Bill, what whisker pole do you have? Is it fixed length or telescoping?
11' fixed pole, 2.5" in diameter. And the more I look at this, the more I think the pole end wasn't in the rope loop. Someone may have pulled it loose to get to the mainsail cover zippers and didn't put it back.
Still need a better, foolproof system, which will probably mean replacing the urethane chock on the mast with a fixed mast pole ring. I like what Ted's C&C has, but no room on my boat with the mast wire box in the way.