whisker pole

[Jeff Kaplan]

I just recently acquired a forespar whisker pole, lc13-22 line adjustable,off an erickson 38', maybe overkill but the deal was worth it, excellent cond. for $50-. Having sailed for over 45 years, this will be my first experience experience with a whisker pole. It will be used strictly for downwind, wing to wing. I have a spare halyard which i will use for the topping lift, attached to outboard end, I will lift the inboard end and clip it to padeye already on mast.  The pole will be stored on deck as there is a mount already in place, PO had a pole but couldn't find it when i bought boat. I watched a forespar short movie about using the pole, but i have a few questions. The short showed the outboard end attached to the jib line, not directly to the genny, what is the concensious of this? Also, the boat model used had no lower shrouds, so the pole in the movie was perpendicular to the mast. With the lower foward shrouds on the c34's, this can't happen, the pole will be always foward of them, correct? All insight on this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks...Jeff

[Stu Jackson]

When we had our C22 we had a (fixed) pole that had one of the pointy ends on it, so naturally thought it was supposed to got through the cringle in the jib.  Then we didn't have a pole on our C25 and I just kept reading about them.  When we got Aquavite she had a mast mounted pole and we used it after we were able to clear the spring pin in the bottom end 'cuz mast mounts tend to get one of the pins locked up unless the pole is used regularly and lubricated.  Since there's no pointy end on this pole, I learned to use it on the jib sheet, because with the topping lift (we have one) and the wind on the sheet, the pole will stay where it belongs right up against the clew.  Yes, of course, the geometry of the forward lower shrouds limits the amount you can pull it back, but it's not that much depending on the height of your clew:  the higher the clew, the less the forward lower impinges on the pole.

It's also easier and safer to remove the pole when it's on the sheet and not through the clew cringle.

I learned a neat trick from Jon Arck, Past Commodore of the C34IA:  tie a loop of line through the clew cringle and use that instead of the sheet.  It makes it easier, plus if you have an adjustable ring on the front of your mast, you can raise the inboard end of the pole and gybe the jib more easily.  Maybe your "pad eye" reference means yours doesn't move.

[Ken Juul]

The first time I used mine I put the snap jaws through the clew.  Came time to tack, went forward to release the pole.  It was stuck.  Had to release the sheet, take the pole off the mast and pull the clew in far enough to extricate the pin that was jamed by the sheets in the clew.  I tend to make my bowlines fairly big when I attach the sheets to the clew.  I now put the whisker pole jaw through on of them.  I too only use it for long down wind runs.  Haven't needed a topping lift, if the wind gets too light to keep the sail full, the motor comes on.

[Jeff Kaplan]

thanks stu and ken. stu, what i called a pad eye is really a ring on a slide track about 6' with  pin locks for height adjustments. ken, without a topping lift how do you hold up the pole while attaching the inboard end and clipping the outboard end onto the jib sheet? also, the clip showed the genoa being deployed and furled with the pole attached to  the jib line. is that how you do it or do you remove the outer end first?...jeff

[Steve Sayian]

Jeff,

My sheets are tied on using bolines with a 6 inch loop.  I can attach and detach the pole very quickly when changing sides.  Never had a problem with this method.

BTW, We'll be up at Hawthorne Cove Marina this weekend for the Salem festivities.  Hope to see you.

Steve

[Ken Juul]

I just man handle the pole. To attach I keep the pole short, attach the clew end then the mast end, extend the pole to desired length and adjust the sheet.  To tack or gybe, shorten pole, release mast end, release clew end, lay pole on cabin top.  Execute the turn.  Reset the pole or put away.  For storage I have two fixed rings on the mast.  The lower one is 3-4' above the cabin top, the top one slightly longer than the shortest pole length above it. It is a PITA to put the pole away with any kind of boat movement, but I only use the pole a couple times a year so I haven't changed it.  As I get older and less athletic, a track is definitely in the future.

[Lance Jones]

Seems as if y'all do a lot of extra work gybing. When I know I'm going to be using the pole, I extend it to its proper length for the size sail I have out. When time to put pole up, I pull the clew in and attach the pole to the sheets at the bowline knot. Then I push the pole out and seat it on the pole rail attached to the mast.
To gybe, I stand beside or under the pole at the mast facing forward, depending on the height of the ring. Then I unseat the pole and pull back to the current windward side through the lower/upper stays. When the bow is moving through the gybe, I push the pole, and the attached jib, to the new side and seat -- hopefully in one movement. Then tighten the sheets to where needed and then adjust the pole height to insure it being level with the deck. I learned this technique when racing C-22's and have used it successfully on C-22, Cp-25, C-27 and now C-34.   

[Ed Shankle]

Steve,
Look for Tail Wind, we'll be out there as well. I'm on a mooring.

Ed