Solent Stay

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
Solent configuration tends to be polarized. Many boats, particularly newer production models, will have furlers on both stays, with the lighter-air one outboard, on the jibstay. The theory is that, even though you must furl this sail to tack, you won't tack as frequently, and when you do the sail will be easier to furl (lighter, and in lower windspeeds). So the working sail is on the Solent, inboard, where it is easy to tack without furling.
Sometimes we also install a forestay, complete with runners, to hang a storm stays'l on. This stay is stowable.
The alternative is to hang the working sail outboard, on the jibstay, and a hank-on drifter or similar on the inner stay. Just the opposite of the above. The difference is that the Solent sail isn't roller-furling, so the stay is stowable, and you can tack the jib without interference most of the time. At sea you'll set up both stays, but you usually aren't tacking often there. With this configuration you can also hang a storm stays'l on the Solent. So you bracket the working range of the jib with light- and heavy-air sails on the Solent. This might be the setup for you.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss