Whisker poles

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harstonwood

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Firstly excuse my lack of knowledge with this subject.

I am about to order a whisker pole, for the Genoa. I also need to get an adjustable car for the mast, and have fitted
So far so good

Do I need any modification to the sail?


Also could I use the spinnaker halyard as an up haul? Or should I fit some other provision etc

Any help (or abuse) greatly received

Thanks
(Boat is dufour 405. j is 4.5m)
 
Like wise I see no reason not to use the spinnaker except that it does lead from in front of the genoa. Provided there is no conflict with the top of the sail it should be Ok. A spare foresail halyard would be better otherwise use the spinnaker pole uphaul ( and downhaul/ foreguy).


Before gybing the genoa set the pole up on the uphaul and downhaul to windward with a spinnaker sheet running through the end fitting

Allow the pole to rest gently against the forestay and take the extra sheet across the deck. outside the shrouds and clip it to the genoa clew.

Now gybe the genoa using the additional sheet.

You still have the genoa sheets attached and if necessary you can sheet in further under the pole or easily gybe back again and sheet in without touching the pole.

You have avoided the scary situation where you are standing on the foredeck with the pole in one hand, trying to get the genoa sheet into the end fitting with the other while holding on with ?????? your prehensile tail ??
 
We found using J for the whisker pole was way too long and ended up taking a fair bit off also our earlier pole was telescopic and very heavy to work with single handed on a hanse 370

We did avoid Chinese gybes! And no we did not call it Walter
 
scottie said:
We found using J for the whisker pole was way too long and ended up taking a fair bit off also our earlier pole was telescopic and very heavy to work with single handed on a hanse 370

We did avoid Chinese gybes! And no we did not call it Walter
Click to expand...

Length depends on the boat and rig.
1.25J is common
My homemade pole is just a little on the short side of ideal at exactly equal to J.
 
Twister_Ken said:
"The basic length of a whisker pole should be 100% of the foot length of the sail it is to be used on", it says somewhere.

Seems to make sense.
Click to expand...

Not sure that is totally logical - taking an extreme, a foresail which had a foot equal to 50% j (mast to tack distance) could presumably not use a pole equal to 50% j. Relating pole length to j, either 100% or 125% would see more appropriate but I don't speak from experience.

Richard
 
Thanks Guys
Will get a pole slightly longer than J as my genoa is 130%
Next question.......spoke to Z spars about a track for the mast, and they recommend a track which fits in the existing grooves on the mast. However to fit this requires the mast un-stepping
Alternatively they do a track which can be fitted with set screws so requires drilling and tapping
Which way would the jury vote on this one? I can get a crane at the right price, but not sure how long wit would take to lift the mast and slide on the track
Also Z spars do a pole, but would have to be J
I would prefer an adjustable one I think to get more length and prefer to stow clamped to stanchions
Am I thinking along the right lines?
Would also take opportunity to install a spi pole uphaul line

As always all comments much appreciated
 
Spinnaker Track

The slide on track is the neater solution but clearly only if you want to lift the mast.......at this stage of the season that might be an option for this winter?

I have an old Sparcraft mast to which I fitted a Z Spar track with the rivets that they provided me as part of the kit. Rivet size meant I needed to buy a lazy tongs riveter, which has subsequently proved useful for other jobs! Lots of drilling and a fair bit of swarf inside the mast but by careful use of mouse lines I kept it off the halyards. When we lifted the boat out at the end of the season we then removed the mast and hoovered out the swarf. Not ideal practice but meant we could have the track on for the season and sort the mess at the end of the racing season! We did choose to drill and tap the two end fittings as that would allow us to remove the slider if it ever needed maintenance or replacement

I also bought the pole from Z Spar and it has worked out very well......smaller diameter and lighter than the previous Proctor. I have found you need to keep the end washed with fresh water and an occasional spray as it can get sticky if left too long without being exercised. Boat is a GK34 3/4 tonner........we had the big kite up in 25 knots apparent during this year's West Highland Week so I have no concerns about either the security of the track or the pole strength!

The lady in Z Spars sales office, can't remember her name, was very helpful.
 
Our Whisker pole set up is a simple one like others have said. Eye on the mast at the same height as the genoa clew when held out. Pole length about J + 20% Spin Hal as the up haul (never needed a downhaul). Pole lives in the rail stanchions on clips. Clip pole to mast, hal to pole about 2 feet from the outer end, clip other end of pole to sheet next to the clew and unfurl. To Gybe, we furl the jib, change the pole over to the other sheet, gybe and then unfurl again.

We were using the pole yesterday to goosewing out from Weymouth - worked really well in lighter winds and a run downwind is so calm and peaceful. But, as the wind increased to about 18-20kn we furled, took the pole off and changed to a reach.
 
Ripster said:
Our Whisker pole set up is a simple one like others have said. Eye on the mast at the same height as the genoa clew when held out. Pole length about J + 20% Spin Hal as the up haul (never needed a downhaul). Pole lives in the rail stanchions on clips. Clip pole to mast, hal to pole about 2 feet from the outer end, clip other end of pole to sheet next to the clew and unfurl. To Gybe, we furl the jib, change the pole over to the other sheet, gybe and then unfurl again.

We were using the pole yesterday to goosewing out from Weymouth - worked really well in lighter winds and a run downwind is so calm and peaceful. But, as the wind increased to about 18-20kn we furled, took the pole off and changed to a reach.
Click to expand...

Excellent advice thankful. Will go for a three piece pole at j plus a bit!
As we are fitting a track, may as we'll fit the uphaul
 
Mark Taylor said:
The slide on track is the neater solution but clearly only if you want to lift the mast.......at this stage of the season that might be an option for this winter?

I have an old Sparcraft mast to which I fitted a Z Spar track with the rivets that they provided me as part of the kit. Rivet size meant I needed to buy a lazy tongs riveter, which has subsequently proved useful for other jobs! Lots of drilling and a fair bit of swarf inside the mast but by careful use of mouse lines I kept it off the halyards. When we lifted the boat out at the end of the season we then removed the mast and hoovered out the swarf. Not ideal practice but meant we could have the track on for the season and sort the mess at the end of the racing season! We did choose to drill and tap the two end fittings as that would allow us to remove the slider if it ever needed maintenance or replacement

I also bought the pole from Z Spar and it has worked out very well......smaller diameter and lighter than the previous Proctor. I have found you need to keep the end washed with fresh water and an occasional spray as it can get sticky if left too long without being exercised. Boat is a GK34 3/4 tonner........we had the big kite up in 25 knots apparent during this year's West Highland Week so I have no concerns about either the security of the track or the pole strength!

The lady in Z Spars sales office, can't remember her name, was very helpful.
Click to expand...

Will go for mast off option I think.
Marilyn is the lady at z spars.....very helpful indeed

Thinking of going for a pole stored on stanchions but fit the uphaul lines in and the full adjustable track for a future spinnaker
(Using a cruise chute currently but would like to pole out genoa for dead downwind etc)
 
Sorry to resurrect this thread, just mulling over using the whisker pole
Is it better to use a guy attached to the clew to pull, the sail towards the pole pre-positioned out or attach the to pole to the working Genoa sheets when furled and unfurl out with the pole?
Short handed normally so need a simple solution. Am thinking that using a guy will make it easier to gybe the sail and dismantle the pole on a beam reach?
 
harstonwood said:
Firstly excuse my lack of knowledge with this subject.

I am about to order a whisker pole, for the Genoa. I also need to get an adjustable car for the mast, and have fitted
So far so good

Do I need any modification to the sail?



Also could I use the spinnaker halyard as an up haul? Or should I fit some other provision etc

Any help (or abuse) greatly received

Thanks
(Boat is dufour 405. j is 4.5m)
Click to expand...

I use the spinnaker pole, one end in to the lowest position on the mast, the other into the loop made by the sheet. Uphaul/downhaul, usual spinnaker controls. No other changes. However that is with a 150% genoa on a 3/4 rig. A smaller genoa would present problems but a masthead rig would be even better.
 
harstonwood said:
Excellent advice thankful. Will go for a three piece pole at j plus a bit!
As we are fitting a track, may as we'll fit the uphaul
Click to expand...

In your shoes I would be experimenting with a length of bamboo or similar before deciding on the ideal length. You could end up wishing you'd had it made a foot longer which would be really frustrating.
 
snowleopard said:
In your shoes I would be experimenting with a length of bamboo or similar before deciding on the ideal length. You could end up wishing you'd had it made a foot longer which would be really frustrating.
Click to expand...

Good advice.

Re attaching pole to sail, I spliced together about a 4"D loop of rope which is held in place by the sheet ties so the pole doesn't put any ware on the sheets.
 
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