[Public-List] Whisker vs spinnaker poles

[Gordon Laco]

Hello Marcelo, Merry Christmas and Happy Boxing Day.

I’d suggest that although a spinnaker pole is a little shorter, unless you are racing you’ll be quite happy with it. 

The telescoping poles are nice, but as you say they are expensive and heavy.  With regard to the Forespar pole, they are very well made, and there is absolutely no reason you have to have a track on the mast, although a track is a good thing in any case because it allows you to raise the inboard end of the pole so it is extending horizontally; making the most of what length it has, and looking ship shape besides.

There will be times when you may wish the regulation spinnaker pole were a little longer, but the cure for that with regard to setting the genny is to let the clew rise a little, letting the sail twist a little more, thereby spreading the upper part a little more.   The speed you lose by not having a few feet more length will in most conditions not be measurable…  unless you’re racing neck and neck with anther A30.   We use a regulation length spinnaker pole as a whisker pole with our 150% genoa.  For cruising, t’s quite satisfactory.   My wife would say it’s better than a longer whisker pole because it’s so easy to handle, particularly with the uphaul and downhaul rigged.

Your wife may well appreciate a less than very long pole, and certainly a lighter one.

Gordon Laco
Surprise 426





> On Dec 26, 2020, at 7:03 PM, Marcelo D. Gentinetta via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> 
> I know this subject has come up before. I was on the verge of buying one a couple of years ago and then it fell to the wayside. I have been looking at them again and trying to make a decision. On my previous boat, a Pearson Vanguard, I would just use my spinnaker pole to wing out the genoa but most of the time I flew a 125% and it performed pretty reasonably. It was simple and robust. Now, with the A30, my usual sail on the furler is a 140% and there are more choices available as far whisker poles. The line control pole (10-18) from Forespar seems good for the job but has certain complexity and is quite an expense. It seems best used with a mast track system that costs about the same as the pole. It weighs 17 lbs. Selden sells one that has push-buttons with 4 positions from 9.6 -15ft. It weighs around 22 lbs. Finally, it is back to the simple and robust spinnaker pole, 2.5 inches in diameter and 10.5 ft long. I am not sure how it would fly with the 140 since I don’t have one to try. My sailing is all coastal. It is usually my wife and I so it needs to be reasonably manageable on the foredeck. 
> Any thoughts are appreciated.
> Thanks and Happy New Year to everyone!
> Marcelo
> Alegria #441
> 
> 
> 
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