Here is one way to go
Here is how I'm setting my cruising chute up. First you need a place to put a block up forward for your tack. You will need a tack line of about forty to fifty feet long which you will need to attach to the tack of the sail. From the tack through the block and then back to your cockpit. I plan to use the same type of blocks that I have for my jip furling line but put it on the opposite side. My block forward will be in the center of my anchor locker lid. This part of your system is called a Down-Haul. It allows the foot (and the tack) to go up and down and you normally want the tack at the same heighth, or slightly lower than the clue of the sail. Next you need two turning blocks near the aft of the boat. Mine are alongside the cockpit. If you have an aluminum rail so much the easier. However, I have fixed places to put my blocks. I'm using snap shackle blocks that open because it is easier to lay in the line than to rove it through. Now your sheets ought to be two and a half times the boat long (or close to that length). In rigging for the Chute, take your sheets and starting aft, go through your block and then forward AROUND AND OUTSIDE everything. It has to be outside the shouds and even the forestay. This will let you jib the chute.. Laying the chute on the foredeck, attach the halyard, and the two sheets and the downhaul. I use shackles for the sheets and downhaul--some people don't like shackles for the sheets. Your choice. Raise the chute the APC and check your sheets to be sure everything is around and on the outside. Role up your jib and raise the APC. The further off the wind, the higher you can allow the foot to fly. Closer to the wind, (90 degrees), the lower the foot to tighten the leach. There are three ways to get the chute from one side to the other. You mention one way by hauling down the control line on the APC. Doable in windy conditions. My favorite way to move the chute particularly down wind is: We're sailing on a broad starboard tack, say about 160 degrees off the wind. I want to jibe for next mark. I head downwind and let the port sheet go. Let the chute fly out in front of the boat. Next, jibe the boat paying attention to the main. Once you've done that just bring in on the other chute sheet (there is a couple of fun words). Adjust your downhaul and you're on your way. What you are doing this way is actually turning the boat inside the chute. If you have a crew helping you sail, they can actually keep the chute flying for much of the time. The other way to change your chute from one side to another is to wear (I can't remember the spelling on this word-wear or ware--and Rousmaniere nor Chapmans has it their indexes; someone help me out here) your boat about and actually tack the chute across the front of your boat like a jib. This is definitely a light air, small crew technique. I've heard that UK sails has a video for $35 dollars that explains all the different ways of using your cruising chute. I haven't seen it but it may be worth it. I hope I've helped alittle. Sometimes my mind thinks things but the fingers don't always keep up with my mind. Good luck in using your chute--it's a fun sail OPPS, I just reread your post and I thought you had a 27.5 foot boat. My suggestions for the length of sheets should be smaller, say fifty feet long.
