Poled out Jib

S

srah1953

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 Jun 2007
Messages
493
Location
Ireland, Carlingford
Visit site
Hi All
Would it be possible to pole out a jib without an uphaul and downhaul? Or possibly just using an uphaul? I don't have any spinnaker gear on the boat, but I could possibly use a spare jib halyard as uphaul.
Looking at a photo in this month's YM of Ken Endean's boat, it is not obvious that he has either an uphaul or downhaul.
Many thanks
 
You don't say what size your boat is, so don't know how heavy your gear is. I pole out my genoa on a 36ft ketch on a 12 ft pole, without any uphaul, or downhaul. It is quite a light alloy pole.
 
Likewise, I pole the genoa without any extras on a 30 footer. Generally the sail is more or less in the right position for the pole. However, I still have someone on the sheet just to tweak. On my boat the pole goes through the rigging which makes it a little more fun !

My sheets are tied on with bowlines and I tend to hook the eye of the knot rather than the clew in the sail (only reason - its easier). Then push out using the sheet to control and finally attach to the eye on the mast.

Releasing is the reverse, detach from mast then the sail will naturally collapse a little, then unhook from the bowline.

With your boat jeanneau 409 it should be possible.

(Forgot to add that I still use hanked on sails if that makes any difference !)
 
Last edited:
I guess most of us have done this and I can think of only two disadvantages.

When hooking the pole on or removing it, you have to balance the whole weight of it in your arms whilst the jib jerks it around. It has been known for it to jump out of my arms and give the foredeck a good whack.

When rigged, the weight fo the pole pulls down on the clew limiting the twist, particularly in light airs. This will reduce the effectiveness of the sailmore and more as you go downwind, but often on a short leg it is still worthwhile if only to stop the sail collapsing and keeping you awake!

Rob.
 
I should perhaps add, that what I generally do, is to rig the poled-out genoa behind the main, and then gybe the main. That way, there is no weight in the genoa when positioning the pole, which like osprey's, goes out between shrouds. With the poled-out genoa to one side, and the main out on the other, with a preventer rigged, running downwind is easy without worries. Idealy, I gybe the main back to backwind the genoa, before taking the pole out again.
 
ospreyk30 said:
My sheets are tied on with bowlines and I tend to hook the eye of the knot rather than the clew in the sail (only reason - its easier).
Click to expand...

Depending on your set up, it is possible that clipping to the clew will prevent you being able to spill the sail. I was told that it is safer to run the sheet through the pole, which gives you the ability to furl and unfurl the sail, or to let the sheet fly.
 
The problem with only using a pole is the sail flaps around up and down and you don't get full power. We discovered that on charter yachts with a pole and no uphaul downhaul. On our boat we had all the kit and it held the sail steady.

We used to unfurl the genoa a small amount and clip the pole on, very easy with no load on the sail.
 
I mostly use an unsupported lightweight pole on my genoa so it is easy hold and attach.
I find it does need a down hall once deployed to keep it under control (keep the pole horizontal). I use the windward genoa sheet, I pull a yard or so back, put it under the guard wire, then figure of eight on the forward leeward spring cleat.
 
Often use a poled out genoa when short handed racing without up/down hauls attached, can make a huge difference and sometimes gains places over boats trying to fly spinnakers on short legs ( they have to put their sails away again) Generally hook pole end onto bowline loops rather than on sheet or sail clew for ease and controllability, sheeting in on jibsheets tends to keep the sail pulling well on a dead run .
 
Have done this a lot on transatlantic passages. Always use downhaul led fwd, uphaul and guy. Pole totally secured in all 3 axes. Then run extra sheet through pole end and tie onto clew, get much better sheet angle not using normal sheets. Easy to rig and safe.

Also have flown another headsail other side using boom pushed out and secured, fab direct downwing, cannot accidentally gybe and hydrovane works a treat!
 
pole simplicity

KellysEye said:
The problem with only using a pole is the sail flaps around up and down and you don't get full power. We discovered that on charter yachts with a pole and no uphaul downhaul. On our boat we had all the kit and it held the sail steady.

We used to unfurl the genoa a small amount and clip the pole on, very easy with no load on the sail.
Click to expand...

If you can take the genoa car right forward it helps with this issue as the luff is pulled down as well as in.
We use a lightweight pole (lighter than a spinnaker pole would be) and no up or down hauls except sometimes when it is a really light wind an uphaul stops the pole sliding back along the sheet.
 
capnsensible said:
Have done this a lot on transatlantic passages. Always use downhaul led fwd, uphaul and guy. Pole totally secured in all 3 axes. Then run extra sheet through pole end and tie onto clew, get much better sheet angle not using normal sheets. Easy to rig and safe.

Also have flown another headsail other side using boom pushed out and secured, fab direct downwing, cannot accidentally gybe and hydrovane works a treat!
Click to expand...

Perfectly described and saved me the trouble of typing.

I am slightly anxious about the number of people who clip the pole onto the bowline! You can get into a LOT of trouble if you are sailing downwind in such a setup and the wind gets up. And as I am sure most people know, it's easy not to notice the wind getting up when you are sailing downwind!
 
john_morris_uk said:
Perfectly described and saved me the trouble of typing.

I am slightly anxious about the number of people who clip the pole onto the bowline! You can get into a LOT of trouble if you are sailing downwind in such a setup and the wind gets up. And as I am sure most people know, it's easy not to notice the wind getting up when you are sailing downwind!
Click to expand...

:)

Its easy to roll up a bit of headsail and even take it in completely too.

On our Moody we have a wind generator that sounds like a helicopter on acid when the wind gets up. My wife gets an 'interested' look when Im standing on the ppushpit tying it up! :eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top