in advance and set one end in the cabin and the other end at the lip of the companionway.
This pole is not strong enough to push a spinnaker out to windward in a conventional way.
In a pinch, you can use a boat pole or mop handle and a crew member to hold the jib out to windward. Even a bamboo pole can do the job in light winds.
The pole attaches to a bail on the front of the mast as in the picture above from Davidasailor26. The other end attaches to the jib sheet near the knot. To use the pole, attach the end to the lazy sheet when the jib is on the same side as the main. Attach the other end to the mast, and then pull in on the new sheet while releasing the old sheet to pull the jib across. It helps to use an uphaul to hold the pole up. Your Beneteau probably has a line on the front of the mast below the forestay for this purpose.
I highly recommend that you run the jib sheet through a block attached to the toe rail while using a whisker pole. You can experiment to find the best location, but try maybe 4 holes behind the shrouds to start.
When gybing, disconnect the pole from the mast and the sheet, push the pole across to the new sheet, connect the pole to the mast, and pull the jib across with the new sheet while releasing the old sheet. You can gybe the main first or second.
Depending on the proportions of your rig and how much you extend the pole, you could probably roll up the jib with the pole attached if you had to furl the jib in a hurry, say for a squall or a passing freighter.
When taking down the pole, lower the pole to the deck with the uphaul, and you can temporarily connect one end to a shroud down low or set up a loop of line at the toe rail to clip to. If the uphaul line is connected the pole isn't going overboard while you get organized.
When sailing wing on wing with a pole, be extra careful not to gybe the main. A preventer can be helpful, or a crew member in very light winds. Just be sure not to launch the crew member overboard if the wind picks up and backwinds the main.
Sailing dead downwind wing on wing is definitely faster than gybing back and forth. But as Jackdaw says, an asymmetrical is even better, at least in light and moderate winds. If your destination is not straight downwind, you can alternate between wing and wing and a broad reach. Just be sure to not sail so low on a broad reach that the jib stops pulling. On light air days I hold the jib sheet in my hand while steering so that I can immediately tell when the jib is losing pressure.
You can also use an adjustable pole to extend the jib clew out beyond the lee rail when on a broad reach to get a better sheeting angle.
For a cruising sailor, the weather is a factor in deciding whether to sail dead downwind or to gybe back and forth. On a hot summer day, sailing dead downwind can be very hot as the apparent wind is minimized, while with a broad reach there is at least some breeze over the side. With an asymmetrical you will feel even more breeze over the side, as a broad reach on true wind is close to a beam reach in apparent wind.
Good luck!
