Whisker pole and boom preventer

Dr. D

.
Nov 3, 2018
278
Beneteau Oceanis 35.1 Herrington Harbour North
I now know I need a whisker pole. My boat has no attachment point on the mast for a pole, nor a clearly efficient place to store a pole.
What have others done with boats like mine, or similar?

Also, I should install a boom preventer if I will be sailing off the wind more. What can I use as attachment points for the preventer? Are the grab rails strong enough? Should I run it to the cleats?
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
If you do not want to store it on the mast you might consider storing the pole on brackets attached to stanchions as shown in the middle photo.
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The forum will have their recommended preventer line attachment points. My two cents is to attach is at a a winch or cleat. You might these articles on rigging a boom preventer helpful:

 
Jan 22, 2008
1,660
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
My whisker pole is stowed on the front of the mast with a track. I have a 2:1 purchase line to the pole car on the track to raise and lower it into position. There is a separate block for the topping lift. Once that length has been set, I never uncleat it. When the pole is deployed it ends up in the level position even with the jib clew. I started with a ring on the track but it tends to bind as the pole always wants to twist and the end of the pole snapped off. I switched to a car for more stability. There is a shackle attached to the cabin top for storage and a couple of clam cleats to secure the hoisting line.

I use the Dutchman Boom Brake to restrict the boom from accidental gybes. I use a fixed length line with a splice at each end attached to the chain plate with a shackle. The brake itself is attached to a line back to a sheet stopper on the cabin top. To tension it, the brake is raised to the bottom of the boom pulling against the fixed line. I repurposed my vang as a dedicated Cunningham as the boom brake now works for that purpose.

Boom Brake 1.jpg
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Nice boat.

You don't have an attachment for a whisker pole because your boat was not designed to use one. It flies a non-overlapping headsail. Whisker poles were really designed for old-school 150 genoas, and they work like crap on jibs. Your boat was designed to fly a asym or a furling code 0 when off the wind. Invest and you're never look back.

Sail a decent angle with the new sail and you probably will not need a preventer.

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May 17, 2004
5,431
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
I added a whisker pole last year. I used a Forespar 7-15’ telescoping twist lock pole, which is somewhat undersized for our 37, but works ok for our use (generally winds less than 12 knots and not much wave action). The nice thing about that pole is that it only requires a padeye, so I was able to install it by just drilling and tapping 4 holes in the mast. I did get the brackets to store it on the stanchions. If I expected to use it in heavier conditions I would have gotten one of the larger Forespar poles that better fit the boat, but this works well enough for now at about half the price.

Like Jackdaw said the boat is really meant to fly an asymmetrical spinnaker in those conditions, and it is a lot faster that way. We do that sometimes, but the whisker pole is a whole lot easier than dragging out the kite, rigging it, and needing to repack it at the end of the day. Our J measurement is just under 15’ so the 15’ pole is enough to keep the jib from collapsing.

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I added a whisker pole last year. I used a Forespar 7-15’ telescoping twist lock pole, which is somewhat undersized for our 37, but works ok for our use (generally winds less than 12 knots and not much wave action). The nice thing about that pole is that it only requires a padeye, so I was able to install it by just drilling and tapping 4 holes in the mast. I did get the brackets to store it on the stanchions. If I expected to use it in heavier conditions I would have gotten one of the larger Forespar poles that better fit the boat, but this works well enough for now at about half the price.

Like Jackdaw said the boat is really meant to fly an asymmetrical spinnaker in those conditions, and it is a lot faster that way. We do that sometimes, but the whisker pole is a whole lot easier than dragging out the kite, rigging it, and needing to repack it at the end of the day. Our J measurement is just under 15’ so the 15’ pole is enough to keep the jib from collapsing.

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David,

You might think about moving your jib car all the forward when you do this; or even better, use a separate sheet that runs outside the shrouds. As you know, the sheets really don't like this!
 
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Aug 20, 2013
174
Beneteau 311 Port Clinton, OH (Lake Erie)
Dr. D,

I recommend that you acquire a collapsible whisker pole. With a three-segment pole you can store it in the cockpit locker when not in use, like a boat pole. I have a Beneteau 311, with a J measurement of 11' 4", and a Forespar 7-17' pole, model 407100. I bought this pole used for $100. This pole is a little undersized for my boat, but I only use it in light winds and am careful to not overdo it. I have marked my pole so that I can extend it to the PHRF maximum when racing but not further. If I am sailing/racing singlehanded and anticipate using the pole, I set up the pole in advance and set one end in the cabin and the other end at the lip of the companionway.

This pole is not strong enough to push a spinnaker out to windward in a conventional way.

In a pinch, you can use a boat pole or mop handle and a crew member to hold the jib out to windward. Even a bamboo pole can do the job in light winds.

The pole attaches to a bail on the front of the mast as in the picture above from Davidasailor26. The other end attaches to the jib sheet near the knot. To use the pole, attach the end to the lazy sheet when the jib is on the same side as the main. Attach the other end to the mast, and then pull in on the new sheet while releasing the old sheet to pull the jib across. It helps to use an uphaul to hold the pole up. Your Beneteau probably has a line on the front of the mast below the forestay for this purpose.

I highly recommend that you run the jib sheet through a block attached to the toe rail while using a whisker pole. You can experiment to find the best location, but try maybe 4 holes behind the shrouds to start.

When gybing, disconnect the pole from the mast and the sheet, push the pole across to the new sheet, connect the pole to the mast, and pull the jib across with the new sheet while releasing the old sheet. You can gybe the main first or second.

Depending on the proportions of your rig and how much you extend the pole, you could probably roll up the jib with the pole attached if you had to furl the jib in a hurry, say for a squall or a passing freighter.

When taking down the pole, lower the pole to the deck with the uphaul, and you can temporarily connect one end to a shroud down low or set up a loop of line at the toe rail to clip to. If the uphaul line is connected the pole isn't going overboard while you get organized.

When sailing wing on wing with a pole, be extra careful not to gybe the main. A preventer can be helpful, or a crew member in very light winds. Just be sure not to launch the crew member overboard if the wind picks up and backwinds the main.

Sailing dead downwind wing on wing is definitely faster than gybing back and forth. But as Jackdaw says, an asymmetrical is even better, at least in light and moderate winds. If your destination is not straight downwind, you can alternate between wing and wing and a broad reach. Just be sure to not sail so low on a broad reach that the jib stops pulling. On light air days I hold the jib sheet in my hand while steering so that I can immediately tell when the jib is losing pressure.

You can also use an adjustable pole to extend the jib clew out beyond the lee rail when on a broad reach to get a better sheeting angle.

For a cruising sailor, the weather is a factor in deciding whether to sail dead downwind or to gybe back and forth. On a hot summer day, sailing dead downwind can be very hot as the apparent wind is minimized, while with a broad reach there is at least some breeze over the side. With an asymmetrical you will feel even more breeze over the side, as a broad reach on true wind is close to a beam reach in apparent wind.

Good luck!
 
May 17, 2004
5,431
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
David,

You might think about moving your jib car all the forward when you do this; or even better, use a separate sheet that runs outside the shrouds. As you know, the sheets really don't like this!
I agree. In that picture the sheet was snagged on the stanchion. Usually I make sure to clear the snag, then the sheet just pushes down a little on the lifeline but isn’t as misdirected as in the picture. I have blocks for reaching sheets and could use those too; I’d just need to run the extra sheet to the clew and switch to it.
With a three-segment pole you can store it in the cockpit locker when not in use, like a boat pole.
I had hoped to do that, but it turns out 7’ is just a few inches longer than the cockpit locker on the 37. Maybe the OP’s 35.1 would accommodate it.
It helps to use an uphaul to hold the pole up. Your Beneteau probably has a line on the front of the mast below the forestay for this purpose.
Definitely. We use the spinnaker halyard for that. Gives the leech of the sail a much better shape than having it hold all the weight.
 

Dr. D

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Nov 3, 2018
278
Beneteau Oceanis 35.1 Herrington Harbour North
Thanks all for the suggestions. Much for me to think through.

Jackdaw: You are right, it is a nice boat! You are also correct about the code 0 and I have one. There are circumstances when I can not use it, so I was considering how to make better use of the 106% genoa.

After I posted, I found this video: Maryland School of Sailing Gybe Control

I believe I will give their single line preventer a try.
 
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Dr. D

.
Nov 3, 2018
278
Beneteau Oceanis 35.1 Herrington Harbour North
OK, it only took me way too many months, but I got around to rigging a boom preventer. The simple, single line type that MSS suggests.

I haven't tried it in a strong wind, though I probably would sail not so deep in those conditions. What the preventer does help with is the lack of a traveler in light air. In those conditions, with any chop, the boom will swing in and out which causes the main to flutter. That, of course, makes the wind separate from the sail. With the preventer applied the boom stays stable.

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jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,198
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Dr D... Tursi, gives a solid understanding of the preventer in his classes. I think you have a great plan for sailing the protected waters of the Chesapeake. Unless the wind is N-S where the fetch can arouse waves in the Bay, the waves and swell are pretty manageable.

Sailing in the Pacific, I have favored the preventer run to the bow cleat. I attach the line to the bow cleat using soft shackle and the line run through a block. I favor the bow cleat because the extra line serves to buffer the stresses on the boom. Additionally I attach the preventer to the end of the boom, as shown in Tursi's illustrations. The end of the boom can better handle the stress (than the middle of the boom) of the preventer holding the boom in place should the boom dip into green water as the boat rides up and down the waves.
While this is an unlikely exposure in the Bay. knowing about various options may come in handy.

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Look forward to hearing about your experiences. I found the preventer a very useful tool to have in the sail bag.