I am adding a whisker pole to be used with my asymmetrical sail on my hunter 340 (1999). The boat is used on a river lake for some racing. I am wanting to add a topping lift. I was thinking of adding a triangle mast hound with a block. I not sure how heavy the hound should be and what size Block I should use. The hound I was looking at is triangular three holes for mounting similar to a padeye. Any help is appreciated thanks steve
Adding a whisker pole topping lift
- Thread starter HD74
- Start date
You have no topping lift on a 340? Do you have a rigid vang? Are you wanting to add a topping lift for sail twist?
sorry for the confusion. I am adding a topping lift on the front of my mast for a spinnaker pole. I have a topping lift on the boom
Yes... I think he is like me!!! I have two halyards up front. 1-for the furling jib and the 2nd for the spinnaker... I have the whisker on a track but need to figure where and what I need for a topping life set up? (Bristol 35.5)
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,812
While it is possible to rig one, I’m not sure why.
An Asymmetrical is a triangular sail made of nylon. 0.75 or even 0.5 oz cloth. The slightest breeze 1-2
will lift it into the air.
A whisker pole is used with a Jib or Genoa because the cloth is heavy i.e. 6.5 oz. the pole holds the sail outbecause it would collapse if not supported.
The asymmetrical is controlled by use of the running rigging, the Tack and the Sheets. I would have several weights of sheets to manage the sail in different wind strengths.
John, I would like to remind you of the many hours that you and I ran under my Assym with pole in the Round Whidbey Race. Granted, the pole was rigged to the tack and not the clew but the OP did not specifiy how he wanted to rig it.
I use my 12-22 adjustable "whisker pole" as a spinnaker pole which is black banded at 13' for max lenght for spinn pole. I use it almost every year in that race because the normal breeze is almost parallel to the VTS so I either need to run deep angles of 170º - 180º or I need to jib often to stay mostly out of the VTS because there is not much room to either side. That also gets you into the side eddies.
Whisker pole with an asym? That don’t sound right. Asym does not use a pole. Illegal in racing to use one.
In PHRFNW there is noting in the rules about using a spinnaker pole to pole back the leading edge of a spinnaker be it symm or asymm. I just fly my Asymm like it was a symetrical. Pole back the guy to bring the leading edge out from behind the main to run deeper angles.
BTW my Asymm is so large that when it was measured, if it was 1 square inch bigger it would rate as a standard spinnaker. I know becuase I needed to cut off 2 square inches to get it from one square inch over to one square inch under standard code 5.
It is a violation of the rules to put the pole on the clew like it was a genoa but is ok on the tack.
BTW my Asymm is so large that when it was measured, if it was 1 square inch bigger it would rate as a standard spinnaker. I know becuase I needed to cut off 2 square inches to get it from one square inch over to one square inch under standard code 5.
It is a violation of the rules to put the pole on the clew like it was a genoa but is ok on the tack.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,812
I must have been napping. If you remember, when we headed into the Marrowstone Island Gyre, I headed down to the Vberth for a nap. I did not emerge until we were racing against that kids ballon of Minnie Mouse that was floating about 10 feet above the water, beating us. The nap was great. When I climbed back on deck you said we had been circling for about 2 hours. Looked like we had finally gotten to the edge and we broke free of the gyre.
The nap was very helpful as I took the night shift at the helm while we ghosted up Possession Sound in the moonlight playing the puffs and currents. I am sorry I do not remember a whisker pole in use.
Hey, we beat Merlin and and Nemo! Then we ran with the A-spinn on a pole all the way from Marrowstone to Possession Point.
The RWR is never easy. This year was the 30th running of the RWR and there were 22 entrants. Of those. only 7 completed the race and none finished with a PHRF greater than 120.
The RWR is never easy. This year was the 30th running of the RWR and there were 22 entrants. Of those. only 7 completed the race and none finished with a PHRF greater than 120.
