Whisker Pole

[geoffr]

Hi all:

Is there a regulated or recommended length for a whisker pole - for use on the jib, rather than a spinnaker?

Thanks, Geoff

[Andrew]

Hi Geoff,

I don't know if my whisker pole is regulation or not (or if it's even a spinnaker pole, but looks too small for that) but it is very old so could be an original. It is made of 25 mm aluminium tube 1800 mm long with fico push on end fittings , which increase it's length to 1940 mm between the hooks. One of these is broken so haven't tried it sailing yet.

Cheers
Andrew

[Andrew]

Hi all:

Is there a regulated or recommended length for a whisker pole - for use on the jib, rather than a spinnaker?

Thanks, Geoff

Going through old unanswered post (sorry about that, probably went out bush and didn't know how to subscribe to topics until now)

Fixed my whisker pole end fitting. Piece of wood bunged into the pole end with a large galvanized nail goes into the jib clew cringle. Bit cheaper than a pole end fitting. Holds the jib out nicely on broad reach to a run, stops it flopping everywhere in lumpy seas so it draws wind well and helps keep the boat moving.

[Ozzie]

Where do you keep your whisker pole Andrew. Mine is just under the cockpit floor but it’s a nuisance to retrieve. I’ve seen spinnaker poles clipped to mast ring and a second mast ring high up. I don’t use the spinnaker really but I do use the WP so adding another ring at the right distance up the mast would be good.

What do others here with s poles and w poles.

[Watto]

Ozzie,

My boat fathom can with a WP and it was stowed with the mooring hook and large paddle along the cabin footwell area. I’d previously taken it out along with the paddle as it cause more inconvenience than it was worth. Now having sailed in light winds on a run I’d kinda wished I’d had it onboard.

[Watto]

How about we compare lengths of poles?

[Andrew]

When sailing i stow it on cabin floor, so its quick access. At anchor it goes under the cockpit floor, its just the right length to stow there nicely. (it's a bit too long for the forepeak) It's 190cm (6'3") from mast fitting to end of tube, has 3" of nail extra at sail clew end. It's 25mm diameter (When it stows the nail just sits on the cabin floorboard when other end against transom so it doesn't fall into keel well)

My boat hook telescopes fairly short so can stow in many spots, keep it against hull on one of the saloon bunks when sailing for quick access. Use it for Great Barrier Reef marine park mooring buoys.

It may be possible to adapt a 30mm diameter tube to be dual-function, whisker pole and boat hook all in one?.

[Ozzie]

I had to manually hang on to it but I used to use my boat hook as a whisker pole Andrew before I bought one from the Salamander Recycling shop for the princely sum of $3 It was in the golf clubs bin ! I think it’s actually a dinghy spinnaker pole.

Anyway https://www.mauriprosailing.com/us/cate ... orage.html

Small example but there is tons of ideas for pole storage on the net .... some worth more than my boat This link above gave me a thought. You could clip one end to your chain plate ubolt and the other to a suitable bracket on a stanchion.

I like the idea of having it off deck and on the mast like the big rigs though. Another mast ring is only about $40. Only thing about that is the jib dragging over it when you tack. It can also be clipped to the boom I noted.

Main thing with all this stuff when you read about it, (particularly with spinnakers) is the addition of uphauls, downhauls, long hauls, preventers, deck the halls, Hall and Oates, and left handed framels that make the deck look like a barb wire entanglement on that Western Front. The great joy of the 563 is simplicity I think.

As for comparing poles Watto there’s another sailing forum that does that quite often

[Raya]

I keep my whisker pole clipped to a hook that I attached to a front stanchion. The pole lays on the deck alongside the gunnel. It's been there for a couple of years and hasn't been a problem. It's in the right vicinity when you need it.

Whisker pole clipped to stanchion.

[Watto]

Measured my pole this arvo, 2.2m pole plus hardware.