Poles - which way up?

[davidej]

My last boat had a fairly small jib pole which I used for the genny and occasionally the cruising chute. I used to rig it with the plungers downwards so I had to lift it on and off the ring on the mast. The pole was easy to manage, did not have an up or downhaul and I found this easiest way.

The co-owner of our new boat (who is used to racing and proper spinnakers) said that I had it upside down and it should be rigged so you can release the guy when you pull the plunger. The new boat has a much bigger pole.

Who do you agree with? Is it different where the pole is supported by its own up/downhaul than a jib pole which doesn't have all that paraphanalia?

Your views please!

david

 

[Gin]

Jaws face upwards, so that the pole will drop away when released

 

[davidej]

Can I ask a P S

Do you normally bother with uphaul/downhaul when just using the pole for a genny/cruising chute rather than a proper spinnaker?

 

[ShipsWoofy]

I do, but only because my pole is quite heavy (catamaran, so longer), as I am using it mostly in light airs, it tends to pull the sail down flat under it's own weight.

If I could afford a carbon fibre pole, I am convinced this would not be such a problem.

 

[Gin]

I try to avoid using the pole for anything other than spinnaker, simply because of the extra control lines, and the obstructive baby stay on my boat

However, the genny in particular and sometimes the cruising chute need the spinnaker pole to give them shape in very light airs.

As DogWatch has commented the weight of the pole works against you and collapses the sail(s), so in those conditions I do use the uphaul to take the weight of the pole but I don't bother with the downhaul since there is insufficient wind to sky the pole and cause a knockdown

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you normally bother with uphaul/downhaul

[/ QUOTE ] I was taught to set the pole up, on the windward side, with uphaul and downhaul just like a spinnaker pole, AND to run a spinnaker sheet through the end round to the Genoa clew.
Then gybe the sail across to the pole with this additional sheet.

This avoids the insane balancing act on the foredeck with genny clew or sheet in one hand, the pole in the other while you hang on with ?????????? ! whoops splash!

It also enables you to quickly gybe the Genoa back again without unhitching anything from the pole or to sheet it in under the pole with its normal sheet if necessary.

 

[Krusty]

There was a long post about all this a year or so ago. Taking the trouble to find it and learn from it could be well worth it.
What VicS describes is the seaman-like 'best practice'. It enables you to run with a genoa in quite strong winds but manoevre to meet any contingency without (possibly dangerous) delay.
The 'simple' way (''without all that paraphanalia'') is the idle way which involves the acceptance of possibly serious risk, often unwittingly.

 

[peterb]

I would support VicS and Piota. Take a look at "Yacht and Ferry" on p3 of CHIRP 20 which shows a yacht whose manoeuvrability is hampered by a poled-out sail. Properly organised (as in VicS's post) there would have been no difficulty in safe manoeuvring.

 

[ebbtide]

Some class rules prevent this (eg Sigma 33) but if racing in club 'menagerie' events do consider two poles. Twice the string of course, but no more debate about 'end for end' versus 'dip pole' - gybing is piece of cake!
Another tip is running the downhaul not to the foredeck but to the base of the mast so that the uphaul/downhaul triangle is in the same plane; that way no adjustment is needed when trimming the guy.
Oh, and no doubt about it, the jaws face upwards.

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

Mmmmmmm!
I seem to remember that "jaws up" on a Sigma33 was a route to bending or snapping off the alloy jaw.(or was it jaws down?????)
In any event, it would be wise to check that the outboard end of the pole can be fully lowered to the deck when the inboard end is at full hoist, without the jaws coming under strain..