Great system!
Hello, Stowing and using your pole from the track makes for significantly less acrobatic run activity — if you set the gear up right. For starters, make sure you get the right pole; many people skimp on tube section, convincing themselves that they'll never put heavy loads on. Wrong. Consult with your sailmaker on sheet loads and sail dimensions. Get their opinion on pole size. Then talk to the nice people at Forespar to confirm or deny the data. This is especially important for telescoping poles. Next, be sure of your spinnaker track, checking it and the fasteners for corrosion and security, as well as track length and location (don't want the bottom too high). Be sure not to get the 'penis'-style end fitting, if you are going to stow on the track, but the one shown at http://www.forespar.com/onlineCatalog/10-MastCarsAccessories.shtml. Now for the lifting gear. Depending on the size of boat and pole you'll want 1, 2, or 3:1 purchase. For the latter two you'll need a block on top and bottom of the track car. For 1:1 you'll need, you'll need at least two cheek blocks, mounted just above and below the track, with the line run through two Spinlock PX's or other belay device (more on these in a minute) For 2:1 you'll need a strapeye above and slightly to one side of the track for the line to deadend to. Then it will travel down to the block on the car, up to a cheek block mounted above and slightly to one side of the track, down through the PX's, then to a mirror of the block and strapeye aloft. For 3:1 you'll have a single w/becket on the car, and two cheek blocks, top and bottom. I could send you a sketch if you like. The PX's want to be mounted so as not to deflect the run of the line between cheek blocks, or to do so minimally. They will face each other, set on the wedges they come with. The fat ends of the wedges should be facing each other (skinny ends upmost and downmost). Put the lower one below waist height, and the upper one above head height, so you have plenty of room for hoisting and lowering without having your hands running into a stopper. Lubricate the stoppers regularly with MacLube. Does that help? Fair leads, Brion Toss
