Whisker pole?

Mar 23, 2005
66
How have others fitted a whisker pole to their Vega? I am looking at a Forespar whisker pole (the Twist-Lock and maybe even the Line Control one) that extends from 7 to 15 feet. The only problem I foresee is that the end fittings on the Forespar pole need a 1.5 inch diameter ring on the mast. I was looking to use the original spinnaker pole ring that slides in the forward mast track, but that won't work because the ring is too small.

Anyway, what have you found to be a good whisker pole for the Vega? Should I look into making my own? We are leaving in November for the Bahamas and beyond and need to figure this one out.
Thanks for any input.

Cedric and Melissa
V-2941 "Lyra"
Charleston, SC (until November!)
 
Jul 18, 2002
41
I am in the process of re-rigging my Vega to fly its spinnaker.
Unfortunately, I did not get all the gear necessary to fly the sail
when I bought the boat.

I have the sail and the boom. I have re-installed a spinnaker halyard
and a topping lift.

I do not have a block for the foreguy or the turning blocks for the
sheets at the stern. I have seen some boats rigged with a
block-and-fall arrangement to supply mechanical advantage for the
foreguy, do I need to do this with the Vega?

Any suggestions on the size and type of blocks I should use and how
they should be rigged would be appreciated. The drawings in the Vega
handbook suggest that the foreguy is run over the deck to one of the
cabin-top winches. Is this true, or are there additional blocks to
guide the line to the winch in the actual boat?

Finally, the spinnaker boom is illustrated in the Vega Handbook as
being stored on a spreader and the shrouds, is there a fitting on the
spreader to do this?

John