End fittings for windsurfer mast whisker pole?

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fredrussell

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I like the idea of converting a nice carbon windsurfer mast to a whisker pole for my Parker 31, rather than the battering ram style spinny pole the boat came with. Has anyone done this and if so what did you use for end fittings? Can one buy these fittings off the shelf?
 
Well, googled it and you can buy the fittings but for a 50mm width pole they’re not the cheapest. By the time you’ve bought a couple you might as well have bought a telescopic aluminium pole.
 
I use these kind of fittings on windsurfer mast pole for spinnacker. Ronstan Spinnaker Pole End 38mm, $62.95 | Whitworths Marine You can squeeze of bend to suit any sized pole. (crazy priced) I use the legs on the inside of the pole on one end and on the outside of the pole on the other end. Mast section is very strong but tend to be locally quite thin and weak where you screw on. You can lay fibreglass and epoxy around the end locally to beef up the attachment. You can make a bridle from one end to the other of wire or rope to attach a topping lift. Topping lift is not necessary but can save the pole from being lost overboard. I attach my spin pole (tiny boat) to the front /side of the mast vertically with a stainless steel loop fitting at the bottom and plastic clips at the top. Thsi location means topping lift is always attached and at about correct setting. (ideed you can have a fixed topper if you want.) When fitting the pole either spin or whisker you can take the weight of the pole on the topper fix outer end then attach to the mast. ol'will
 
I tried the inexpensive 'filled plastic' type previously,epoxied in to timber plugs, but they sheered twice when stuck in a 'tourniquet' on the mast hoop.
So I have obtained two cast aluminium ends ,one large ,one small,from SVB.nicely made by Pieffer.I have used a short aluminium tube to bring the i.d. of my HD fibreglass wave mast to suit the larger and the smaller will fit - both with epoxy resin bed.
I will PM Fred with the details.But here's the linkl.
Spinnaker Pole Ends buy now | SVB
 
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fredrussell said:
converting a nice carbon windsurfer mast to a whisker pole
Click to expand...
Note that the Base end is quite a large diameter.
If you cut 6" to a foot off the Base, you can then cut the 'off cut' longitudinally to make shims for the Base to bring down the ID to that of the Piston Fitting.
To make the Base end look neat, cascade the shims leaving about a 5-10mm protrusions. If you really want to be posh you can glass / grind and epoxy it to form a smooth cone.
If I remember correctly, the pole was long enough that I could cut the 'pointy' end far enough down so that the Piston Fitting OD just fitted the Pole ID.
2nd Pole
I had an old broken pole that I made from a washing line pole and a TV aerial pole.
I cut off the Piston Fitting and a couple of foot or so of aluminium pole, rammed the pointy end of the fiber pole into one of the aluminium pole ends, then rammed the other aluminium pole end into the base of the left over fiber pole. Obviously you have to calculate how much aluminium pole you need each end to end up with a pole of the correct length ;)
Good luck.
 
Note that carbon tube in contact with anything aluminium ends in tears. Even with a plastic bush to insulate, you can get trouble.

It's possible to use other than conventional jaw fittings. The mast end can be pulled up/out by a pulley or 'spiro' type fitting. The outer end can have a spike to go through the clew ring, or a bullseye and a line pulling the sheet to the pole end, 'Merlin Rocket' style.
You pay more for stuff that's neater, stronger, quicker to use.
 
It sounds like the OP already has a mast ring for spinnaker pole ends

i have been trying to use a windsurfer mast for a whisker pole on a 30ft boat with a sprit for an asym.., so no mast ring...

i would really prefer not to drill any new holes in the mast.

so, does anyone have any ideas about attaching a windsurfer pole to the mast with a fitting that could be lashed on in some way?

the mast i am using is a skinny wave mast -100% carbon, that i broke near the base. i think i am using about 11-12ft of the mast.

what i had was a 1ft length of plastic vacuum tube that just fit in the butt end of the windsurf mast. i drilled holes in the plastic tube, and lashed it to the mast. with the tube inserted 1ft into the windsurf mast.., it kind of worked...; it articulated.., and didn't come off when on the jib - at least in light air.

but - it is certainly sub-optimal.

any ideas about a better way to attach it to the mast?

or, should i just put a ring on the mast?
 
Laser_310 said:
It sounds like the OP already has a mast ring for spinnaker pole ends

i have been trying to use a windsurfer mast for a whisker pole on a 30ft boat with a sprit for an asym.., so no mast ring...

i would really prefer not to drill any new holes in the mast.

so, does anyone have any ideas about attaching a windsurfer pole to the mast with a fitting that could be lashed on in some way?

the mast i am using is a skinny wave mast -100% carbon, that i broke near the base. i think i am using about 11-12ft of the mast.

what i had was a 1ft length of plastic vacuum tube that just fit in the butt end of the windsurf mast. i drilled holes in the plastic tube, and lashed it to the mast. with the tube inserted 1ft into the windsurf mast.., it kind of worked...; it articulated.., and didn't come off when on the jib - at least in light air.

but - it is certainly sub-optimal.

any ideas about a better way to attach it to the mast?

or, should i just put a ring on the mast?
Click to expand...
Two thoughts.
Firstly a sort of 'gaff jaws' affair to go around the mast, a bit like the rowlock that's used for the gooseneck of a Topper dinghy? Obviously can't be allowed to argue with the luff of the main, but shouldn't need much to hold it against the mast if held up and down by ropes?
Secondly, maybe mount something on the gooseneck. The end of the pole could be guyed down to the toe rail..

It really depends what you want from your whisker pole. Strong enough for lots of wind and waves, or just for light airs.
The inboard end of a modern dinghy whisker pole does not go on a ring, it is held near the mast by two tines, one pulling up, one pulling down. So the inboard end moves up and down the mast, allowing the effective length to be adjusted, anything from just moving the jib clew out a bit on a fetch to goosewinging.
Commonly known as a 'dangly pole'.
I don't think you could use a dangly pole quite the same as on a dinghy on most yachts as the shrouds would get in the way?
 
We did this recently, using a carbon windsurfer mast.

I eventually found a pole end that fitted neatly inside the wide end of the mast lower section - but had to source from the USA (postage was then cheaper than this one) NAUTOS 91250 - SPINNAKER PISTON POLE END - 2" POLE | eBay

20190311_152244 jib pole end.jpg

But you don't need the same on the outer end. Two s/s rings tied / whipped together, along with a hole through a short plug, does the job for the outer end for under a tenner.
This takes the uphaul, downhaul and the secondary jib sheet. Rather than use the main jib sheet, it is much preferable and safer to reeve a second jib sheet - and I found it got a better angle if routed through the middle mooring cleat to the winch.

Jib pole 20180319_164828.jpg
But we only use for a narrow 105% jib, and in lightish conditions. No subsitute for a full carbon pole and mast track i doing the Atlantic (but also a bit cheaper than a £4,000 setup)
 
Laser_310 said:
i would really prefer not to drill any new holes in the mast.

so, does anyone have any ideas about attaching a windsurfer pole to the mast with a fitting that could be lashed on in some way?
Click to expand...

Depends how "Heath Robinson" you are prepared to be.

We have now fitted mast eyes (one on each side), but like you I wanted to avoid drilling any holes unless / until happy that the idea would work. So for initial tests I made up a wooden pad to go on the inner end, which was then lashed around the mast (this lashing is missing in the picture of the initial dock trial).
To securely hold a rope through the inner (bottom) end of the pole, I used a windsurfer mast lock, which secures tightly into the base of a windsurfer mast WINDSURFING MAST LOCK MAUI MAGIC BOARD GUARD SMD LOCK MAST CAR VAN NEW WINDSURF | eBay

Then it was a bit of amateur woodwork for the cradle. Finally, as a recent retiree, I cut a section of leather off a redundant work briefcase to avoid scratching the mast.
20180413_164802.jpg
Very Heath Robinson, but actually very effective (if a bit slower to fit than a proper pole end). It was another season before I fitted the proper end fitting and eyes.
 
some interesting solutions - the mast lock is kind of like what i made.. except mine just relied on the length of the insert to stay on. i need to be able to put it on and take it off quickly, as it's not up for that long - maybe a 1 mile leeward leg.

My use is this: my club runs weekday evening non-spinnaker racing. It's meant to be casual, for family and friends.., so spinnakers are not used.

Downwind, we can pole out the jib - mine is non-overlapping. the winds are usually pretty light- say10-12kts at most, and often 6-8kts. Loads are not that great.

i looked at the dangle pole videos- never heard of that term - but ended up seeing the NS14 setup, which i guess is not a dangle pole, but it looked kind of nice.., they way it goes to the clew automatically. I couldn't find any detailed descriptions of how that is rigged though.
 
Dangle pole also used on Enterprises. Probably National 12?
Not really used it myself, wouldn't be too keen racing without spinnakers except on my Laser.
Non-overlapping jib, maybe it can be left rigged as on a dinghy?
 
Interesting conversation, I was having similar thoughts on using an old windsurfing mast. As for the end fittings, the mast is hollow, so why not just run a length of dynema through it with a snap shackle spliced to the clew end and a ring spliced to the mast end?
 
For a whisker poll almost any thing will do. You do not have to attach to mast it could be any fitting or attachment on cabin top or deck. However a lot of boats have a fitting on the front of the mast made for spinnaker pole so makes sense to use that. Althougha similar ring on each side of the mast might be better. That might facilitate use of a slot in the pole and a pin to secure it on. Or just tie it on with a rope just make some way to accept end thrust of pole.
Even easier on the outer end. Just a loop of cord through the end of the pole to hold sheet near the pole end is all you need.
So fancy fittings will make setting up much easier. But fro experiment any thing goes. No I don't fancy the idea of cutting a hole through the mast although theoretically no problem. ol'will
 
LadyInBed said:
I've made several.
Force 4 stock a 'plastic' piston fitting, they normally only hold the small ones Allen Piston Triggered Spinnaker Pole End 22mm ID Tube | Force 4 Chandlery but they can (and have done for me) order in a larger one.
Click to expand...
This worked for me but I am replacing the 22mm with a 38mm to fit the mast eye better.

Another piece of experience- I shimmed the 22mm with some aluminium tube which after 3 years has corroded and plit the carbon. Plastic next time.
 
I use a windsurfer Hd mast with PFEIFFER end fittings from SVB chandlers on the spinnaker hoop.These are larger dia. cast fittings,are well priced , and have lasted over five seaasons.I found that the Allen fiittings didnt stand up to the high loads for more than two seasons on a 8M yacht and required more sleeving to fix.

​

Ref dyneema through-the-mast my experience suggests that anything that rotates will add to the difficulty of clipping in (and will be subject to high abrasion on the hole edges).
 
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