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Whisker Pole

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pegasus
1st Mate

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USA
65 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/31/2006 : 07:52:51

Does anyone have any recommendations on a whisker pole? Inland lake, 150% genoa. I've heard something about paint poles, but our lake gets pretty gusty at times...

Thanks!

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5895 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2006 : 08:31:16

Paint poles work fine in light air, but they'll break when the wind pipes up. You can use them in a little stronger winds by not extending them as far, but that reduces their effectiveness. With a little practice, you can get by fairly well running wing and wing without a whisker pole, except in high level competition. The good thing about paint poles is that if you break one, they only cost about $30. to replace. If you're a serious racer, or plan to keep your boat for awhile, it's worth it to get a Forespar 7-17.

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2006 : 09:06:25

Dido. As Duane pointed out in another thread, when you are racing it's illegal to have someone holding out your paint pole. Hmmmmmm, now that could have a conotation

. If you rally think you'll use it the Forespar 7-17 is the way to go.

For those of you who have an asymteric spinnaker, I just read an interesting article which talked about trimming an asym on a J105 with a sprit. Getting the tack out in front of the boat allows you to sail farther off wind than normally because the saill isn't blanketed by the main. While not legal when racing a C25, the max length of the Forespar 7-17 might allow its use as a sprit, giving you more downwind advantage when cruising. I'll need to add a longer tack line to do it though. I'll try it next week when I'm out on Lake Superior. If it works I'll let you all know.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2006 : 09:33:17

Walk the docks and offer people money for their poles, a pole for under $150 is a steal. I have an old Forespar 7-17 with button locks which I love. I have used a big time pole with the line adjuster and they are really impressive but super bucks. Like most things sailing, when you pony up the real money you get the real deal and will never regret it. If I were going to try the "painter pole" thing I would look into the poles used by tree trimmers; probably heavier and stronger.

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2006 : 13:09:02

I use a paint pole and it works great. I have one from Lowes for which I paid $40.00 or $45.00. Not to contradict Steve Milby, but I've had mine out in pretty heavy wind, 15 to 20 mph, and the pole came through great. In fact, the brass clips that I lashed to the pole became pretty mangled, so I just bought beefier stainless steel clips and haven't had a problem. The trick might be that I got the longest pole I could, which extends to something like 20 or 24 feet. With that, even if it's extended to the 15 feet or whatever is normal for a 150 headsail, much of the pole is still reinforced by the length of extendable pole still housed within the larger diameter pole. (did that make sense? Maybe not)

Anyway, I would like a whisker pole, but I'm not willing to pay the bucks for a real one. So in the meantime, we're getting by nicely with our homemade version. One thing I came up with that makes deployment and retrieval easier is on the end that goes into the sail grommet I lashed a socket extender from a socket set. I just clip the boat end into the eye on the mast, then stick the socket extender throught the grommet of the sail, extend the pole and it is done. Retrieval is so easy because I don't have to unclip the end that's on the sail, that had previously caused problems for me.

Good luck!

Edited by - on

PamC
Navigator

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171 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2006 : 13:51:01

One other idea - the po of our boat bought a whisker pole end and mounted on the end of the telescoping boat hook. We put the end of the hook in the clew of the jib and clip the whisker pole clip to the ring on the mast. Don't know that I'd use it for very much wind, but it leaves us with one pole to store instead of two.

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2006 : 15:31:25

Pam,

I believe you will preserve your jib clue from chafe by clipping your pole to the sheet rather than the clew grommet. Pressure holds it in place. If your sail is still chafing, there are "doughnuts" available that fit on your sheet between the pole end and the clew so you don't chafe the sail.

Edited by - aeckhart on 08/31/2006 15:33:22

PamC
Navigator

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171 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2006 : 15:49:52

Al, you're right. After I posted I realized we actually put the end of the hook in a loop of the sheet. We have a metal thimble lashed into the center point of a single long jib sheet. We attach this to the clew with a swivel hook that is taped shut with rigging tape. The thimble was added primarily to provide a better attachment point for the end of the pole while poled out. You'd think I would have remembered that.

Especially since I'm usually the one that goes forward to perform that task.

Edited by - on

crcalhoon
Captain

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USA
303 Posts

Response Posted - 09/01/2006 : 11:49:43

Well, I probably shouldn't admit this, but. . .Once when I had even less money than now I wanted a whisker pole. This was about 1982. So I takes these three 10 foot 1 x 3 boards and glues them up. Then strap them to the sawhorses and every night after work for about two weeks I go out with my little block plane and plane them down to sort of more or less round. Then insert a big long lag screw into each end and grind off the hex head to a sort of round knob. Then you stick one end of it in the clew of the jib and the other thru the mast ring (mine was vertical) I put about 10 coats of varnish on the crazy thing and used it for seven years. I'm still scared of hand planes.

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 09/02/2006 : 08:21:38

Have had our first pole, a paint pole, fold and try to swat brother-in-law when he was the forward deck crew. We sail on our mountain lakes with gusts and sudden shifts that tests all equipment. Have since purchased at marine swap meets the 7-17 and the smaller adjustable pole and have found it safer for the forward deck crew, watch trimming too close to the forward lowers. Have come to the rescue by tieing poles together and modifying the top end with a hook and reaching the masthead to pull a halyard shackle back to the deck or maybe no one has ever lost control of a halyard before? Has anyone had an adjustable pole slide together during a gust? How would you clean a pole that uses a twist lock method?

Edited by - on

Daren
1st Mate

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USA
81 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2009 : 06:14:51

I too am contemplating the aquisition of a whisker pole, but not sure of how long it should be, or if I need a telescoping feature for a whisker. We are using a 150% genora on our C-25 and thinking since the genny is so big a whisker would make more sense than an asym. Like all the creative ideas posted in this thread. Thanks in advance for input!

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2009 : 10:36:40

Daren,

Not sure what your question is but, an adjustible pole is probably the most versatile. I use mine with my 110 and 135 gennys, and asymetric spinnaker when on very long Lake Superior down-wind runs. I primarily single hand, andit works great for all three.

My best run was two years ago while single-handing during a race. I made fourteen miles at 7-8 knots wing-on-wing with pole and 135. It was a most wonderful experience.

Edited by - aeckhart on 05/14/2009 10:42:09

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2009 : 10:37:01

The current issue of SAIL Magazine has an indepth article on whisker poles, why/how/when to rig etc...LOTS of information...including an admonishment to "never clip the pole to the sail's clew" - although it does not explain why...also using a topping lift to adjust the height, a down haul and an afterguy...all to lock in the position of the pole.

Looks a bit complicated for what on the surface seems to be a fairly simply concept - unless their technique is required for larger boats w/ the inherent greater loads and stresses...

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2009 : 10:45:22

I use a topping lift on my pole to make it easier to tack the sail/pole. Everything else is eyewash and not needed. Even the topping lift can be gotten away without but it does help to control the pole.

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2009 : 19:00:33

Darren - a correctly poled out 155% genoa needs a pole almost 16' long. Forespar's 7-17 fits the bill. It's a 3-part telescoping pole. Mine is engraved at the correct extension lengths for a 110% and a 150%.
When deployed, keep the pole and the boom in a straight line and endeavor not to sail DDW.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2009 : 05:52:39

Ben,
Do you have any pictures of your setup you could post? Sounds like an affordable solution to me.

[url="http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=190227-159-R057&lpage=none"]Lowes 8-16ft extension[/url]

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2009 : 09:27:42

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">When deployed, keep the pole and the boom in a straight line and endeavor not to sail DDW.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Derek,
How do you determine how far out to extend the pole? I understand the boom and pole should form a straight line but is there a way to determine the how far out you need to set the clew?

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2009 : 17:25:17

If you pull the middle section out almost as far as it will go, then pull out the end section so that the pole measures 15' 9" you will have a working length. Pole out the genoa and see how the sail sets. You don't want a flat sail, it should have some draft to it, so adjust the length accordingly.
When you sail downwind,keep the arrow of your windex over the windward tab. If the wind shifts (typical inkand lake sailing) either change course slightly to keep the arrow there or "swing" the whole sail plan by easing the jib and trimming the main or easing the main and trim the jib - keep that straight line!

Edited by - on

Daren
1st Mate

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USA
81 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2009 : 04:32:39

Derek,

Thanks for answering my question! With my 150...or 155 a correctly deployed whisker pole, should suffice for my downwind sailing in light airs. I'll try this before going to the next step...spinnaker or asym.

Edited by - on

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