Trouble getting sheet out of outboard end of spinnaker pole during gybe - what is best way to do it?

[fobos8]

Hi guys
I sail on a quarter tonner, we use a symmetrical spi with sheets only (no guys). We use the pole with the jaws up.

What the best technique to get the sheet out of the outboard end of the pole?

I normally remove the inboard end of the pole from the mast, and then pull the cord on the pole to release the jaws on the outboard end but its always a faff to get the end of the pole away from the sheet.

Cheers, Andrew

 

[penfold]

No point in pulling it until there's outboard tension on the guy, otherwise it will just sit in the jaw mocking you. From memory on a Sonata foredeck I didn't attempt to release the old guy until the new guy was in the jaw and I was ready to wrestle the other end onto the mast. It may help if the helmsman goes slightly by the lee(weather permitting) to rotate the kite to weather.

 

[sarabande]

Does the release cord fully retract the sliding jaw, or does it leave a spigot protruding ?

Is the sheet a tight fit in the jaws ?

Do you have a downhaul to the outer end of the spi pole to prevent it skying ?

Prior to releasing the sheet, can you bring the pole aft or for'd so that it is at right angles to the run of the sheet, to prevent it binding in the jaws.

 

[Laser310]

twist the pole after you open the outer jaw with the cord.

i have one hand on the pole with fingers facing forward when i take the pole off the mast, and the other hand is operating the line that opens the jaws

if there is only one line for the jaws, you can do it in one movement - tension the line.., remove the inboard end from the mast ring, and then twist/rotate the pole and the sheet will come out of the jaw

if there are two jaw lines, you can often still do it as one movement by pulling both lines together.., or do them separately...

rotation of the pole is the key thing

 

[fobos8]

Does the release cord fully retract the sliding jaw, or does it leave a spigot protruding ? it fully retracts

Is the sheet a tight fit in the jaws ? no

Do you have a downhaul to the outer end of the spi pole to prevent it skying ? yes

Prior to releasing the sheet, can you bring the pole aft or for'd so that it is at right angles to the run of the sheet, to prevent it binding in the jaws. bringing it aft is all I can do

twist the pole after you open the outer jaw with the cord.

i have one hand on the pole with fingers facing forward when i take the pole off the mast, and the other hand is operating the line that opens the jaws

if there is only one line for the jaws, you can do it in one movement - tension the line.., remove the inboard end from the mast ring, and then twist/rotate the pole and the sheet will come out of the jaw

if there are two jaw lines, you can often still do it as one movement by pulling both lines together.., or do them separately...

rotation of the pole is the key thing

Rotating the pole is a really good idea, which I haven't tried yet. I will definitely give it a go next trip out.

Many thanks, Andrew

 

[Slowboat35]

Is the snag because the sheet is under tension and forms a zig-zag through the jaws? On a Maxi I crewed once they attached the sheet to the clew with a becket and attached the pole to that so the becket ran through clew-jaws-sheet in a triangle. Always popped out a treat.

 

[tat27]

twisting the pole is key, swearing a lot always helps I find.

 

[Daydream believer]

twisting the pole is key, swearing a lot always helps I find.

I always found that swearing could be a bit non productive, unless pointed in a specific direction. The reason being that if the girl one enticed along "for a nice afternoon sail on our yacht"; who then found herself down below all day, making sandwiches for the crew, thought, for one minute that any swearing was in her direction; then the butter & sliced loaf would come flying out through the hatch at considerable speed. Followed by a "set of claws"

 

[tat27]

I was (am) always swearing at the equipment and never the humans...
except once when a Sigma 38 pole was dropped on my head and the pit didn't even notice