Whisker pole

[pugwash]

When crewing for an experienced friend (transatlantic etc) in his Seastream, I found poling out the headsail to be dead simple. Unclip the whisker pole from its vertical stowage on the mast, attach the haliard and adjust, clip outboard end over genoa sheet, clip inboard end to ring on mast-slide and adjust for height. And that's it.

In light winds in my own boat, half the size, I have sometimes poled the jib with a boat-hook held in the hand so the principle is clear enough. I now need to get a proper whisker pole for my boat so I read the "Sailing Downwind Safely" section in the latest YM with interest. Suddenly it isn't simple any more.

This shows a "bomb-proof" system involving downhaul, uphaul, third sheet, preventer and afterguy. What a bundle of knitting! I can't figure out why this complicated system is necessary, or where the shortcomings are in the simple system used by my friend on his Seastream.

The only explanation given by YM is that their system is safer at night, especially if you need to "dodge big ships." Okay, I accept that. But is that the only reason? You could argue tht if the wind goes round in the night it's just as easy to unclip the outboard end, lower it to the deck, then unclip the inner end and stow the pole. Am I missing something?

 

[mldpt]

I find that it is very rare that you are dead down wind so I like to be able to adjust my pole forward or aft. If I am on port tack I like to keep the wind over the stern but slightly over the port quater to reduce the main from backing and putting too much load on the preventer, in this case I like to have the pole well forward so I slacken of the back guy and tighten on the forward guy. this also prevents the pole rising and keeps the clue or foot of the sail down the topping lift holds the pole up so the pole is fixed in position, and the genoa sheet can be adjusted and the genoa can even be reefed without touching the pole or even rolled up completly. once the pole is in position it can be adjusted from the cockpit, so if the weather gets too much or changes direction, my pole is 4mtr long and heavy, I would love a pair of carbon fibre poles.
mike.

 

[pugwash]

Good advice thanks. I know there's a world of diffference between drifting round the Med on a calm day and crossing the Channel by night, but I couldn't see why the YM set-up was so elaborate. It still seems more complicated than that which you described.

 

[AlanPound]

I think that is the point - if necessary you can gybe the boat, and leave the pole in place. That can be useful... particularly if you need to do it in a hurry.

 

[Escapeii]

I think it all depends on the size of head sail you are poling out and the number of crew available.
I changed the way I pole out my head sail this summer to one not too dis-similiar that recently shown in YM. Being short-handed I found it very comforting to know that the head sail could be dumped quickly without first having to go forward to drop the pole.