Ouch! Carbon splinters from whisker pole.

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fredrussell

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Like any right thinking cheapskate I made my whisker pole from a windsurfer mast. It’s very good, but I’m getting nasty carbon or glass splinters from pole. Does anyone have a solution to this problem? My fantasy solution is some uv resistant heat shrink big enough to fit over pole, but, more realistically, if I were to sand pole down a bit and then paint on a good layer of epoxy would this work at all?
 
A coating is the norm but a sailboard mast usually goes inside the sail so is not a problem. With my Phantom mast & boom I used a 2 pack perfection varnish- 2 coats but you may need several coats to get the thickness required.
I do not see what is "fantasy" about heat shrink. Seems a good idea & would help with impact damage -to which sailboard masts are prone- as well
 
Epoxy usually needs a coating to protect it from UV, which may be the cause of your problem. A tough coating that provides UV protection should be enough.
 
The long term solution is 2 pack polyurethane varnish. But any paint or varnish that will adhere to the old mast will do, but it might not last that long.
It's not just carbon fibre that'll give you splinters. GRP battens and tube will do the same.
I made extra long boat hooks out of glass fibre tube, and had to paint them to stop the splinters.
I used some left over International 2 pack, and it has worked very well.
 
Just out of interest - and a bit of thread drift.

Which part of the pole are you using and what did you use for the the end fittings.

Here in Oz where we have organised household collections we have picked up 2 windsurfer poles, that looked really useful (but still have them). I had thought of whisker poles but never put too much thought into the idea as I was defeated by what to use as the end fittings and the fixed attachment. for a cat (on the hull/deck or maybe mast - but if the latter quite a long pole).

Large commercial ships sometimes have a shrink fit cover on the splice of mooring lines. I've used shrink fit covers on smaller cordage - but never actually looked at a larger cover for say 2" dia lines

This 'sort' of thing:

Clear Heat Shrink Tube - Glue Lined Dual Wall

A patient google search throws up other sources and maybe the right size.

Jonathan
 
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During lockdown, I finally got round to making a whisker pole from part of an old windsurfer mast. The end fittings are easily sourced from several manufacturers and come in different sizes. Because of the tapering of the old mast, you need at least one spacing adapter or collar to ensure a good fit at the wider end. I had not considered the possibility of splinters from the pole but I had some heavy duty garage floor paint left over which took well to the surface of the pole, looks good and more importantly, has lasted and seems to protect the pole. Certainly no splinters.
 
Neeves said:
Just out of interest - and a bit of thread drift.

Which part of the pole are you using and what did you use for the the end fittings.

Here in Oz where we have organised household collections we have picked up 2 windsurfer poles, that looked really useful (but still have them). I had thought of whisker poles but never put too much thought into the idea as I was defeated by what to use as the end fittings and the fixed attachment. for a cat (on the hull/deck or maybe mast - but if the latter quite a long pole).


Jonathan
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Hi Neeves. I use old wind surfer masts for both spin poles and whisker pole albeit for a small boat. I use this style of end fitting Ronstan Spinnaker Pole End 32mm, $67.95 | Whitworths Marine The legs can go outside or inside the pole end. I use the fatter end of the pole for spinnaker poles (also used for gin pole to lower mast) and thin end for whisker pole. ol'will
 
William_H said:
Hi Neeves. I use old wind surfer masts for both spin poles and whisker pole albeit for a small boat. I use this style of end fitting Ronstan Spinnaker Pole End 32mm, $67.95 | Whitworths Marine The legs can go outside or inside the pole end. I use the fatter end of the pole for spinnaker poles (also used for gin pole to lower mast) and thin end for whisker pole. ol'will
Click to expand...

Thanks Will, I'll check at the local Whitworths store and see how they fit.

I'm interested what fittings people use to secure the 'pole' whisker, to the yacht, mast ring - or something else? If I attach to the mast its a long pole as we have a 6.67m beam.

Jonathan
 
The GRP rod on my danbuoy also had glass fibre strands on the surface. I have covered it with heatshrink which was quick and easy to do. I don't know yet how long it will last but it was so easy that I don't mind doing it again in a few years.
 
Neeves said:
Thanks Will, I'll check at the local Whitworths store and see how they fit.

I'm interested what fittings people use to secure the 'pole' whisker, to the yacht, mast ring - or something else? If I attach to the mast its a long pole as we have a 6.67m beam.

Jonathan
Click to expand...
I don't think that the beam of your cat makes that much difference to the length of the pole. It is more about the foot length of the jib and hence the angle that the jib is forced out to. A small whisker pole will only hold the jib out to a small degree but may be enough to tame the jib when running. A long pole will push the clew oput so far the jib is near right angles to centre line so presents more area to the wind but at the expense of needing a very stout pole. (long and strong) compared to that needed for a small push out of a short pole. Of course there is no rule that pol;e must be based on mast snotter. It could be based on any part of boat or rigging abeam the mast.
Which comes to the point on a cat with a wide beam you could do much with a line from the gunwhale (adjustable) to a ring that jib sheet passes through so you can pull the jib sheet out when running. (barber hauler)
Don't forget also that you can use a pole or a barber hauler on lee ward side when reaching to improve jib setting. ol'will
PS if using those fittings in the link. For large diameter tube I fitted the legs inside the tube. I tapped a thread in the ss leg and screwed from the outside through the carbon fibre into the ss leg.
 
William_H said:
I don't think that the beam of your cat makes that much difference to the length of the pole. It is more about the foot length of the jib and hence the angle that the jib is forced out to. A small whisker pole will only hold the jib out to a small degree but may be enough to tame the jib when running. A long pole will push the clew oput so far the jib is near right angles to centre line so presents more area to the wind but at the expense of needing a very stout pole. (long and strong) compared to that needed for a small push out of a short pole. Of course there is no rule that pol;e must be based on mast snotter. It could be based on any part of boat or rigging abeam the mast.
Which comes to the point on a cat with a wide beam you could do much with a line from the gunwhale (adjustable) to a ring that jib sheet passes through so you can pull the jib sheet out when running. (barber hauler)
Don't forget also that you can use a pole or a barber hauler on lee ward side when reaching to improve jib setting. ol'will
PS if using those fittings in the link. For large diameter tube I fitted the legs inside the tube. I tapped a thread in the ss leg and screwed from the outside through the carbon fibre into the ss leg.
Click to expand...


Thanks William,

Its a 45m^2 headsail, like a Code Zero - it needs a long pole (from the mast) or shorter pole from the beam. I happen to have a spare mast ring, for a mast located pole, but thought a beam located pole would be a more sensible length - but had not decided how to secure - my ideas focus round attaching to the amidships horn cleat, which is substantial, but is not really suited to holding a pole (or not one with a conventional end fitting).

The problems arise when you are running downwind in big seas

Whatever I devise for the screecher will suffice for the 33m^2 Genoa.

Jonathan
 
We use a carbon windsurfer mast on an Adams 10 to pole out the oversized genoa in light air and a shorter pole to leeward when reaching. They are both very effective but bend alarming when the breeze comes up ! Not to be recommended on a 38’ cat, the compression would be too much. Cheers from The Spit.
 
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