Fixed lenght whisker pole?

[Mas Tequila]

So the boat next to me has his whisker pole just laying on his cradle and I contacted him about another subject and asked him if her would like to to store it for him. Being a rather expensive piece of equipment and there might be a few people that would drool on it (like myself) I offered to put it in a safe place. He of course thanked me and said that it was an extra one and if I wanted it I could have it for $100. He couldn't remember what size it was nor did I pay that close of attention. It might be a fixed length pole but it is a Forespar, I'll look closer next week. My thought was even if it was a fixed length I could buy a longer tube and add the end fittings. Now I would like an extendible pole and talked with Forespar and they recommended their LC 10-18 but at nearly $1000.00 shipped it's outside of the budget considering we are installing a new Garhauer traveler and a new dodger, bimini and connector. 

I've read somewhere that a fixed length pole should be equal to the J measurement which for our boat would be 13.5 feet, that seems manageable. I've also read (again somewhere) that a fixed length should be the J measurement X the genoa size. So in my case 13.5J x 1.35 (135 genoa) = 18.05 pole length. That seems to long to be manageable to me.

I was wondering if any of you had any thoughts on this. I've never had a whisker pole before but now that we are doing extended cruising I can sure see the need to have one. Given that we are dumping another $7000.00 in the boat this year a new whisker pole just isn't in the budget. 

[Jon W]

I recently added a whisker pole as part of my standing rigging upgrade. The rigger suggested a 16 foot 3" (I think) fixed length pole. He reasoned that since I will not be racing, the fixed length will give me what I need without the complexity of moving parts. It is installed on a track that is mounted on the mast. To deploy I use an up/down set of lines he also installed.

[Mas Tequila]

Jon,

We crewed while racing but that really isn't our interest with our boat. How do you like your whisker pole and what size head sail are you flying? Given the price tag we are really thinking this just might be the way to go.

[Jon W]

I've only used it once with my old headsail which is a 150%. Like anything new I was clumsy setting it, but feel with practice it is the right way for me. I've ordered a new main and headsail that are supposed to arrive 1st Qtr 2018. The new headsail is a 135% with foam luff (can be reefed to a 115%) and the foot just slightly above the bow railing. My 150% has neither of these features.

[Mas Tequila]

With everything we've put in the boat this year I was hoping we can make this pole work. The savings over buying a new LC 10-18 would allow us to add a track to the mast and a block to raise and lower it. It seems the more I read about whisker poles the more confused I get, after all how hard can it be?

With the longer passages we have been doing a whisker pole seems to be something that we really need to add to our rigging.

We have a padeye already on the mast but no track system. I was thinking I'd mount the pole on the stanchons at least temporarily until we can put a track on the mast but I'm guessing that deploying it would be a challenge.

[Jim Hardesty]

Try watching the videos here.

http://www.forespar.com/whisker-poles.shtml

My reasons for not having a whisker pole.
I don't race.  The cost.  I single hand mostly.
 
When it's right I will set my asymmetrical spinnaker and bear off enough to sail.
Having said all that, if I could buy one for the right price that I could set by myself.  I'd be interested.
Jim

[Ken Juul]

They are heavy and cumbersome, especially long fixed ones.  Up hauls and down hauls help, but add complexity.  I have an adjustable, have used it maybe a dozen times in 17 years.  If you use a track, the pole length must be shorter than the distance to the forestay, otherwise you can't connect the pole to the sail without disconnecting the pole from the track.  Adjustable ones let you do that then extend to what ever length you need.  If you are going to stay with your current sail plan, get one that fits it.  If you think you might go bigger or smaller on the head sail, then adjustable is the way to go

[Jon W]

My 16 foot fixed length pole is on a track that's mounted to the mast. It has an up/down system used to deploy the pole. No man handling of the pole. As it is raised the jib sheet can be attached to the pole end and then fully extend it.