bumblefish
Well-Known Member
Do you mean this?
DIY Whisker poles
- Thread starter ferrispeterchris
- Start date
flaming
Well-Known Member
The extra sheet is all about making it bullet proof. It's dead easy to set up, even with a realy big sea running, and retains full flexibility and minimises chaffe.
We (on a dufour 40) lead the extra sheet through the spinnaker guy block, this is because the genoa sheet rubs on the guardrail.
We also run an aft guy to the aft spinnaker block and brace this against the pole foreguy. In conjunction with the pole up this enables us to set the pole up rigid before gybing the Jib onto it. This ensures that all work on the foredeck is done with slack unloaded ropes. If you are doing anything with a working sheet, there is always the danger of the load suddenly coming on, and in any real wind you could either get hit pretty hard by the sheet or pole, or just dumped over the side.
Another great advantage of this system is that if you need to change heading briefly for any reason, you still have full control. If you need to head up you can just slack off the sheet, and haul in the other sheet to gybe the sail, leaving the pole where it is. And if you choose to gybe the main and head up you can just switch back to the normal Genoa sheet and sheet the sail under the pole, releasing the pole downhaul to allow the sail to push the pole back to the spreaders. Depending on the size of your jib this can take you up to a close reach for a brief period of time, and if you do want to head up further all you have to do is go to the mast to recover the pole.
If you're feeling really flash it's also possible to set up both sides of gear at once, with the other aft guy also on the pole and the other "special" sheet running the opposite way through the pole end. The potential for getting it wrong is high, but when it's right gybing the pole then only takes a few seconds, and 2 up it just looks slick!
We (on a dufour 40) lead the extra sheet through the spinnaker guy block, this is because the genoa sheet rubs on the guardrail.
We also run an aft guy to the aft spinnaker block and brace this against the pole foreguy. In conjunction with the pole up this enables us to set the pole up rigid before gybing the Jib onto it. This ensures that all work on the foredeck is done with slack unloaded ropes. If you are doing anything with a working sheet, there is always the danger of the load suddenly coming on, and in any real wind you could either get hit pretty hard by the sheet or pole, or just dumped over the side.
Another great advantage of this system is that if you need to change heading briefly for any reason, you still have full control. If you need to head up you can just slack off the sheet, and haul in the other sheet to gybe the sail, leaving the pole where it is. And if you choose to gybe the main and head up you can just switch back to the normal Genoa sheet and sheet the sail under the pole, releasing the pole downhaul to allow the sail to push the pole back to the spreaders. Depending on the size of your jib this can take you up to a close reach for a brief period of time, and if you do want to head up further all you have to do is go to the mast to recover the pole.
If you're feeling really flash it's also possible to set up both sides of gear at once, with the other aft guy also on the pole and the other "special" sheet running the opposite way through the pole end. The potential for getting it wrong is high, but when it's right gybing the pole then only takes a few seconds, and 2 up it just looks slick!
G
Guest
Guest
Mmmmmmm ... all well and good ... like most things once a person gets used to a system - they find it easy peasy ... and it suits.
Me - I have enough ropes already and don't really fancy adding to them.
I used the sheet vs downhaul system when racing - taught to me many years ago when I was a teenager - and haven't seen reason to change.
I don't work on a loaded sheet ... that's my point also ... the pole is clipped on and SLID up to the clew by pulling on the downhaul.
A good esxample of this ... have a look at that movie WIND .... the fictional Americas Cup movie ... they show various ways to do it ... with the deck monkey (bowman) working etc. - one of the ways one boat does is what I do ...
I'm sure you're happy with your system ... as I am with mine ...
Me - I have enough ropes already and don't really fancy adding to them.
I used the sheet vs downhaul system when racing - taught to me many years ago when I was a teenager - and haven't seen reason to change.
I don't work on a loaded sheet ... that's my point also ... the pole is clipped on and SLID up to the clew by pulling on the downhaul.
A good esxample of this ... have a look at that movie WIND .... the fictional Americas Cup movie ... they show various ways to do it ... with the deck monkey (bowman) working etc. - one of the ways one boat does is what I do ...
I'm sure you're happy with your system ... as I am with mine ...
gandy
Well-Known Member
Do you rig the pole while the sail is drawing on the same side? (If you understand my question)
It sounds like you have a process where you can do that without fighting with the working sheet, but I'm not quite sure how.
It sounds like you have a process where you can do that without fighting with the working sheet, but I'm not quite sure how.
G
Guest
Guest
You can if you want ... or clip onto lazy sheet ready for gybe ...
Even if working sheet is loaded ..... because you are cliiping on to the sheet - NOT sail clew ... you are working in safer arena ... not until you pull fwd with the downhaul which is led down and fwd does the sheet start to exert real pressure on the pole ...
My rig is :
Standard sheets genny / spinny
Uphaul on pole that goes up mast
Downhaul that goes fwd to stem - from pole - so downhaul not only serves to pull pole down - but fwd ... either side.
The sail sheets provide the aft pull to set the pole balanced by the fwd haul.
Don't know what can be simpler really ????
Even if working sheet is loaded ..... because you are cliiping on to the sheet - NOT sail clew ... you are working in safer arena ... not until you pull fwd with the downhaul which is led down and fwd does the sheet start to exert real pressure on the pole ...
My rig is :
Standard sheets genny / spinny
Uphaul on pole that goes up mast
Downhaul that goes fwd to stem - from pole - so downhaul not only serves to pull pole down - but fwd ... either side.
The sail sheets provide the aft pull to set the pole balanced by the fwd haul.
Don't know what can be simpler really ????
gandy
Well-Known Member
Cheers. I think I'll have to try that first hand to see if it works with our rig.
I have been making do without downhaul/foreguy so far, although once the sail's poled out I can take the new lazy sheet forward and down to a mooring cleat.
I have been making do without downhaul/foreguy so far, although once the sail's poled out I can take the new lazy sheet forward and down to a mooring cleat.
G
Guest
Guest
I actually even after being shown this ... especially on the Alacrity ... used to pole without any guys / preventers etc. A very good way to see if sail / pole / sheet is set right !!
On the river here with Superanne ... I often use the pole for short stints ... the wind does strange things on the river ... doesn't seem to have one direction ... so need to bre able to work it quick - up / down.... without gybing / letting go sheets etc. Autohelm holding boat .. I go up ... clip pole to mast ring .. clip onto sheet (occasionally because I have telescopic pole - if wind is light - retract pole and once cliiped on - extend again ... ) ... once on ... pull it fwd against the clew with a single preventer line ... all done. If you really have a problem to release - you can in fact tack and have genny out other side and pole still clipped over lazy sheet ... it doesn't care !!
On the river here with Superanne ... I often use the pole for short stints ... the wind does strange things on the river ... doesn't seem to have one direction ... so need to bre able to work it quick - up / down.... without gybing / letting go sheets etc. Autohelm holding boat .. I go up ... clip pole to mast ring .. clip onto sheet (occasionally because I have telescopic pole - if wind is light - retract pole and once cliiped on - extend again ... ) ... once on ... pull it fwd against the clew with a single preventer line ... all done. If you really have a problem to release - you can in fact tack and have genny out other side and pole still clipped over lazy sheet ... it doesn't care !!