Spinnaker Pole
- Thread starter My Oyster
- Start date
AFAIK, Typical spinnaker pole is the "J" length of your rig. (Foot length of a 100% jib).
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/ericson-32-3
Very close to what Grant describes in empirical terms.
Also, storing it when not using it.....
After tripping over our standard pole stored in chocks on the side deck for way too many years, I installed two of the Forespar stanchion mount chocks. Walking room on the deck is Much Improved nowadays.
After tripping over our standard pole stored in chocks on the side deck for way too many years, I installed two of the Forespar stanchion mount chocks. Walking room on the deck is Much Improved nowadays.
Attachments
-
Forespar chock.jpg
Teranodon
Member III
Are you sure that you want a symmetric, rather than asymmetric, spinnaker? Your call, I'm just asking.
My thought, too.
peaman
Sustaining Member
Isn't this just a difference in technique, and not necessarily in hardware? In any case, since OP's boat was not setup for spinnaker, as mine wasn't, he probably has a fixed ring on the mast, instead of a track, so pole length would need to be precisely selected in order to permit dipping. End-to-end would be more forgiving hardware/adjustment-wise.
I am not an expert but from what I have seen, a Dip pole usually has a different end fitting that attaches to a car mounted on a track on the mast. The length of the pole has to be long enough to keep it to one side of the forestay when raised into postion but not too long that it will not pass by the forstay when raised at the mast end for jibing. End-for-end usually has the same chuck fitting on both sides of the pole. I suppose you could use an end-for-end pole as a dip pole if your mast track car has a ring. Its the double guys and sheets (4 control lines) that make dip pole crew intensive. I have heard that 32 foot boats can do either but have seen several E32s that were dip pole equipped.
Loren, Those chocks work well when the pole is in them. When the pole is in use, they become a great source of shin bruises and tripping of foredeck crew! A friend advised me to loosen the screws on the clamps just enough to rotate them parallel to the lifelines. Problem solved. Also I learned that if you leave the chocks in the full open position (when rotated parallel to the lifelines) sheets will no get tangled in them! Another problem solved. Now every time I see these chocks on a boat, I see if they are loose enough to swivel (most people have them too tight) and therefore don't know they are a problem.
peaman
Sustaining Member
GKiba, This agrees with my recollection of foredecking on multiple boats 30 years ago. The main point for OP is that a track on the mast is needed for dip-poling, and the absence of one may influence his choice of gear. Every spinnaker boat I worked on was rigged for end-to-end, but under certain conditions, skipper would call for a dip-pole maneuver.
This is the toggle-style fitting Grant mentions for an (exclusively) dip pole:
https://www.mauriprosailing.com/us/product/FOR309028.html
Bigger boats with big spinnakers need this toggle style (from what I have gathered).
This is the jaw style for end-to-end or dip pole:
https://www.mauriprosailing.com/us/product/FOR309028.html
Bigger boats with big spinnakers need this toggle style (from what I have gathered).
This is the jaw style for end-to-end or dip pole:
Amazon.com : Forespar UGPS-300-EF Black Composite Jaw End for 3in Pole : Sports & Outdoors
Amazon.com : Forespar UGPS-300-EF Black Composite Jaw End for 3in Pole : Sports & Outdoors
www.amazon.com
You can also carry the pole outside the lifelines, which adds space to the foredeck.
Do they swivel though? I can't tell from catalog photos. Since the "first stanchion" would likely be part of the pulpit, I was afraid that it wouldn't be at the same angle as the second stanchion.
For now, I've gone the cheap route and simply lashed the pole on (or clipped in to a small loop of line with its own jaws for "ready" use.)
It just seemed like a dangerous obstacle in the (rotten) deck chocks.
Bolo
Contributing Partner
I used the same solution to overcome the same problems for storing our whisker pole.
Bolo
Contributing Partner
My 2 cents: I often sail my E32-3 solo and I use to use an A-sail but even with a sock for deployment and retrieval I found it a big pain with little gain where I sail. It was great if all the conditions were right and I was going in the right direction where I didn’t need to make a sail change while sailing on the Chesapeake. I guess on a ocean passage where the sail stays up for a long time it’s an advantage. So, I sold my A-sail and bought a whisker pole which was less stressful and still gave me good results with down wind sailing. Something to consider unless you have a crew to help out while you’re at the helm.
peaman
Sustaining Member
What pole did you get?
Going down wind in 5-8 knots of wind is a real joy with spinnaker up! Symmetric or Asymmetric. I like to think that the spinnaker is the other half of sailing. That's because it doubles the amount of ropes on the boat, adds to the cost of rigging and sails about the same, and it now takes twice as long to put the boat away. It good thing that fun is a personal preferrence.
Bolo
Contributing Partner
It was a Forespar Line Control Whisker Pole but I'm not sure what model and I can't look because I'm 2 hours from the boat right now. It may have been the LC12-22 but don't quote me on that.
p.gazibara
Member III
We carry both. The old pole (dip style) and symmetrical kite in a . I added a sprit for a top down furling gennaker I got second hand from Web Chiles’ old boat the Hawk of … can’t recall the name exactly at this point.
Can you guess which I prefer to use? It’s pretty great when you can just pull a line and a kite goes away. Jibing is also so much easier.
We still carry the old kite and pole, just in case. We used it heavily cruising down the coast of Mexico and a bit in Central America. Poling out a jib is a pain imo. The sail just isn’t made for it and they collapse and refill with lots of loud bangs. Most jibs are just too heavy for light wind.
Kites are fun and keep the boat moving well on those chanpagne sailing flat sea light wind days.
Maybe it’s just that I kitesurf now and if it blows over 12, I’m on the kite, when it’s less I go sailing.
I delivered a Tayana 37 here in NZ and took Cinderella’s symmetrical kite along. Made a huge difference. The heavy boat woke right up and held 6kts easily. With white sails we would have struggled to even keep the sails open.
-P
Can you guess which I prefer to use? It’s pretty great when you can just pull a line and a kite goes away. Jibing is also so much easier.
We still carry the old kite and pole, just in case. We used it heavily cruising down the coast of Mexico and a bit in Central America. Poling out a jib is a pain imo. The sail just isn’t made for it and they collapse and refill with lots of loud bangs. Most jibs are just too heavy for light wind.
Kites are fun and keep the boat moving well on those chanpagne sailing flat sea light wind days.
Maybe it’s just that I kitesurf now and if it blows over 12, I’m on the kite, when it’s less I go sailing.
I delivered a Tayana 37 here in NZ and took Cinderella’s symmetrical kite along. Made a huge difference. The heavy boat woke right up and held 6kts easily. With white sails we would have struggled to even keep the sails open.
-P
Prairie Schooner
Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
I had to chuckle at this Grant.
It reminds me of the Beard & McKie Sailing Dictionary which has been mentioned elsewhere on this site: "Sailing: the fine art of getting wet and becoming ill while going nowhere at great expense." I'm glad other people don't see the point. Otherwise it'd be pretty crowded out there.