# Talk to me about whisker poles!



## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

I have a Catalina 27 and I'd like to use a whisker pole with my 150% furling genoa. (Foot is 18').

I was looking at the forspar twist lock 7-15 ft pole.
Assuming I store it on the stanchions with the forspar stanchion brackets, can I simply use a pad eye on the mast or should I go with a t-track and car?
Do I need any other hardware?


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## CaptTony (May 22, 2011)

Many years ago I had a Hunter 27. It had a 150 Genoa sail like you're Catalina. The boat was outfitted with a twist lock whisker pole, and I used a pad eye on the mast. It worked fine. One year returning from the Bahamas I was doing a wing on wing for 10 hours with that setup. 

Having said that it would probably be better set up with a track on the mast; although if I ever did it again with a similar size boat I probably would just use the padeye again.


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

I am also assuming one can use the mainsail's topping lift for the pole, correct?


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## tschmidty (Sep 25, 2008)

My .02 (check current exchange rates...) is that a pad eye is fine for a whisker pole if you use it with a genoa of a fixed size. And frankly you can use it for other sails just know that it won't be optimal (but close enough).

I also feel like a topping life is overkill for your boat. Unless your whisker pole is getting particularly heavy or long you'll be fine without it. What will happen is you will close down the leech a bit but frankly downwind sailing is not real dependent on perfect sail shape.

FWIW, here it is a picture of my 23' boat rolling along with a homemade whisker pole made out of a sturdier than normal twist extension, a snap clip and a chopped up paint roller set to a point. You could argue that the pad eye coule be another foot up the mast but I can't see it affecting sail shape much if at all.


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## blutoyz (Oct 28, 2012)

tschmidty said:


> My .02 (check current exchange rates...) is that a pad eye is fine for a whisker pole if you use it with a genoa of a fixed size. And frankly you can use it for other sails just know that it won't be optimal (but close enough).
> 
> I also feel like a topping life is overkill for your boat. Unless your whisker pole is getting particularly heavy or long you'll be fine without it. What will happen is you will close down the leech a bit but frankly downwind sailing is not real dependent on perfect sail shape.
> 
> FWIW, here it is a picture of my 23' boat rolling along with a homemade whisker pole made out of a sturdier than normal twist extension, a snap clip and a chopped up paint roller set to a point. You could argue that the pad eye coule be another foot up the mast but I can't see it affecting sail shape much if at all.


SOrry for the hijack but I would sure like some pics of your rig on this if you have them....I like it!!!


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Cut down windsurfer masts work as well if you want to go the DIY route.


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

You can use a pad eye on the mast in line with your genny clew. You do not need a topping lift. The leech of the jib will do that job. If it is just a whisker pole it will never see the compressive loads a spin pole sees so you can go light on the whisker pole.


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## deltaten (Oct 10, 2012)

I used my painter's pole boat hook a few weeks ago. I put the screw-on boat hook thru the gorilla loop at the clew/jib sheet point and loosely tied the poly rope wrist strap to the main halyard cleat on the mast. Screw/twist till it's loose, extend as needed, lock 'er down and let 'er ride !


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## sonosail (Mar 17, 2008)

weinie said:


> I am also assuming one can use the mainsail's topping lift for the pole, correct?


You don't want to use the mainsail topping lift. It emerges from the mast the wrong way. 
An extra jib halyard should work well enough if you have one. 
Also, I recommend buying the slightly more expensive line adjustable pole.
My experience with the twist adjustable ones has not been positive.

rb


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

When I bought one a few weeks back Forespar was having a rebate promotion. They have all aluminum, 1/2+ 1/2 ,all carbon. Might be a good idea to check if you can still get a price break. A surprising amount of force is generated in the pole when you use it with any wind up. Like using a preventer on the main having your jib poled out takes some of the excitement out in heavy winds. Makes for better shape and I think less wear and tear on the sail. Have a carbon one due to size and being a feeble old man. Think it's a silly expense unless you have to do it like I did. Think getting a good store bought telescoping one is worth it as it makes it safer with less foredeck gymnastics and allows use on any sail. Having some form of fore guy/after guy or at least some way to keep the pole down makes it less scary as well.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

outbound said:


> When I bought one a few weeks back Forespar was having a rebate promotion. They have all aluminum, 1/2+ 1/2 ,all carbon. Might be a good idea to check if you can still get a price break. A surprising amount of force is generated in the pole when you use it with any wind up. Like using a preventer on the main having your jib poled out takes some of the excitement out in heavy winds. Makes for better shape and I think less wear and tear on the sail. Have a carbon one due to size and being a feeble old man. Think it's a silly expense unless you have to do it like I did. Think getting a good store bought telescoping one is worth it as it makes it safer with less foredeck gymnastics and allows use on any sail. Having some form of fore guy/after guy or at least some way to keep the pole down makes it less scary as well.


Agreed, the line control poles are well worth the extra money for anything more than the smallest size extendable poles... And you're right, most might be surprised by the loads that can be generated when the breeze comes up...

No excuses necessary to go with carbon for a boat the size of yours, definitely the right thing to do... The H-R 43 I recently brought back north from Trinidad had an aluminum pole, and I was cursing the owner all the way for 'cheaping out' on such an important piece of gear... (grin) We probably sailed wing & wing for 600 miles or more in total, and working that pole alone on a rolling foredeck with a big inflatable taking up much of the space was a real *****, and definitely way more hazardous than it would have been with a carbon pole... A couple of grand extra for a carbon pole, on a boat worth $400K or more, seems a no-brainer, to me...

Hell, even my little tub has all-carbon poles, and a line-control that I made myself by replacing the aluminum tubes with carbon blanks... Well worth it, you are SO much more likely to deploy them when you've made it easy on yourself, IMHO...


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

There is very little load on a whisker pole in any conditions. Do the math. There is no compression when you are sailing DDW or almost DDW. Maybe a tiny compressive load component but not enough to worry about. Do a vector diagram. Truth is the whisker pole can be a fraction of the size of a spin pole.

I agree with Jon. A CF pole will change your life. Well worth it. You will do less damage to your boat.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Gotta defer to Bob as he does it for a living. But stand by the rest of my first post. Still think carbon was worth it for me and also having dedicated control lines for the pole to keep it in position. Jon's boat is rigged right. Earlier pictures in this thread made me worry. Worry about getting into trouble -sail back winds, boat falls off a wave -whatever. Worry more going downwind then up. Easier to feel what's going on upwind. Rather be in irons then have an unplanned for gybe. Of course neither ever happened to me or my crew (GRIN).


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Out:
I am totally with you.
A feather light CF whisker pole will do the job.
There is no comparison between a spin pole that will see very high compressive loads when the AWA is forward of 90 degs. and a whisker pole operating in DDW conditions.

We're good on that.


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## jameswilson29 (Aug 15, 2009)

Buy your aluminum whisker pole and a spinnaker pole used on eBay or Craigslist, forget the stanchion mounts (you can tie them on) and, with the extra money you save, rig your boat for a complete spinnaker set up while you are at it. You will find perfectly good poles being sold by casual club racers who are converting to carbon/spectra set ups.

Put a track on the mast, a padeye on the foredeck, tie a block for the topping lift at the spreaders, and add an extra halyard on the front bail at the top of the mast. Buy a used spinnaker, some sheets, snap some blocks on the rail near your transom, add some tweakers and you are are in business...

Whisker pole:





Spinnaker pole:


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Delightful footage Jim. Still like any pole fixed in space in all axes. But then again I'm lazy and generally don't use a pole unless it's going to be up for awhile. Find the carbon is light enough to use it for all downwind sails so don't carry two. It's contracted when using the solent far reaching and all the way out with a spin or genny DDW. Your advise for the boat of the original poster seems right on though. Tx. again for the video. Moving along in a flat sea. It's the best. DDW in those conditions is the time we have bacon and eggs or flapjacks for breakfast- yum.


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

I ordered a aluminum forspar twist lock pole. Im just going to mount it with a padeye for now. Ill post again after i test it out a bit.


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

Here it is!
Got to try it out in about 5knots of wind today.
The pole is heavy and without a topping lift, it would be in the water.
However, rather than use a topping lift, I hooked the pole to the bight on the bowline and fully extended, tbe pole seems to work well.


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

The pole should fix to the clew of the genny. That way the genny leech holds the pole up. By clipping the pole to the bowline you accidently did the right thing.
Congrats. Whisker poles do not need topping lifts.


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

Looks like you have a furling jib, if you did not have one, then a movable padeye is nice to have. I have three different jibs with my cruise 140 has a higher clew than the drfter or 155 string jib I use racing. All need different pad eye placements. For me, or others in similar circumstances, a movable padeye does and can make a difference in sail shape between the different sails.

I've even found when not running true down wind, but say 5-10* to one side with the pole slightly forward, the padeye needs to change height some to get the best shape. Talking inches here, but still if trying to get the most speed out of the boat/sails, a movable padeye is best.

marty


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

bobperry said:


> The pole should fix to the clew of the genny. That way the genny leech holds the pole up. By clipping the pole to the bowline you accidently did the right thing.
> Congrats. Whisker poles do not need topping lifts.


From what I've seen and read, I've been led to believe that the preferable way would be to clip the pole to the jib sheet (after the bowline, of course) so that should you have to gybe to avoid an obstacle or attend to a MOB situation, the sail will simply flop over to the other side.


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

On my 26'er the end of the pole just had a .25" dia. L shaped "prong". I stuck it through the clew ring on the genny. It would have worked just as well on the bowline. I'm not sure it even needed to be L shaped. I think there was always enough load on it to keep it in place.


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## sonosail (Mar 17, 2008)

blt2ski said:


> Looks like you have a furling jib, if you did not have one, then a movable padeye is nice to have. I have three different jibs with my cruise 140 has a higher clew than the drfter or 155 string jib I use racing. All need different pad eye placements. For me, or others in similar circumstances, a movable padeye does and can make a difference in sail shape between the different sails.
> 
> I've even found when not running true down wind, but say 5-10* to one side with the pole slightly forward, the padeye needs to change height some to get the best shape. Talking inches here, but still if trying to get the most speed out of the boat/sails, a movable padeye is best.
> 
> marty


A "movable padeye" is what?
something on a track?
Sorry for being so dense.
rb


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## MedSailor (Mar 30, 2008)

bobperry said:


> There is very little load on a whisker pole in any conditions. Do the math. There is no compression when you are sailing DDW or almost DDW. Maybe a tiny compressive load component but not enough to worry about. Do a vector diagram. Truth is the whisker pole can be a fraction of the size of a spin pole.
> 
> I agree with Jon. A CF pole will change your life. Well worth it. You will do less damage to your boat.


Interesting....

I was convinced by the masses that there would be compression and flex loads on the pole and thus, my hair-brained idea, of a bamboo whisker pole was nixed in this thread: Bamboo whisker pole

Bob, what do you think of a bamboo whisker pole? My headsail is 120% and 400sqft, so I'd be missing out a little bit if I only used my J length of 16.25ft and a non-extending pole but I'm not too concerned about that. I was more worried about strength.

Would 1.5" or 2" bamboo pole be strong enough or would I die by impairment of chopstick shards? 

Here is an article on the structural properties of bamboo that is unfortunately in units that I don't understand. 
MedSailor


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Med:
I think you should try a bamboo whisker pole. It would be a cheap experiment.

Look at the vector of the genny to whisker pole end and sheet to whisker pole end with the genny full and pulling. It's damn near a straight line so there cannot be any appreciable compression on the pole.


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## rbrasi (Mar 21, 2011)

bobperry said:


> Whisker poles do not need topping lifts.


Ding ding ding ding! This is just the answer I was looking for. I borrowed a friend's pole yesterday and flew the genny DDW sans topping/foreguy and it held perfectly still. Thanks!


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## rhr1956 (Dec 18, 2010)

Pad Eye is fine. Locate it at a height that will be horizontally level with the clue of the sail...more or less. No topping lift needed. Don't get too flimsy a pole though. If you haul on the genoa sheet too hard it puts a lot of bend load on the pole. They can kink at the telescoping joint of the pole and at that point you can "Turn out the lights, the party's over"


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Amazing! I actually often do know what I'm talking about, when it comes to boats.
Many thanks for the verification rasi. I have done it once or twice.


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## SkywalkerII (Feb 20, 2008)

Four or five years ago, I lost my pole overboard, don't ask me how.

I went home, cut down some bamboo in my backward, fashioned a hook for the inboard end, an aluminum L for the outboard end (gutter nail) and raced the next race.

Flexed, looked at bit like the beverly hillbillies, but I felt like the coolest guy on the water. Carbon fiber? Who needs carbon fiber!

Skywalker
Tartan 27 249


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Way to go Walker. Bamboo is a good material for the job. When I first started travelling to Taiwan I was amazed at all the uses they had for bamboo. High rise buildings were built with scaffoldings of bamboo.

I have a Dunhill pipe with a bamboo shank. It's very valuable.


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## SkywalkerII (Feb 20, 2008)

Thanks.

My Philippino friends have described many species and uses. And, boy does it grow fast. 

Since then the local town board has declared bamboo an invasive species and we have removed it.

I sure hope I don't lose my pole overboard.

Skywalker


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

I have a bamboo nursery a mile from my shack. I think they advertise 36 varieties.


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## flandria (Jul 31, 2012)

I am much appreciating this thread. I am not into racing or spinnakers... but my 14 year old-grandson is enjoying them on dinghies, and I think he may bring the topic up. A whisker pole on my 150% genoa on a Catalina 36MkII may be in the offing!.

I could use some more "explanation for dummies" when describing how the pole hooks into the eye of the genoa, where and how high to attach the pad-eye (I assume one, center of mast, forward of course), and how to keep everything in place when underway. I read about extending poles... do you clip into clew, then extend the pole (under load? sail out?) and lift/hook into padeye? Is there a thread like that somewhere else on the forum? Many thanks!


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

flan:
It is simpler than you think.
The end of the pole can just be a protruding pin, say .25" dia. s.s.
Or, it can be the same dia but turned into a 90 deg hook.
Or there are fitting you can buy to fit on the end of the pole with a line activated spring pin like you see on spin poles.
There will be enough load on the clew to keep it impaled on any kind of pin you want to put out there. You do not need to "grab" or "clasp" the clew of the sail. But you can if you like. My boat had a simple L shaped pin.

The heigth is not critical but ideally it would be from th clew of the genny perpendicular to the mast. You can do this with a padeye and if you are ofrf perpendicular a foot either way it won't be a problem. Ideally the pole sits horizontal. The closer to horizontal the pole the more projected sail area you'll get it of your genny.

You can put a length of track on your mast to allow for changing the height of the pole. A pin stop car with a ring on it takes the inboard end of the pole which will have a spin pole inboard end fitting like a Forespar UXP, external trip, probably fig. 304053 for your boat but check with Forsepar for the correct size based on pole diameter.

If you are up for buying a new pole I'd suggest the Forespar twist lock telescoping pole and it comes with the appropriate end fittings. All you would need to add is the pad eye on the mast or track if you prefer. I'd go pad eye and you'd be good to go.

I probably made it sound complicated but it is not.


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## SkywalkerII (Feb 20, 2008)

In this all too complicated world, it is very comforting to have a man of the stature of Mr. Perry advocating the most simple solution.

Go for it.

Skywalker


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## 34crealock (Dec 30, 2012)

I used to use a telescoping boat hook to control the big genny on a 26 foot sloop. The spin pole was just too big. As bob said , I just stuck the business end in the clew and lashed the handle to the mast. No down hauls or topping lifts required. Great fun can be had by messing about on boats.


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

I'm doing hand to hand combat with kidney stones tonight. Whisker pole talk distracts me.

Crealock:
Rather a cruide way of doing it. But I've done it crude too and that's the point I was trying to make. This is not a spin pole and will never see loads that a spin pole sees.


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

flandria said:


> ...I could use some more "explanation for dummies" when describing how the pole hooks into the eye of the genoa, where and how high to attach the pad-eye (I assume one, center of mast, forward of course), and how to keep everything in place when underway. I read about extending poles... do you clip into clew, then extend the pole (under load? sail out?) and lift/hook into padeye? Is there a thread like that somewhere else on the forum? Many thanks!


Many people may want to adjust the pole's length for different conditions, but for my light duty twist-lock pole (with clamps on both ends) I picked a single length that works best for most conditions and marked it the spot with a sharpie marker. So I just extend the pole to that length, then clip on to the clew followed by the padeye.

Since I only have a 110 on a 25' boat, the pole does not need to be extended very far. In fact, I learned a trick from Ulladh that makes for easy use, especially when singlehanding. My preferred length is just short enough to allow the pole to move across the bow without hitting the forestay. So instead of clipping onto the leeward sheet, I have a loop through my clew that I clip on to. That way, I can jibe and move the genoa over to the other side without having to go to the bow. You do lose a little performance from not having the pole extended further, but it's minor on a 110. YMMV with a 150.

The risk of attaching to a loop instead of the leeward sheet is that if you accidentally backwind the genoa, there could be significant compression that could buckle the pole. But I'd have the same risk with the poles that have a spike at the end, so it's not an unacceptable risk given the benefit I get of being able to change sides so easily.

[EDIT: I now realize that the term "windward" and "leeward" have little meaning for travelling DDW with sails wing-and-wing. So where I say "leeward sheet" above, I'm actually referring to the working (tensioned) sheet, as opposed to the lazy (non-tensioned) sheet. ]


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## lancelot9898 (Dec 30, 2008)

weinie said:


> From what I've seen and read, I've been led to believe that the preferable way would be to clip the pole to the jib sheet (after the bowline, of course) so that should you have to gybe to avoid an obstacle or attend to a MOB situation, the sail will simply flop over to the other side.


I've always used my line control wisker pole cliped to the jib sheet rather than directly to the clew. I have a self latching fitting which would be difficult to attach directly to the clew.


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Lance:
That works. You do not need to "clamp" the clew. It's all about holding the clew out not so much how you do it. If you have a claw type end fitting just hook it over the sheet.
That works.


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## lancelot9898 (Dec 30, 2008)

Bob,

Hope you start feeling better. I hope to never have the kidney stone experience, but maybe to take your mind off to some other thoughts at the risk of hyjacking this thread....Fluid dynamics was never my favorite topic in college since much was emperical derivation. However after recently doing a blister repair on my Tayana last month and applying barrier coats after a bottom peel, I found out that my effort at sanding out the ridges were not a effective as I wanted, but I rationalized that it was smooth enough. Then my thoughts turned to a smooth surface and how laminar flow is achieved. A golf ball came to mind and how they are not smooth but dimpled to achieved superior flight.

Sorry for the hyjack.


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## SkywalkerII (Feb 20, 2008)

Good morning, Bob.

I hope you and your kidneys are on friendlier terms.

Skywalker


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

I'm fine. We'll just see how the day goes. I'll be with my granddaughter much of the day so I'll be happy.
Thanks for the concern.

Lance:
I hear you but a smooth bottom seems to be the age old way to go. You can do test panels and race drops down them and see. Do you remember 20+ years ago when the AC boats tried "Riblets" on their hulls? It has since been banned.


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## Brett Bris (Jul 26, 2013)

Hi Weinie - I hope you sorted this out. My life is spend in the SE trades and poling out the genoa is a daily event. Wonderfully stable rig. Many dont realise you can safely reef in a poled genoa set-up on a roller furler. Can do it from the cockpit not adverture land which is a bonus. My boat is a little bigger at 36', agree topping lift and down-haul probably not needed. I have both so use them. I have a youtube vid that shows the set up, see youtube/sailing queensland (the one Mackay to Hamilton Island). cheers.


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## sailordave (Jun 26, 2001)

Here's my .02

While you don't need a topper, I use one because it helps deploy the pole (Al on my boat, hoping Santa will bring a CF pole) and I use a third sheet. I have an extra jib sheet w/ a spliced on shackle I use as a changing sheet if I ever change headsails and when I go wing/wing or double headsail I run this sheet through the jaw of the pole and clip it to the rail. Swing the pole up and out and lock it in position w/ the topper, foreguy and after guy. Clip the sheet onto the sail and away we go. 
The REASON is as someone else stated, if I have to gybe quickly I just let the sheet run and I still have the two regular sheets attached. 
Two weeks ago the Admiral and I did a drift fest of a "race" and when the wind finally picked up on the downwind leg I put up a second jib and away we went!


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

I had a topping lift installed a last week when I had to have the windex replaced. I got to try it out in light winds yesterday.

The TL takes just a few seconds more to deploy but DEFINITELY gives you more options for shaping the sail. I believe that having the pole right on the clew or bowline knot pulls the leech too tight especially when you have the full weight of the pole on it and very light wind to counter the force. As I have a 150 genoa, the pole is fully extended and that perhaps exerts additional leverage to pull the sail downwards.

But using just a bit of TL, moving the pole onto the sheet where it finds a sweet spot about a foot away from the clew, and reefing the large genoa just a bit, produces what I think is an optimal, fuller shape for going downwind.


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Dave makes a good point. The topping lift can make it easier to handle the pole. But on boats under 40' LOA I'm not convinced it's a problem. But then I am a huge strong brute of a man not to be cowed by a mere whisker pole.
"Cowed"?
" mere "?

English is a challenge for me.


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## MedSailor (Mar 30, 2008)

bobperry said:


> Dave makes a good point. The topping lift can make it easier to handle the pole. But on boats under 40' LOA I'm not convinced it's a problem. But then I am a huge strong brute of a man not to be cowed by a mere whisker pole.
> "Cowed"?
> " mere "?
> 
> English is a challenge for me.


But whisker poles are not! 

MedSailor


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

weinie said:


> I had a topping lift installed a last week when I had to have the windex replaced. I got to try it out in light winds yesterday.
> 
> The TL takes just a few seconds more to deploy but DEFINITELY gives you more options for shaping the sail. I believe that having the pole right on the clew or bowline knot pulls the leech too tight especially when you have the full weight of the pole on it and very light wind to counter the force. As I have a 150 genoa, the pole is fully extended and that perhaps exerts additional leverage to pull the sail downwards.
> 
> But using just a bit of TL, moving the pole onto the sheet where it finds a sweet spot about a foot away from the clew, and reefing the large genoa just a bit, produces what I think is an optimal, fuller shape for going downwind.


Not likely to be much of an issue when daysailing, but I prefer to have the pole right up against the clew, as opposed to the way you describe, to minimize any chafing on the sheet... I think you're likely to get more movement of the sheet thru the pole end over time, doing as you've described...

I always use a topping lift, and both a fore and afterguy for a whisker pole, even on a boat the size of mine... It's the only way to go, especially when shorthanded, IMHO...

Earlier this summer, I brought a H-R 43 back north from Trinidad, and we wound up doing a lot of the passage DDW, wing on wing... One of the primary reasons for having a pole rigged independently of the sail on a passage, is the ease with which you can deal with squalls... We had a lot of squalls at night during the first week, and then again out around Hatteras, and dealing with them was as simple as furling the genoa, leaving the pole deployed until after they passed, and then unfurling the sail once again... Having to go forward to deal with a pole of that size and weight for each passing squall, would have gotten old VERY quickly...

Having the pole rigged this way also makes sailing wing & wing in consticted waters so much easier, as well, for those times where you might simply need to alter course for a brief period, and then resume... Being able to leave the pole deployed is a huge advantage when doing that sort of sailing...


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

Great picture!


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## Mjfossler (Jun 2, 2012)

You can do without a whisker pole. I use a setup I read about in Sail which uses the boom as a whisker pole. All you need is a snatch block clipped to the end of your boom. Run the job sheet through the block, down to the deck jib block and then to a winch. The boom should be out as far as possible(watch for chafe) and the main furled. Rig a preventer, then pull out your Jenny. This works great, and is simple,taking about 5 minutes to set up. True, you only have one sail, but I still make decent speed.


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

Mjfossler said:


> You can do without a whisker pole. I use a setup I read about in Sail which uses the boom as a whisker pole. All you need is a snatch block clipped to the end of your boom. Run the job sheet through the block, down to the deck jib block and then to a winch. The boom should be out as far as possible(watch for chafe) and the main furled. Rig a preventer, then pull out your Jenny. This works great, and is simple,taking about 5 minutes to set up. True, you only have one sail, but I still make decent speed.


Maybe simple for those with a furling main. 

Even then, 5 minutes to set up doesn't sound so simple.

From this thread, I am getting a real appreciation for how different our rigs may be, and therefore there's no one single best way to do a whisker pole because of these differences.


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

fos:
Yeah but,,,,,,,
Now you have both sails on the same side of the boat.
And that's why we use a whisker pole.
Ta dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

If I don't want to use a pole( by myself or just plain lazy). May put reef in main and go to far reach even with genny and light/ moderate air. Not pretty but easy as have preventers for main on both sides always rigged. Easy to gybe back and forth.If long run its clearly worth the effort to use the pole and go wing and wing God bless carbon fiber.


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

It literally takes me 2 minutes to get my new pole up. Another minute if I use the topping lift. And that's single handed.
I use the forspar stanchion mounts to keep it near the mast.


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

weinie said:


> It literally takes me 2 minutes to get my new pole up...


LOL. Classic quote coming from a guy named weinie. 

Could you explain the single handed part?


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## weinie (Jun 21, 2008)

TakeFive said:


> LOL. Classic quote coming from a guy named weinie.
> 
> Could you explain the single handed part?


Well, I just use the same hand to unzip and then ....

oh, you meant the boat!

Easy. Autopilot keeps the boat on a deep reach with the main blanketing the genoa. Sheets are free. I connect the pole to the sheet (and topping lift if needed). I jibe the sail over if going wing/wing. Extend the pole, pushing the sail out and then hook it to the ring on the mast. If the wind is up, I'll extend the after it's attached to the mast.

Go back to the cockpit, head DDW, trim the sheet and I'm good to go.

ETA: The only pain in the ass is the pole needs to be extended just a couple of inches first before you can work the latches for some reason.


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## flyingwelshman (Aug 5, 2007)

Here's what I can tell you about whisker poles:

In Warsaw, 1967, an underground, subversive group sprang up in opposition to the Communist regime of _Władysław Gomułka_.

The group met secretly at a location beneath a storefront on _Ulica Kubusia Puchatka_.

They named the clandestine meeting room the 'Kit Kat Klub' - a reference to the setting of the play (and subsequent film) Cabaret.

The philosophy of the group was based on the writings of Robert 'Bob' Kane auteur of the popular television series 'Batman'.

Male members of the group donned costumes based on that worn by Julie Newmar in her character as Catwoman. They would then entertain themselves by chasing bits of string and balls of wool.

The members referred to themselves as '_*Polacy wąsy*_' or: 'Whisker Poles'.

Now you know the rest of the story!


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## sailordave (Jun 26, 2001)

bobperry said:


> Dave makes a good point. The topping lift can make it easier to handle the pole. But on boats under 40' LOA I'm not convinced it's a problem. But then I am a huge strong brute of a man not to be cowed by a mere whisker pole.
> "Cowed"?
> " mere "?
> 
> English is a challenge for me.


And to clarify... I don't have WHISKER POLE. I'm using my spin pole and it's not light. 
I do have an extendable whisker pole that a friend gave me and have also found the forespar whisker pole that came w/ the boat although it seems a bit short. May have to try it out tomorrow night in the Wed night race!

Still, I'm thinking the TL makes it easier to handle a long awkward object. Maybe 30' and under it's overkill though.


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## Mjfossler (Jun 2, 2012)

No, you only have the jib- the main is flaked on the boom.


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## jameswilson29 (Aug 15, 2009)

Whisker poles are not only useful for DDW, they also create the right wing shaped sail for a broad reach, with the boom and the pole on the same side of the boat, for maximum speed:


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