I recently purchased a (used) whisker pole for my C36. I also bought a short piece of track (about 15") and a car at a nautical swap meet (for $5 for the both of them). I'm trying to figure out what height to mount this track on the mast for the pole. (I have about a 135% head sail, in case that makes a difference.) It was recommended to me that I go ahead and buy an 8' piece of track and then I can use this to also store the pole on the mast. My plan had been to fix the pole to the stanchions for the lifelines. Do people think this is a bad idea? (NOTE: One issue for me is that I love saving money by buying used stuff, so it's close to a matter of principle to use this short piece of track. However, if it's a really bad idea, then I might violate my principles this one time.) I posted this same question to the C36 association site, but there is a lot more traffic on this site so I figure I would hear all the different views quicker here.
Whisker pole height
- Thread starter John
- Start date
- Status
Attach the pole. . . .
to the clew of the sail. Then push it out to where the sail is close to ninety degrees of the centerline. With the pole horizontal see where it matches up to the mast. This could be the center point of your track. I don't even have a track, just a ring. I would only need a track if I had more than one size jib. My pole mounts on two forward stanchions and is out of the way.
to the clew of the sail. Then push it out to where the sail is close to ninety degrees of the centerline. With the pole horizontal see where it matches up to the mast. This could be the center point of your track. I don't even have a track, just a ring. I would only need a track if I had more than one size jib. My pole mounts on two forward stanchions and is out of the way.
Track on the stanchions is a bad idea
cause it will get damaged, or DO some damage, to your skin, lines, etc. Get one of those stanchion mounts for a pole, and mount it on the second stanchion from the bow, then put one end of the pole on a lifeline ring on the pulpit and put the pole in the stanchion mount. clean and out of the way.
cause it will get damaged, or DO some damage, to your skin, lines, etc. Get one of those stanchion mounts for a pole, and mount it on the second stanchion from the bow, then put one end of the pole on a lifeline ring on the pulpit and put the pole in the stanchion mount. clean and out of the way.
The pole should be horizontal when attached
to the clew of the headsail. Look around at other boats in your marina and see what they have done. When you're out sailing, look around and see what others have done. You have two choices: a ring at the front of the mast in a fixed position, or on your short track which is essentially the same thing; or a longer track with a ring on it with lines that allow vertical adjustment. With a short track, the ring can be adjusted with a pin into the track. The purposes of the vertical adjustment are threefold: one, to permit the ring to be repositioned for different sized headsails or when reefing your existing headsail; two, to raise the inboard end to gybe the headsail; three, to raise the inboard end and store it vertically on the mast with a fitting on the deck just in front of the mast to capture the outboard, now lower end, of the pole. There's no reason not to be frugal, but do some research and figure out what you need based on how the systems work. Forespar, who makes most of the poles, must have a good website, West Marine Advisors most likely has a good section on poles and there's always Harken. Also look in the West Marine catalog to find out what materials are out there being produced for you to use. You can store the pole vertically on the mast with a long track, but the downside is that the lower piston tends to get plugged with saltwater and will freeze up unless carefully tended to on a regular basis. It requires the longer track with the movable ring. To mount the pole on the stanchions is another way, but requires mounting brackets that go on the stanchions that are expensive. You can use a fixed ring with this arrangement.
to the clew of the headsail. Look around at other boats in your marina and see what they have done. When you're out sailing, look around and see what others have done. You have two choices: a ring at the front of the mast in a fixed position, or on your short track which is essentially the same thing; or a longer track with a ring on it with lines that allow vertical adjustment. With a short track, the ring can be adjusted with a pin into the track. The purposes of the vertical adjustment are threefold: one, to permit the ring to be repositioned for different sized headsails or when reefing your existing headsail; two, to raise the inboard end to gybe the headsail; three, to raise the inboard end and store it vertically on the mast with a fitting on the deck just in front of the mast to capture the outboard, now lower end, of the pole. There's no reason not to be frugal, but do some research and figure out what you need based on how the systems work. Forespar, who makes most of the poles, must have a good website, West Marine Advisors most likely has a good section on poles and there's always Harken. Also look in the West Marine catalog to find out what materials are out there being produced for you to use. You can store the pole vertically on the mast with a long track, but the downside is that the lower piston tends to get plugged with saltwater and will freeze up unless carefully tended to on a regular basis. It requires the longer track with the movable ring. To mount the pole on the stanchions is another way, but requires mounting brackets that go on the stanchions that are expensive. You can use a fixed ring with this arrangement.
- Status