There are less things to go wrong with a spinnaker pole. Adjustable pole cons: More things to go wrong with it. With a line control pole, the inner and outer tubes can rotate and you might have to twist them back into the proper position. It takes a bit more time to extend the pole to the length you want. Adjustable pole whisker pros: Adjustable length obviously. Easier to store. You have the option of storing it vertically on the mast because it can be made shorter than a spinnaker pole.
It can be used with a partially furled or full headsail. If you buy a heavy duty adjustable pole, it can also be used as a spinnaker pole in moderate conditions. The line adjustable poles are better than the push button locking mechanism ones because they are safer and can be adjusted more easily once set. Nov 26, 1, Hunter 34 Berkeley. A whisker pole is adjustable because it's length should match the length of the foot of the genoa and genoas come in different sizes.
A spinnaker pole is always the length of "J". No need to be adjustable. If you need a whisker pole get a whisker pole. If you are going to fly a spinnaker get a spin pole. Nov 26, 1, Endeavour 42 Cruisin. Note the comment about a whisker pole being the length of the foot of the genoa.
Measure yours and then consider how you would store a solid pole of that length and how to manhandle it on deck. That is why collapsible whisker poles exist. If you're flying a symmetrical spinnaker then a spin pole is desired that meets your "J" measurement. If you want to extend your genoa then an adjustable whisker pole is what you will want to use. On my H31 I have an extendable Forespar whisker pole that exceeds my "J" measurement and is a great tool downwind for racing when off the wind on either tack depending on wind angle.
On my H31 the extended pole takes two persons on deck to handle due to size, weight and attachment point for topping lift and then extending from the inboard end.
My pole is stored on deck on the stanchions. Size does matter! Labels on the whisker poles themselves also note the maximum size boat for each pole. This is what we strongly suggest you use in selecting the proper sized pole for your boat. This eye only should be used with these poles.
Any fixed mast pad eye should be mounted on the forward centerline of the mast. This is so you can fly the pole from the single mount on both port and starboard sets. The height of the eye on the mast is determined by the height of the clew when the headsail is set. You want to fly the pole level, so if you have more than one headsail and they have different clew heights, you may want to mount two mast pad eyes, one high and one low.
One must consider where you will store a whisker pole on the boat when not in use. Traditionally, poles have been stored on deck in deck chocks. In recent years, storing poles vertically up the mast has become very popular. Storing the pole below may be a viable option for smaller boats. Poles left in the weather when the boat is not in use may corrode or seize due to lack of use.
As with any deck equipment, proper care and maintenance will insure the whisker pole will work when you need it. More info on care and maintenance will be addressed later. If you choose to store your pole up the mast, you must be aware of the proper style mast cars to facilitate this option.
Not all mast cars will allow storing a pole vertically on the mast, as most were never designed for purpose. Ring cars do not work for mast storage-ours or any of many other ring cars made.
They simply do not set out from the mast far enough and allow the inboard end fitting enough freedom of movement without binding to work. Remember, you have a substantial lever-arm and this leverage will bend or break the car or the end fitting on the pole. These mast cars are designed to allow freedom of movement without binding and allow the poles to set out far enough from the mast so they will not bind and break inboard fittings. You must have enough track height as well.
You need at least one foot more track height than the stored length of the pole. The track can start about 3 feet off the deck and then go up to the required height.
This will allow you to mount the lower chock needed on the mast. The "inboard" end of the pole goes up and the "outboard" end is down where you can easily attach the topping lift and sheet to the end.
More details on the attachment of control lines will come later. This VPC car has a chock that holds the pole on the centerline of the mast. It also greatly reduces rattling when under power or at anchor. A pole that is not stabilized on the mast will make a racket as it flops from side to side at anchor. This noise, as you might imagine, will radiate down the spar and keep you awake all night! This chock must be mounted on the mast.
It is best placed immediately above the mast boot, on the centerline of the front of the mast. Do not mount it on deck. Most boats have mast collars that place the chock too far from the mast. This usually makes them too long to be whisker poles. My spinny pole is certainly very long! Juggler Member. The spinnaker pole cannot be longer than J. Joined 16 May Messages 30, On one of my boats I had 2 poles.
One was a tad longer than J , the other much longer. Dip poling the long one was a pain but do-able. There is no rule that stops anything. Spinny poles based on general accepted race allowances are referenced to the J figure. Step outside of this and you will be penalised on handicap.
Should you choose to be outside of this for cruising - that is purely your choice. Whisker poles are often telescopic based on being useable on different size headsails incl. Some have mentioned that a Whisker pole cannot be used on a Spinnaker as it will fold. I haven't seen one fold yet after many years of such use.
I would suggest that if the compression force exerted on the pole causes it to fold, then the spinnaker is poorly set and not drawing the boat properly. They work pretty well, but are a lot of work to put up and take down, even asymmetrical chutes are tricky and they are difficult to fly dead downwind. A properly used whisker pole will allow the headsail to add considerable power and speed to downwind sailing. The key to a whisker pole's success is that it allows the headsail to be projected out to weather, out of the mainsail's shadow.
It also stabilizes the clew of the headsail in choppy weather. And the whole system is easy to manage for just two people. The pole setup is fairly simple and identical to the setup for a standard spinnaker pole. You'll need a topping lift to raise the outboard end of the pole to the correct height, and a downhaul, or foreguy, to pull the pole down and forward. The foreguy runs from the outer end of the pole through a block near the bow and back to a winch or cleat in the cockpit or, alternatively, directly to a bow cleat.
Along with the jib sheet, these two control lines stabilize the pole so it won't move after its set. I also like to set up an afterguy, a line from the end of the pole to the cockpit, to pull the pole back and hold it steady independent of the sail and sheets.
You'll need some hardware to attach the inboard end of the whisker pole to the mast. If you already have a spinnaker pole, the same track can be used. The best setup is a pole car on a track mounted to the front of the mast. The adjustable car height allows you to keep the pole level regardless of the sail that you are flying. A whisker pole needs to be sized to fit your boat. The pole needs to be long enough to support your sail and strong enough not to collapse under load.
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