Do I need a pole

[emnick]

I have a cruising chute that I intend to use a little more this season, I have a track up the fron of the mast for a pole. Do I need one for a cruising chute, if so how do I spec it?, also can the same pole be used for the genoa. If I need a pole I guess I will need pole uphaul and down haul etc. Are the telescopic poles any good. Thanks for any help

 

[VicS]

Do you feel you need a pole for the cruising chute. I thought they were very light and did not need one.

A telescopic pole would be adjustable making it suitable for either the cruising chute if needed or the genoa.

When using a pole for the genoa it should be rigged on up-haul and down haul to windward before gybing the sail across. It should also have an additional sheet through its end fitting lead across the foredeck to the clew of the genoa.

When all setup like this the sail is gybed across using the additional sheet.

This avoids the balancing act on the foredeck with the pole in one hand the sail or sheet in the other while you hang on with ??????.

It also enables the sail to be sheeted in under the pole with its normal sheet if necessary or to be gybed back again without requiring anyone to go onto the foredeck.

Depends on your sail sizes but probably allow about 1.25 times J for the genoa and a bit longer if to be used for the cruising sheet.

 

[William_H]

Much depends on the size and shape of your cruising chute. If it is assymetric and really an oversized and baggy genoa then it is set on a tight luff. If it is however more like a spin where the luff can be moved out to windward and away from the shadow of the main that is different.

The former can benefit by a pole to the sheet. This is often a long pole (a spin pole) that is perhaps too long.(needs to be strong) A shorter pole has less stress and so can be a lot lighter.

The latter spin type will need a stout pole of suitable length to get the luff forward of the forestay.

In the first case a topping lift is nice to have but perhaps not vital. In the latter case the topping lift is vital as is a down haul of some sort.

I have used a fixed topping lift just a rope tied to the mast fitting halfway up the mast. It has 2 snap shackles tied in to give high or low adjustment. The rope itself is long enough to remain tied to the pole when it is stowed along the boom. Might work on deck if you can keep the jib sheets from tangling. A pole tied on is a pole not lost overboard.

So I reckon you should start experimenting with poling out your jib when running. You can even use a boat hook or broom handle if you can attach sokme sort of fitting each end. Even a short pole ie pushing the clew of the jib 1 metre or so outboard of the gunwhale will give much more steadiness when running. It can be attached to the mast or even life line stanchion base.

For your crusing chute you might need a real pole big money especially for fittings and you will need a down haul.

More info needed good luck olewill

 

[ianat182]

I use my cruising chute regularly and only need to pole out when "goosewinged" downwind. The pole I use is only 1 1/2" dia with normal fittings at the ends and a simple'U' loop above and below for an uphaul/downhaul to be attached. Only in the very lightest wind do I normally pole out the chute and do not use the uphaul, keeping the setup simple. More often I adjust the tack of the chute and the head to generate more lift. Its well worth playing the halyard through the jammer as well as the tack line ,to alter shapes and height to increase power.
In club pursuit racing I had few problems until dead downwind, otherwise I could be faster than the normal reaching spinnaker yachts of my size at times. I don't use a snuffer to hoist, and can get it down quickly if need be below the main boom into the hatch,releasing a snapshackle at the tack and hauling on the sheet after releasing the halyard.
The pole I have is 10 ft long(25ft boat).