Jib and Genoa
A Spinnaker pole would be non adjustable and a special length to fit the spinnaker made for that boat. The bridal with rings is for shaping the spinnaker by adjusting the pole to be level when flying the spinnaker. During higher winds, the spinnaker will want to balloon out in the center, lifting the end of the pole. During light winds the weight of the pole will stretch the spinnaker down making it flat, lifting the end to level will add shape and thus power. A Whisker pole is make to fit your head sail for down wind sailing. It needs no height adjustment mechanism because one side of the sail is attached to the forestay and the sheeting line is much shorter than spinnaker sheets so sail shaping is much easier. Adjustable in length, yes, needs to fit your Jib as well as your Genoa. It should be shorter than stretching your jib out perpendicular to the hull center line and long enough to stretch out your genoa to perpendicular. Shorter for the Jib so you can add shape by bowing the foot of the jib and still be 90 degrees of the hull center line. Something to try when short handed for flying a spinnaker. Use the Jib and the Genoa at the same time! The power is somewhere between the Genoa and a Spinnaker. I have never seen any literature on this so everyone will freak! For a down wind run, set the Genoa up with the whisker pole as normal. Then, using the spinnaker halyard and a spinnaker sheet. fly the jib on the other side of the boat. You can not use the hanks, just fly it using the 3 attachment points on the sail. To power up the whole front setup, adjust the hole between the two sails with the spinnaker halyard. As the wind picks up, the hole between must be enlarged to power up. Its like the wind going around the front of the poled Genoa is captured by the jib. If you become overpower and start to round up, the jib will flop in against the genoa, de-powering the set up.
