I need to replace the control line on my Forespar spin/whisker pole. Does anyone know what to take apart in order to remove and replace the line?
whisker pole control line
- Thread starter tartansailboat
- Start date
Are you asking about the line that extends the pole? Is it a whisker pole or a spinnaker pole? There's a difference in control lines. You could be also be talking about lines that control the jaws of a spinnaker pole. Please give us more details.
I think this is what you are looking for. http://theretirementproject.blogspot.com/2016/10/rebuilding-forespar-whisker-pole.html
I think the pole is for a spin, it is quite heavy for a whisker pole. All I want to do is replace the control line, not the small lines or wires that retract the pistons on the ends. From the nice article in Hayden's reply, they rebuilt the entire pole due to a failure of the inner tube. I just want to replace the control line, it is badly frayed. From the article, they removed both ends of the pole and all the rivets and screws. I plan to just sew a new 3/8 line to the old line and pull the new line through as though you were replacing a halyard. But to do that I need to get at the pad eye at the mast end of the inner tube because the control line is tied to that pad eye. The article from Forespar shows that detail nicely. But I think that the pad eye is located too far from the mast end so that I might have to remove the outboard end of the pole in order to slide the inner tube back far enough towards the mast end to get at the pad eye. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.
From looking at the diagram I think that you will need to at least partially disassemble. Spinnaker poles are fixed length because of the large compression force they are subjected to. If it is adjustable then it is a whisker pole. On my C30 I have a 12-22 and yes it is BIG! Actually a 10-18 is the correct size for my boat but it was on the boat when I bought it. The PO lived by the motto that bigger is always better. I guess that is why my batteries are wired with 4-O wires.
Back about 30 years ago I converted my push button locking whisker pole to a line controlled extendable version. They sent me a kit and instructions. I've attached that file for your review. Reading over it brings little recollection of what I went through, but it does appear you need to get to that internal pad eye and untie the control line. Maybe working backwards through the instructions will get you there. Good luck and I hope mine doesn't wear out.
the conversion text looks very detailed but from the dimensions I think I can figure how to get at the pad eye, many thanks