Whisker Pole

[SteveIOW]

Have just been looking at my lovely mahogany whisker pole hanging up in the garage. It's been there for years. The reason I stopped using it is that the set up on my 27' sailing cruiser is unsatisfactory / dangerous. The boat is from the 1970s with typical small main and large genoa. The masthead rig has cap shrouds + forward and aft lowers. When the 10 foot long whisker pole is fitted to the mast the forward lowers prevent it being anything like square to the middle line. Consequently, the distance from the outboard end of the pole to the furling drum is far too small in comparison with the length of the foot of the genoa. I could partly furl the genoa but the don't want to do this in light winds on a boat that is already slow downwind. I have, in the past, tried rigging the pole between the cap shroud and the forward lower stay. This does set the genoa much better but is asking for trouble. Any slight swing of the pole and it is in contact, and under load against the the wire stays. In gusty conditions something is likely to break. Have tried fore and aft guys to the pole end and clipping the pole to the genoa sheet rather than the clew but the margin for error is too small. The mahogany pole still bares the scars (grooves) "filed" into it by the wire stays.

Can't think of a solution. Can you? Have thought of having a shorter whisker pole with the inboard end mounted on the toe rail rather than the mast. Has anybody else tried this with success?

 

[Wing Mark]

Spinnaker?

 

[alahol2]

I have been known to use a rolling hitch on the inboard end of the boathook which is then clove hitched to the shroud. Obviously pointy end through clew of genoa.
Toe rail may be a better solution.

 

[Ink]

Spinnaker?

Then the thread name would be "Spinnaker Pole"?

Ink

 

[Wing Mark]

If the spinnaker pole is a decent length relative to the foot of the kite, it doesn't have to come back at right angles to the boat.
The clew will probably be much higher too, so the lowers will be in the way less?

It's how these rigs were intended to set enough sail down wind!

 

[William_H]

So the problem is that the clew of the jib is way aft of abeam the mast. So a whisker pole attached to the mast angles too far aft to meet the clew.
As said there is no rule that whisker pole must attach to the mast. This probably came about as a habit as that is where a spinnaker pole attaches. It needs to work from leaning on the forestay to out at right angles to c/l.
What you need is an attachment for the whisker pole further aft. One each side. You could have a pad eye mounted on cabin side big enough to accept the pole beak. Mount the pad eyes up high on the side as clew of jib will be high. You might want to arrange a down haul on the pole to pull the clew down so getting top of the jib to work. You also find that the10ft pole is too long for the job if attached to cabin side. ol'will

 

[andsarkit]

I have a similar boat with the same rig and a 10ft whisker pole. I have found the same problem but as I only use the pole when goosewinged I can usually get it far enough forward to clear the forward lowers. However as the boat rolls the pole can contact the wire and has scratched the anodising. I am thinking of putting some plastic sleeving on the wire (as mentioned in another thread) to limit the damage.
A foreguy would probably also work but I'm trying to keep it simple for now.

 

[roaringgirl]

We use a topping lift, foreguy and after-guy on the pole, this way it is held permanently in position and won't touch the rigging. Once you know it's not moving about, it should be fine to mount it between the shrouds.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

We use a topping lift, foreguy and after-guy on the pole, this way it is held permanently in position and won't touch the rigging. Once you know it's not moving about, it should be fine to mount it between the shrouds.

I also like an extra sheet led through the pole end with a snap shackle attached to the clew with a long "tripping line" attached to let it go as per John Goode for full control when needed.

It's surprising how often the jib can still be used when the wind moves from aft to the quarter. The leech becoming a luff.