Whisker pole on jib - sheet or clew ring?

[markwbird]

I've done it a couple of ways: Use oversized bowlines where the sheet attaches to the clew so you can clip into the loop or put a knot in the sheet about 8" from the clew. I also use the lazy sheet as a foreguy for better sail shape.

 

[Sailor Sue]

The focus is on the absolute most simple solution that will be safe and minimize foredeck time. The 26S is much lighter and less stable than keelboats of the same size, and wakes from the numerous powerboats in our little lake just add to the problem.

Since no one has made any comments as to why the more simple solutions (attaching the whisker pole to the clew ring or a loop of rope at the clew) would be undesirable or inadvisable, I think I will just go with that.

DArcy in the 4th response up above gave the simplest solution to your question - tie your jib sheet to the sail clew with a slightly bigger bowline loop and clip your spinnaker or whisker pole into that loop. If there is a problem with this technique it hasn't shown up in the 30+ years we've doing it, in boats from 23 to 37 feet, in the Great Lakes and the Atlantic. I can't imagine it being a problem in your "little lake".

 

[stickinthemud57]

DArcy in the 4th response up above gave the simplest solution to your question - tie your jib sheet to the sail clew with a slightly bigger bowline loop and clip your spinnaker or whisker pole into that loop. If there is a problem with this technique it hasn't shown up in the 30+ years we've doing it, in boats from 23 to 37 feet, in the Great Lakes and the Atlantic. I can't imagine it being a problem in your "little lake".

I agree that this would be a simple and effective technique that would solve my problem. Good to know you have experience with it in situations more demanding than mine. Thanks for pointing me back to it.

 

[stickinthemud57]

I'm with you - I usually sail shorthanded and the simplest technique is what I use - clipping to a soft shackle on the sail, and to the mast fitting. BUT, there's risk with that approach, and I mentioned it briefly in my previous post. This article talks about what can happen with that shortcut - so just be aware, especially in a small lake where you say wakes cause a real issue (e.g. wake induced flogging of the headsail):

The Blue View - Whisker Pole Repair — Just a Little Further

Also, here's a thread on a Mac 26s using a whisker pole that ended up in disaster. A cautionary tale - you're the captain, so you get to balance risk vs reward here, but do so with all the information.

whisker pole | Sailboat Owners Forums

Thank you for that. Exactly the kind of "what can happen" I was looking for.

My whisker pole is a Forespar brand provided through Blue Water Yacht, is decidedly lightweight, and has incorporated as "design elements" plastic clip ends and mast mount.

According to BWY:
"While Forespar says to use a larger size, we have found that the larger pole is too heavy to use in light wind without the complexity of a pole lift line. An added benefit is that if you completely lose control of things in a big blow, the plastic end fitting will break, acting as a sort of "fuse". These fittings are inexpensive and easy to replace. We stock these poles with latch fittings on both ends as we have found the "spike" style poles tend to come out of the sail grommet if the sail shakes a lot or goes slack. Instead latch securely onto the leeward sheet."

They considerately include a replacement mast mount in the package.

Obviously, harder the wind blows and the bigger the waves, the more opportunities there are for things to go haywire. One more reason to keep the crew safely in the cockpit whenever possible.