The whisker pole on our H-33 is a bit un-ruly as it is heavy. Any thoughts on this would be welcomed.
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Bill O'Donovan
Don't do what I did
Bought a $450 whisker pole and mounted it on the front of the mast. That day I took out my older daughter, who has always had high anxiety about listing 10 degrees. On one tack, the jib sheet caught the pole perfectly and slid it right off into the drink. "What was that?" she asked fearfully. "Oh, nothing."
Bought a $450 whisker pole and mounted it on the front of the mast. That day I took out my older daughter, who has always had high anxiety about listing 10 degrees. On one tack, the jib sheet caught the pole perfectly and slid it right off into the drink. "What was that?" she asked fearfully. "Oh, nothing."
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tony z
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Mike Linstrom
Poles
I bought my boat a year ago and it was apparently used for racing initially. I'm new to sailing, not really interested in racing, don't have a spinnaker, and I've never used one. The boat has 2 poles, one longer than the other. I believe one is a spinnaker pole and the other a whisker pole. Each is mounted horizontally to the forward deck by brackets which allow the pole to pivot up off the deck. There a minor nuisance when I wash the deck but I guess I'll leave them there. Who knows-maybe someday I'll use them.
I bought my boat a year ago and it was apparently used for racing initially. I'm new to sailing, not really interested in racing, don't have a spinnaker, and I've never used one. The boat has 2 poles, one longer than the other. I believe one is a spinnaker pole and the other a whisker pole. Each is mounted horizontally to the forward deck by brackets which allow the pole to pivot up off the deck. There a minor nuisance when I wash the deck but I guess I'll leave them there. Who knows-maybe someday I'll use them.
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Mike
I tied loops with old 1/2" line to the toe rail and attached each end of the spin pole and let it lie on the deck. I was using it as a whisker pole sometimes but it is a bit long and heavy and did not adjust. Then I bought a smaller Forespar 6-12. Rated too small for my 81 Hunter 30 but is very easy to handle and adjusts nicely. I have never had any problems with it in even 20 knts of wind. Plus I store it in the Qtr-berth out of the way.
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Tom Long
West Marine sells rubber mounts for the whisker pole which attach to the stanchions. They work well to store the whisker pole out of the way. The pole sits in the mounts and lays horizontally between the stanchions.
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Bill Ebling
Safety tether with mast Storage
The pole ring on the mast of my H31 is an Isomat movable car that can be positioned from 2 to 16ft above the mast step with a continuous loop control line. I carry a Forespar control line whisker pole (10’-18’) on this ring. The car and the pole can be raised to hoist the pole vertically against the mast when not in use. During storage the outboard end of the pole is clipped to a bail attached to the mast step; the car can then be raised further until pole is held tight against the mast. The pole is held securely to the mast with its endpole fittings protected from rouge genny sheets during tacks. A small 1/4" braided topping lift exits from inside the mast thru a sheave midway up the mast. This lift is permanently attached to pole near end of the first telesope section of the pole. I can control the length of the lift with a cleat near the mast base where the lift exits through another sheave. A stopper knot prevents the tail of the lift from being lost in the mast. In addition to serving as the pole topping lift, this line also serves to partially support the weight of the pole when its uncliped from the ring during gybe maneuvers, and it also serves as a safety tether in case the pole is dropped overboard. 95% of the time I am setting and gybing the pole at the mast ring single-handed. I have never dropped the pole overboard yet, but I can do this with confidence knowing that the pole will stay with the boat if I ever do.
The pole ring on the mast of my H31 is an Isomat movable car that can be positioned from 2 to 16ft above the mast step with a continuous loop control line. I carry a Forespar control line whisker pole (10’-18’) on this ring. The car and the pole can be raised to hoist the pole vertically against the mast when not in use. During storage the outboard end of the pole is clipped to a bail attached to the mast step; the car can then be raised further until pole is held tight against the mast. The pole is held securely to the mast with its endpole fittings protected from rouge genny sheets during tacks. A small 1/4" braided topping lift exits from inside the mast thru a sheave midway up the mast. This lift is permanently attached to pole near end of the first telesope section of the pole. I can control the length of the lift with a cleat near the mast base where the lift exits through another sheave. A stopper knot prevents the tail of the lift from being lost in the mast. In addition to serving as the pole topping lift, this line also serves to partially support the weight of the pole when its uncliped from the ring during gybe maneuvers, and it also serves as a safety tether in case the pole is dropped overboard. 95% of the time I am setting and gybing the pole at the mast ring single-handed. I have never dropped the pole overboard yet, but I can do this with confidence knowing that the pole will stay with the boat if I ever do.
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Rodger Beard
Forespar mounts
As Tom Long mentioned already mentioned, the Forespar rubber clamps are a good chocie. I too have a Forespar 8-14' whisker pole and have it mounted horizontially just above the deck, on the rail between two stanchions (sp), using two matching Forespar hard rubber clamps. I race a lot and this arrangement works extremely well. It's quick, easy and safew removing the pole as well as replacing it when finished. Nicest part is that the pole is always out of the way, yet close at hand. Rodger s/v Attitude Adjustment IMHO, that pole should NOT be mounted on the front of the mast. It'll be much harder to work with there, tend to be in the way when hoisting you AYSO, and may be a source of otherwise avoidable sail chaff when tacking.
As Tom Long mentioned already mentioned, the Forespar rubber clamps are a good chocie. I too have a Forespar 8-14' whisker pole and have it mounted horizontially just above the deck, on the rail between two stanchions (sp), using two matching Forespar hard rubber clamps. I race a lot and this arrangement works extremely well. It's quick, easy and safew removing the pole as well as replacing it when finished. Nicest part is that the pole is always out of the way, yet close at hand. Rodger s/v Attitude Adjustment IMHO, that pole should NOT be mounted on the front of the mast. It'll be much harder to work with there, tend to be in the way when hoisting you AYSO, and may be a source of otherwise avoidable sail chaff when tacking.
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