Handling whisker pole on your own

[roaringgirl]

As I live aboard with my family and my kids are 7 and 9, when it comes to deck-work, I'm basically on my own. The boat sails really nicely dead downwind wing-on-wing, of course this requires poling out the genoa. Our pole lives on a track on the mast, when it's deployed it has a topping lift, foreguy and after-guy all led back to the cockpit. I can't figure out how to make the deploying a more manageable operation - there always seems to be a period where the pole is swinging around and either crashing into a shroud or the forestay. Does anyone have a reliable sequence to follow to avoid this? At the moment, mine is something like this:

Standing at the mast:
1. attach foreguy, afterguy and topping lift to pole
2. put sheet in pole jaws
3. lower fixed end of pole a bit
4. pull on topping lift to raise free-end of pole
5. repeat 3 and 4 until both ends of the pole are at the right height (this is where the pole swings around crazily)
6. retreat to cockpit and tighten foreguy & afterguy to hold free end of pole in correct place (swinging stops)

Without a helper to do step 6 from the cockpit while I do step 5, I don't see how the swinging about can be avoided...

 

[pandos]

As I live aboard with my family and my kids are 7 and 9, when it comes to deck-work, I'm basically on my own. The boat sails really nicely dead downwind wing-on-wing, of course this requires poling out the genoa. Our pole lives on a track on the mast, when it's deployed it has a topping lift, foreguy and after-guy all led back to the cockpit. I can't figure out how to make the deploying a more manageable operation - there always seems to be a period where the pole is swinging around and either crashing into a shroud or the forestay. Does anyone have a reliable sequence to follow to avoid this? At the moment, mine is something like this:

Standing at the mast:
1. attach foreguy, afterguy and topping lift to pole
2. put sheet in pole jaws
3. lower fixed end of pole a bit
4. pull on topping lift to raise free-end of pole
5. repeat 3 and 4 until both ends of the pole are at the right height (this is where the pole swings around crazily)
6. retreat to cockpit and tighten foreguy & afterguy to hold free end of pole in correct place (swinging stops)

Without a helper to do step 6 from the cockpit while I do step 5, I don't see how the swinging about can be avoided...

You could try marking the down haul and the uphaul so they are at the correct height and marking the foreguy so it stops the pole short of the stays, then extend the afterguy so you can take that forward from the cockpit to the foredeck (you might need a snatch block on the pushpit) then you can set the pole from the foredeck.

Or try some bungy cord from the clew of the sail to the end of the pole...this works well If the sail is furled when you are setting up.

 

[roaringgirl]

Foreguy and afterguy are already both led to thr cockpit. I think marking up the lines is an excellent idea - I'll do it tomorrow.

 

[[70521]]

My pole sits on a track.

Lower the pole, rest the pole on the pulpit and attach lines. Retire to cockpit and adjust.

 

[roaringgirl]

My pole sits on a track.

Lower the pole, rest the pole on the pulpit and attach lines. Retire to cockpit and adjust.

I have to stand at the mast to lower the pole on the track, so I'd need another person to take the free end to the pulpit.

 

[fredrussell]

I know that’s the ‘correct’ way to rig a pole, but have you tried using it with just an uphaul? That’s all I’ve ever used. My whisker pole is light (carbon windsurfer mast) so very easy to handle on deck, unlike the spinny pole which is a beast. My order of deployment goes:
1. Let out a few turns of genny (from fully furled)
2. Attach uphaul (spinny halyard) to middle of pole.
3. Clip pole onto mast fitting and (still furled) genny.
4. Back to cockpit to unfurl genny in the usual way.
5. Take up slack with uphaul.

 

[VicS]

As I live aboard with my family and my kids are 7 and 9, when it comes to deck-work, I'm basically on my own. The boat sails really nicely dead downwind wing-on-wing, of course this requires poling out the genoa. Our pole lives on a track on the mast, when it's deployed it has a topping lift, foreguy and after-guy all led back to the cockpit. I can't figure out how to make the deploying a more manageable operation - there always seems to be a period where the pole is swinging around and either crashing into a shroud or the forestay. Does anyone have a reliable sequence to follow to avoid this? At the moment, mine is something like this:

Standing at the mast:
1. attach foreguy, afterguy and topping lift to pole
2. put sheet in pole jaws
3. lower fixed end of pole a bit
4. pull on topping lift to raise free-end of pole
5. repeat 3 and 4 until both ends of the pole are at the right height (this is where the pole swings around crazily)
6. retreat to cockpit and tighten foreguy & afterguy to hold free end of pole in correct place (swinging stops)

Without a helper to do step 6 from the cockpit while I do step 5, I don't see how the swinging about can be avoided...

While still on a broad reach set up the pole to windward with an additional lazy sheet through the pole end fitting , across the foredeck and clipped on to the clew, ( Use a spinnaker sheet as the additional one)

Roughly adjust the fore guy so that the pole can swing to approximately the right position

Allow the pole to rest gently against the forestay or luff spar

Return to cockpit

Bear away to a dead run and gybe the genoa onto the pole end using the additional sheet

Adjust the sheet and guys as necessary.

You have avoided antics on the foredeck trying to clip a fogging sail onto the pole

You can easily gybe the genoa back again without unclipping the pole

You can also sheet the genoa in under the pole using its normal sheet and gybe the main onto the opposite tack if desired/ needed.

 

[Iliade]

I occasionally furl the genoa, connect the whisker (spinnaker) pole then unfurl. A lot less falling about the foredeck required.

 

[LadyInBed]

when it's deployed it has a topping lift, foreguy and after-guy all led back to the cockpit.

Do you need all those lines on a whisker pole?

I just have a rope donut attached to the sail clew for the pole outer end to attach to and an outer end down haul which I make off on the fwd spring cleat, I don't have lines lead back as I have to be up at the mast to deploy / derig it anyway.
As the pole is held to the sail by the rope donut it can't move fore or aft except under the control of the genoa sheet, the genoa effectively stops the pole from dipping so it just needs the down haul to stop it lifting.

 

[dunedin]

As I live aboard with my family and my kids are 7 and 9, when it comes to deck-work, I'm basically on my own. The boat sails really nicely dead downwind wing-on-wing, of course this requires poling out the genoa. Our pole lives on a track on the mast, when it's deployed it has a topping lift, foreguy and after-guy all led back to the cockpit. I can't figure out how to make the deploying a more manageable operation - there always seems to be a period where the pole is swinging around and either crashing into a shroud or the forestay. Does anyone have a reliable sequence to follow to avoid this? At the moment, mine is something like this:

Standing at the mast:
1. attach foreguy, afterguy and topping lift to pole
2. put sheet in pole jaws
3. lower fixed end of pole a bit
4. pull on topping lift to raise free-end of pole
5. repeat 3 and 4 until both ends of the pole are at the right height (this is where the pole swings around crazily)
6. retreat to cockpit and tighten foreguy & afterguy to hold free end of pole in correct place (swinging stops)

Without a helper to do step 6 from the cockpit while I do step 5, I don't see how the swinging about can be avoided...

Sounds like a good system when hoisted, with uphaul and two guys to hold secure. Presumable also furl genoa and thread extra sheet, to avoid the sail getting in the way, or bashing you about.
Could use the race boat technique of an open clam cleat close to but not on the direct path of the uphaul - pull up and put into clam cleat temporarily, then it will flip out when tension fully from cockpit (though perhaps risk of skipping out and dropping pole?)

What I don’t understand is why this is tricky though, as far from “singlehanded“, it sounds like you have not one but three ready helpers in the cockpit?
Surely just flip on the autopilot and your partner can handle the uphaul, probably via a winch if a biggish boat. Age 7 and 9 are plenty big enough to tail the other ropes for the guys through their stoppers. Probably could do the uphaul via winch also, but might be a bit slow.
Liveaboard kids age 7 and 9 are I am sure well beyond Competent Crew level - and in just a couple of years will probably be far more skilled helms than either of the parents. I wouldn’t ask them to helm downwind with crew on deck, but in other circumstances I am sure they would be brilliant.

 

[jdc]

I don't see the advantage of the three attachments to the pole all being led aft to the cockpit. We have made up a bridle with carabiners to attach the pole to two points on the gunwale, one forward and one aft of the pole. I attach these, then with the pole on the rail and the uphaul slack (I don't think it's called a topping-lift but it doesn't matter) I put in the guy, return to the cockpit and raise the uphaul. The only difficult bit for one person alone is getting the pole over the safety rail without it crashing around; this needs two hands, one for the pole and one to control the pole's attachment to the mast. No hand left to hold on with, so I wrap my legs around the check-stays...