Telescopic whisker poles - robust, or a calamity waiting to happen?

[Robert Wilson]

Given some of the forces involved, are telescopic poles entirely "fit for purpose" - or might they kink/bend/fail in a big puff?
I have a 80% (or thereabouts) working jib and a 135% genoa so am considering a 2.10m - 4.56m pole (Forespar).
Khamsin is 9m LOA

The idea is to have flexibility and remove the need for two poles.
Both sails are roller-luffs so intermediate lengths would also apply.

The idea sounds practical and convenient, but are there performance/strength problems?

Thanks as usual for advice and thoughts.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

I guess it depends on what you want your whisker pole to do.

I've seen people talking about using old windsurfer masts and all sorts, so they can only want to hold the sail out in fairly light airs.

But if you want to drive downwind in 25 to 30 knots of wind and revel in 150m + days, then telescopic poles are useless and simply buckle under the loads.

The pole doesn't have to go exactly to the clew - smaller sails are simply held out by the sheet running out to the pole end and then back to the winch. I've poled poled out all sorts with the one fixed length pole.

 

[Topcat47]

I only use my whisker pole to prevent the genoa collapsing under its own weight in light airs downwind. Most telescopic whisker poles are more than sufficiently robust for that. My own is made from a telescopic window brush handle. OK I'm on my third as they do buckle if they hit the standing rigging too hard but they aren't expensive. I suppose it depends on how you intend to use it.

 

[BabaYaga]

You might also want to take a look on what Seldén has to offer.
http://www.seldenmast.com/en/products/spinnaker_-_gennaker_hardware/telescopic_-_jockey_poles.html
I have the smallest telescopic pole on a 9 m boat and although I only use it for the genoa in light to medium conditions my impression is that it is very sturdy. NB the mechanism is not twist 'n lock, which I would be somewhat sceptical about.

 

[Jonesey]

I did UK to NZ mostly downwind using a 50/50 Carbon/Alu pole on a Beneteau 473 with a 135% genoa and it performed perfectly.

http://www.forespar.com/products/line-control-whisker-pole-aluminum-carbon.shtml

I replaced the existing poly braid extension line with dyneema before we set off.

Regarding the notion of buckling poles - any pole will buckle if you push it hard enough - like all items on the boat you will hear/see/sense when things are getting overloaded.

 

[SteveGorst]

plus one for the selden pole I have used and abused one of these for a number of years without any issues.

 

[scottie]

We had a telescopic pole which we used with a 140% and 90% self tacker but found that in use it was very heavy and really only used slightly extended so was probably too big to start with so converted the inner part to conventional pole which worked ok with both sales and was easier to work with.

 

[chewi]

Given some of the forces involved, are telescopic poles entirely "fit for purpose" - or might they kink/bend/fail in a big puff?
I have a 80% (or thereabouts) working jib and a 135% genoa so am considering a 2.10m - 4.56m pole (Forespar).
Khamsin is 9m LOA

The idea is to have flexibility and remove the need for two poles.
Both sails are roller-luffs so intermediate lengths would also apply.

The idea sounds practical and convenient, but are there performance/strength problems?

Thanks as usual for advice and thoughts.

How does a 2 piece telescopic pole more than double its 2.1m min length?

 

[LittleSister]

How does a 2 piece telescopic pole more than double its 2.1m min length?

It's all done by mirrors!

 

[MoodySabre]

I have a Forespar whisker pole. I've had no trouble with it but in order to adjust the length you have to rotate the inner pole this means the heavier end is the end that is attached to the sail and is not what you really want. Unlike a spinnaker pole there is no facility to connect a up haul/ down haul. I'm not a racer type so for me it does its job adequately. They also sell stanchion chocks to store it off the deck.

 

[RobF]

I've had good results from a pfeiffer pole. They do recommend against using it as a spinnaker pole, but it's fine for poling out a genoa. As aforementioned, any spar will buckle if it's over-loaded.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Thank you one and all.
I've been "off air" since Monday when my AVG antivirus automatic renewal completely screwed-up (polite terminology!) my computer.

Anyway, thank you for the advice and insights. I have a "window cleaner" pole which does the job in light airs. I take the point regarding heavy poles.

Annoyingly, my spinny-pole is too long for the working jib, and when using it on a run with the 135% it fouls the stays.

Back on with the thinking cap.

Cheers