E30+ Whisker Pole Track Installation

[Loren Beach]

Promises... Monetized

One more note: Plan ahead. I ordered some mast track (for the trysail) from WM with the “free shipping to store” option. Every week, they say”It’ll be on next Tuesday’s truck.” Fourth Tuesday coming up now...

Hmmmm..... That's three trips @ $100./hour for your time. Bill 'em, with your invoice.

 

[markvone]

E36RH Spin Track Length

It is getting the pole on and off the mast, and manipulating it by hand in a seaway, that is the main issue with poles.

A mast rig means the butt stays on the mast all the time, and a dip-pole jibe is easy, and there is less chance of losing the pole overboard.

Yes! With the pole always attached to the mast, you also can attach the pole lift and downhaul BEFORE you ever get the pole out of it's mast chock. It makes more sense the larger your spinnaker pole gets as you can raise and control the spin pole with lines to winches.

My E36RH has a 1.25 inch track. The length is 16 feet (two 8 foot sections). I have the Forespar T-125-S toggle car on the mast and the auto locking TS socket on the pole end so I have to dip gybe the pole. You would not want to end for end this size pole. I have a 3:1 purchase on the mast, next to the track to raise lower the mast end pole car and a pair of cams to hold it in position. All of this hardware is original Forespar and Harken and still works well, but the cost for new would be $3 - 4k easy.

The pole is 3.5 inch diameter, 14.5 feet long and probably weighs 20 - 25 pounds (aluminum). I can manage it solo in less than 10 knots and no seaway.

I have chocks on deck which require a long, narrow and flat space on the side deck which isn't too underfoot on the E36RH.

Mark

 

[Kenneth K]

Thanks Mark. All that info helps me with a decision. Probably talking a 14 ft track for an E32 then. That's a lot of holes to drill and tap on a vertical mast.

BTW, that's a nice PHRF on your 36RH....a little lower than the King designs.

 

[tclark2253]

Track Size

1" or 1 1/4" Track? I feel like the 1 1/4" would be too big/wide for the E30+ mast?

Thank You

 

[markvone]

Probably not

E30+ has Kenyon 4060 mast section (4" wide x 6") deep.

E36RH has Kenyon 4270 section (4.2" wide x 7.0 deep).

So the 1 1/4 inch track shouldn't be too big for the E30+ mast.

But,

The E30+ spinnaker is quite a bit smaller, 2 foot shorter pole and 10 foot shorter hoist, so the loads are smaller.

You need to determine if you will end-for-end the pole during jibes (most probably) and can use the smaller, lighter duty hardware with the one inch track. I did end-for-end jibes with my fractional E33RH. You can always use lazy sheets to jibe either way.

Mark

 

[tclark2253]

Thank You

Great answer, thank you. That's good because I ordered the 1 1/4" x 4' 6' track with slide.

 

[markvone]

You probably have more hardware/fitting options with the 1 1/4 inch track. The weight and size differences won't be a big deal.

Mark