Spinnaker Pole Tube size?

[MrFish]

We need to buy an aluminum tube for a longer spinnaker pole. What diameter & wall thickness should we be getting? How do we work out the sizes?
The length we want is 5.06m beak to beak (16' 7") Inside Diameter to suit the beaks makes sense to me, but what wall thickness to cope with the loads from a spinnaker with 14.6m luffs and 8.23m foot (48ft x 27ft)
We fly this on a 37ft Sloop.
Our existing pole is shorter than it needs to be/is allowed to be. It is 58mm ID, and we don't know what the wall thickness is.
Is there a web site which would help with these questions?
All suggestions or experiences welcomed
cheers

 

[savageseadog]

Off the top of my head I would have thought 2 inches was small for a boat that size. 3 inches would be more like it I can't answer on wall size but would suggest you get some quotes from spar suppliers. Some spinnaker poles are tapered at the ends where the bending forces are less by the way.

 

[davidej]

We have just bought a 5m length of pole from Z Spars for a Bene 361. They recommended 80mm O/D. It is approx 3mm wall thickness. Obviously you have to get end fittings to suit. They supplied us with Selsdon ones.

All I now need to know is how long to make it. We use a poled out jenny and a cruising chute - not a spinakker. I understand that it should be longer than the J measurement - but how much longer?

Can anyone help?

 

[flaming]

If you are planning on sticking to just the cruising chute, then you won't need a pole for that, so your pole should be sized for the genoa. In which case a pole of about J won't be too far off, unless you have a truly huge great Genoa.

However, it's worth mentioning that on my Dad's previous boat we had only a cruising chute, but found not being able to run deep really annoying. So we took to flying the cruising chute off the pole, with the ability to move the tack back. This works really well, as you hoist it as normal, then run a "guy" to the tack through the pole, ease the tack and wind back the guy. You can then use the tack as a foreguy. For long downwind runs, this is very easy and gives a lot more speed and control.

This pole shouldn't be much longer than J. We had an extendable one, and from memory I don't think we ever extended it much beyond the forestay.

 

[PeterGibbs]

Looks right to me - it's what I have (38 ft boat)
Z Spars will see you use the right gear - I used them too.

Length: if it's fixed length, you should consider a measurement that permits the pole to duck under the forestay for changing the setting. It will also be more handleable on deck / to store. A vast piece of metal wabbling about is not the key to good handling, in my view.

PWG