I think you might have the pole on the wrong side. It should be on the windward side. The flags seem to indicate the wind is coming over the port quarter, the pole should be on the port quarter.
While you can fly the chute without the mainsail, the mainsail does help balance the boat and when taking down the spinnaker it blocks the wind and makes it easier to douse.
Enjoy the spinnaker. They can be a lot of fun. If you can find a local racer with foredeck experience ask for some help learning how to handle the pole and spinnaker on a jibe and how to stay out of a death roll.
While you can fly the chute without the mainsail, the mainsail does help balance the boat and when taking down the spinnaker it blocks the wind and makes it easier to douse.
Enjoy the spinnaker. They can be a lot of fun. If you can find a local racer with foredeck experience ask for some help learning how to handle the pole and spinnaker on a jibe and how to stay out of a death roll.