rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
Looking at the posts on spinnaker's and poling out jibs, I wondered if there is a Magic formula to determine the length of a spinnaker pole and or a pole to pole out a jib when running.
Length of spinnaker pole
- Thread starter rogerthebodger
- Start date
Z SPARS UK
New Member
Spinnaker pole length
A spinnaker pole length is the "J" measurement IE from the front of the mast to the forestay attachment point. A Genoa pole can be 25% longer than this however sometimes this makes a very long pole and difficult to handle. The Genoa pole can be a smaller diamater than a spinnaker pole.
Hope this helps.
A spinnaker pole length is the "J" measurement IE from the front of the mast to the forestay attachment point. A Genoa pole can be 25% longer than this however sometimes this makes a very long pole and difficult to handle. The Genoa pole can be a smaller diamater than a spinnaker pole.
Hope this helps.
lw395
Well-Known Member
J is the traditional length under IOR, many boats now have longer poles than this.
A longer pole (10-20%?) will be faster but carries a penalty under rating systems.
It depends on the foot dimension of the kite, I think you would want the foot to be less than twice the pole length in general?
A longer pole (10-20%?) will be faster but carries a penalty under rating systems.
It depends on the foot dimension of the kite, I think you would want the foot to be less than twice the pole length in general?
VicS
Well-Known Member
If you want to be able to "dip pole" gybe the spinnaker the pole must not be longer than "J"
FWIW my whisker pole is equal to J ( No spinnaker so no need for a spinnaker pole) I wish it were a bit longer, perhaps not quite as much as 1.25J but nearly!
FWIW my whisker pole is equal to J ( No spinnaker so no need for a spinnaker pole) I wish it were a bit longer, perhaps not quite as much as 1.25J but nearly!
lw395
Well-Known Member
Sorry, that's completely wrong.
We had the pole at least 3 feet longer than 'J', to gybe it you just had to haul the heel to the top of the track on the front of the mast.
So you obviously need a proper system to do that.
Even if you can't move the heel of the pole, it will droop at an angle and go inside the forestay if it's a bit over 'j'.
VicS
Well-Known Member
I'll revise it then.
If you want to dip pole gybe without hauling the inboard end of the pole up the track it cannot be much longer than J.
If you want to dip pole gybe without hauling the inboard end of the pole up the track it cannot be much longer than J.
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys.
One issue Vic is that I have a baby stay on my mast so even is my spinnaker pole is no longer than J, I would still have to pull it up the mast track to gybe.
The pole I have is off a ketch so I think it is shorter than J but will check next week when I am on the boat all week.
One issue Vic is that I have a baby stay on my mast so even is my spinnaker pole is no longer than J, I would still have to pull it up the mast track to gybe.
The pole I have is off a ketch so I think it is shorter than J but will check next week when I am on the boat all week.
VicS
Well-Known Member
Why did I know you were going to say that?
lw395
Well-Known Member
We used to take the babystay off to gybe the kite, I think it was attached above the top of the pole track, so the pole would not gybe outside of it. Our babystay was obviously not required to keep the rig up downwind!
How big is the boat? If the pole is not too heavy, you can do single ended gybes by just taking the heel off the mast.
