When I bought my C34 the PO had a Forespar whisker pole stored in chocks on the stanchions. I took it off because it was in the way, and at the time I wasn't ready to learn to use it. Now it's a few years later and I'm thinking it might be useful. However, I don't really know how the PO had deployed it, and unfortunately he had passed away and I bought the boat from his family that didn't know any details. From what I have read, typically a whisker pole is attached to the mast via a car on a track, or at least a ring. I don't see anything on the front of my mast except a cleat just above the deck, and a small unused padeye way up, just under the deck/steaming light fixture.
I've attached a photo of the ends of the whisker pole. Can anyone suggest how the PO might have deployed this, or a resource where I can find out more about using it? I could attach a ring to the mast, but it seems unlikely to me that he had this on the boat with no way to use it... any advice welcome. During the winter I could install a better system once the mast is down.
Carlos
How the PO use this whisker pole is any bodies guess. Typically it's deployed on points downwind to keep the jib deployed in light air. You'll need a mast ring attached to the front mast track to use the whisker pole, waist high depending on your jib is usually a good starting point. Once you've attached the pole to the jib then the mast you can adjust the length of the telescoping pole depending on conditions and point of sail. It's designed to keep the jib open to catch stray puffs in light, fluky conditions.
Best option is to discuss your specific hardware with a rigger you use. My guess based on the photos and without seeing your boat is -
The pole end in your left photo attaches to a ring of some type on the mast. I would think there's a line for a topping lift stowed somewhere as well.
The pole end in your center photo attaches to the jib sheet with jaws pointed up on the side you want to deploy. The little metal pin with a hole in it is for a line to attach that you would pull to open the jaw to connect the jib sheet to the pole. With the pole connected to the mast, you connect the jib sheet to the pole jaws up with the head sail furled, then unfurl the head sail to set the pole for downwind sailing. Reverse the process to switch tacks. If you need to get the head sail off the pole in a hurry you would also use that line to open the jaw from the safety of the mast to release the jib sheet. With the jaws pointing up the pole can fall away from the jib sheet and the sail luffs.
My whisker pole and rigging stores on a track on the mast. To deploy I only have one end to worry about. I have a fixed length pole not a telescoping one. You can argue it isn't as efficient, but it's simple, won' break, and I don't race.
Hope this helps, I'm sure others will chime in with their thoughts.
Thanks that helps. There's no ring or track on the mast though...
It may be "possible" that PO used the padeye under the steaming light that you mentioned to attach the pole end to the mast. Hard to conjecture without seeing it in relation to length of the pole and how high your jib clew goes.
I don't think so, the pad eye is small and way up the mast (12 feet?) and out of reach. I wonder if he used this at all - but then why have it in chocks on the boat?
If the pole won't reach the padeye or the eye is too small to clip the pole end on, than you are probably correct. Storing pole on the mast is a different problem than deploying it. It is more common to not store it on the mast than to store it on the mast. Although convenient for cruisers, storing pole on the mast takes a longer track and more hardware to adjust up/down and chocks to hold bottom end on mast at rest. It also adds weight higher up on mast.
When I bought the boat the pole was stored in chocks on the stanchions.
Carlos,
Here is a link to some forespar videos. There's a couple on setting a whisker pole they may help. My previous boat came with a whisker pole but no mast fittings also :?
https://www.youtube.com/user/ForesparSailing/videos
Jim
Thanks Jim. Was your pole usable without the mast fittings? I'm ok adding one but now I'm curious if PO just bought it and never used it, or if there's a different way he attached it.
CS
Is this adjustable? A line control model?
What length?
To use it (whether it's a whisker or spin pole properly (at all?) you need a ring on the mast. No two ways about it.
Is there a bridle on it to attach a pole lift?
Maybe the PO bought the pole at a bargain price intending to rig it at a later date but never got around to it?
Yes that's what I'm starting to suspect. It's big and in the way for something you can't use though... I wouldn't even bring it to the boat until I had the mast set up for it.
That's why I had it mounted on a track on the mast with a topping lift, jam cleats, and a chock near the base. Easy up and down. No balancing act trying to attach to the mast while other end slides around on moving deck.
Carlos,
Go ahead and set up for your whisker pole, it won't cost that much(not like a spinnaker set up). Take it out and have fun with it, it'll be good experience and you'll probably improve your sailing skills. But unless you race(even casually)you probably won't use it that much. When I'm running downwind in light, fluky conditions and my jib is just flapping around I just roll it up until the wind or point of sail changes, hey if you wanted to get there in a hurry you wouldn't take a sail boat.
The whisker pole is a great piece of kit but even if you race it's possible to get along without one. Several years ago we used to do a race where only stock boats were eligible, no race gear, no deck sweepers, and no whisker poles. In light air we'd put two guys with push brooms on the foredeck, one at the back and one in the middle holding out the jib, you'd be amazed at how many boat lengths you can pickup.
QuoteWas your pole usable without the mast fittings?
Carlos,
When I bought my previous boat an S2 9.2, a very good boat, the p.o. had it rigged unconventionally. Two forestays with hanked on sails, two mainsheets etc. I sailed it a season that way and decided it needed changed for my short after work sails and weekend day sails. The local sailmaker, very knowledgeable person, came to my boat with recommendations. He said there was no way to use the whisker pole without a mast fittings. He eyed up where to put the ring. I marked it and added the ring the next season. Only used it a little as I'm my own and mostly only foredeck crew.
To see if you would use the whisker pole just buy a mast ring. Should go a little above the clew of the sail ie. so the pole is down a little at the sail clew when used. At some time put a block and lift line on the padeye you have and cleat it at the unused mast base cleat to aid in setting the pole.
If you haven't done so yet look through everything on the boat, you just may find the uninstalled mast ring and may be a block and lift line. The po may not have been sure where to put it on the mast. Then lost interest.
Jim
I forgot to mention: one very good reason to store pole on the mast is it is much easier to use when short-or single-handed. No need to heft it into a ring or pole car attachment point on the mast, as it lives there ready to deploy.
Thanks Jim. I did as you suggested and rummaged around in some cans of fittings that had been on the boat and found what looks like a mast ring. I had looked through everything a few years ago but at the time I wasn't thinking of the whisker pole so didn't recognize it. I guess the PO never got to installing it. I'll give it a try!
Carlos
That small pad eye you said was on the mast up by the steaming light most likely is for a small block for a topping lift. I think that's what Jim was alluding to, but just wanted to be clear.
Regards
Ed
Is it a cleat as he first said or a pad eye?
Both - there is a cleat just above the deck, and a small padeye way up under the deck light by the spreaders. Both are on the mast centerline.