I am considering buying the ADJ6-12DL pole with double lexan SL fittings and recommended hardware from West Marine. (pg 850 in 2000 catalog) I would appreciate yeas/nays on this choice and/or any other recommendations from 23.5/240 sailors using whisker poles. I sail with the standard 110 working jib. Thanx for your input. George Greenauer Gman@ala.net Hunter 23.5 Mary's Mink
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It's a light duty pole...
Not much different (+1/4) than the one I used in my 13' day sailer. I know West Marine shows it as the correct selection on their chart for a working jib for up to a 25' boat, but the strain imposed by wind conditions is a factor. If you are only drifting down a channel in a harbor it should be fine, but in a heavier breeze out at sea I would recommend stepping up to the HD 6 12-DL version (I know... twice as much!), or look into used whisker poles for sale if cost is a factor.
Not much different (+1/4) than the one I used in my 13' day sailer. I know West Marine shows it as the correct selection on their chart for a working jib for up to a 25' boat, but the strain imposed by wind conditions is a factor. If you are only drifting down a channel in a harbor it should be fine, but in a heavier breeze out at sea I would recommend stepping up to the HD 6 12-DL version (I know... twice as much!), or look into used whisker poles for sale if cost is a factor.
Whisker pole
I own a 260/270 and was looking to add a whisker pole. I couldn't believe that the end fittings and pad eye came in a kit for $26 dollars, and they wanted almost $200 for the pole itself. I bought the end fitting kit, and then went to home depot and bought a telescoping pool cleaning pole. It's 6061-T6 anodized aluminum, and it's more than long enough. I trimmed it to size and it works fine. You may have to shim the one end of the pole prior to bonding the end fitting on. Total cost $46 dollars, and the pole is more robust 1.25" diam. than the one at west marine. Dan "Unruly Julie"
I own a 260/270 and was looking to add a whisker pole. I couldn't believe that the end fittings and pad eye came in a kit for $26 dollars, and they wanted almost $200 for the pole itself. I bought the end fitting kit, and then went to home depot and bought a telescoping pool cleaning pole. It's 6061-T6 anodized aluminum, and it's more than long enough. I trimmed it to size and it works fine. You may have to shim the one end of the pole prior to bonding the end fitting on. Total cost $46 dollars, and the pole is more robust 1.25" diam. than the one at west marine. Dan "Unruly Julie"
)whisker pole story
Heres a story for you while you're on the topic. I ordered 1 small whisker pole from West Marine and they accidentally sent me a whole case of 10 large ones for $65-!!!! I could have fitted you all out with whisker poles had I not been a Boy Scout......LOL. I called them and sent them back. The bigger ones were far too long for my H23. Incidentally, I once bought a boat hook and tried to cut the handle end off to fit it out as a whisker pole (I love tools that serve double duty). But don't do that! It seems the mechanism that twist locks the pole is in the handle end and I ruined the pole! Actually, in the end, I did cut the hook off my 1" boat hook and fit it over the pin end of my smaller whisker pole so now I do have a pole that serves double duty.
Heres a story for you while you're on the topic. I ordered 1 small whisker pole from West Marine and they accidentally sent me a whole case of 10 large ones for $65-!!!! I could have fitted you all out with whisker poles had I not been a Boy Scout......LOL. I called them and sent them back. The bigger ones were far too long for my H23. Incidentally, I once bought a boat hook and tried to cut the handle end off to fit it out as a whisker pole (I love tools that serve double duty). But don't do that! It seems the mechanism that twist locks the pole is in the handle end and I ruined the pole! Actually, in the end, I did cut the hook off my 1" boat hook and fit it over the pin end of my smaller whisker pole so now I do have a pole that serves double duty.
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