I applied for my 2012 J/30 LMPHRF Certificate with a request to fly my old Melges 24 asymm reacher, or a newer version of same. I am cleared for flying an asymm in addition to, not instead of, the symmetrical kite (flown one at a time obviously). A Melges 24 reacher (not the M24 runner) is the cut that works well for reaching on the J/30. The measurements of this sail fit inside the size requirements for an asymm for our boat (in LMPHRF). In fact we are allowed an even larger reacher. Reading the J/30 OD rules for spinnaker sizing (5.12) it is apparently not an illegal sail in the Class either, because it fits inside the size parameters, which make no mention of symmetry.
An asymm (within given size parameters) is legal when you are rated for it, and when one is racing distance under PHRF, one is competing against other boats who are flying reaching sails, so this makes sense to me. This keeps the J/30 competitive and up to date.
I declared on my form that I have no intention or desire to fly the asymm around the buoys. This is strictly for distance racing. Be aware that my cert makes no such limitation of flying the A for distance only, so it would be LMPHRF legal to fly the A around the buoys too. My decision would be to not do so, and I would hope other J/30s would continue to buoy race in OD trim as well.
Since the LMPHRF application form specifically states that one may fly both a standard symm spinnaker as well as an alternate, asymmetrical spinnaker, this prompted me to investigate. This was a new detail on this years form. My cert came in yesterday. The asymm made no impact on my rating of 138 (One Design configuration).
There are a variety of ways to fly the asymm from boats (and you must specify on the LMPHRF form which technique you use to fly your A, and I have found the best way to fly mine is from the deck horn on a tackline which runs from the bow cleat to the jib horns. I ease the tackline as I set up to hoist, to approximately the point where my tack flies just higher than the bow pulpit, but touching. Lower than that and I rough up the bow lights. We find that this sail is easy to set, easy to fly & easy to douse. It fills a significant wind angle gap between jib reaching and the wind angle that is freed enough to fly the runner. It feels much faster than a "pole on the headstay" runner forced to reach or an eased and inefficient upwind sail. The boat loves it, the load is light, the tiller is easy. We've sailed shorthanded in this configuration with just my dear wife and two young children upwards of 20 knots (MAKING TIME!!) with no issues or worries. It's a fun & fast sail configuration.
For a time I tried to fly it from the pole in a low position. I was unhappy with this configuration. It was much harder to set up. It put massive loads on the rig at the pole track and the partners. The guys and twings were beyond maxed out trying to keep the pole off the stay. Flying it from the horns relieved all that nasty pressure, the boats feels faster and lighter. The tiller tells the difference too. I like to use buzz sheets because they are kind of stretchy and deal with puffs with a slight depower help. I don't jibe, I don't set up to jibe. It's a reacher. One sheet.
For an excellent example of the Melges 24 reacher cut asymmetrical spinnaker which works well on your J/30, see the North sails M24 Power Zone Reacher:
North Sails Melges 24 Power Zone Reacher This sail is used on M24s for light & bumpy conditions when they reach up hotter to get rolling to get DW better than soak mode with the runner.
I invite your input. I welcome you to try one of these on your boat and see what you think. As the kids say, don't hate. Have you ever noticed how well the J/30 does in PHRF when the wind shifts, the course isn't reset properly, and it goes reachy? We kill it! Why not maximize that characteristic? Reaching seems to be the most typical point of sail in distance racing and other boats have loads of reaching weapons so we should as well.