Hi Thomas , my set up isn't exactly simple it's just what I have, but it was very inexpensive  so here goes . I'm using the Lynn & Larry Pardey method . They explain it in one of their books ,sorry I forget which one. It has a track and car , the track goes up high enough so that you can raise the pole up to tack , first un clip it raise it up then tack , then swing pole over to the other side clip it and then lower it back down . Also at the end of the sail / day I store the pole on the track . The car has a continuous line , cheek blocks  at the track ends , line attached to both ends of the car , to lock the car in place we use two cam cleats they face opposite each other and that locks the line . As I'm always trying to get more wood on the boat we made the pole out of wood . To get the length of the pole , (this is kind of hokey but it worked) I used a telescoping boat hook pole , experimented with the length in tell I felt I had it right .The Whisker pole has a line from one end to the other and that opens pole jaws .  Most people just put a pole ring on the mast , and store the pole on the boat and that works fine . Good luck , Mark .

I have a setup like the Pardy's do.  A track runs up the front of the mast with a pin type fitting on it.  Then you run a topping lift to the outside end.  Simple matter of unhooking the out bound end from the deck fitting and then pulling a line near the past to pull the inboard end down.

this automatically lifts the outer end.  Now it is perpendicular to the mast.  Run the sheet thru it and I usually run a guy forward to the rail.

To roll up the gib, simpy roll up the jib.  The pole will go forward and stay attached.  When the squall passes, just unroll the jib.

If you want, I can arrange for you to go over to Jasmine and look.

Rich

Wing and wing is fun I can't get enough of that . But what I think is really fun , pole the Yankee out to windward and  fly the Drifter and Main to leeward. Usually we douse the Stay sail . Thomas I know it's a lot of money , but I would give some thought to a Drifter . Unfortunately Kern is long gone , but a friend of mine did this , he got a hold of a Spinnaker that was basically the right size and then took it to a sail maker and had it cut into a Drifter , the whole thing cost him under $600. where as I think a new Drifter would be three times that . Plus on a light wind day you can reach with the Drifter . Have fun ! Mark .    

That pole might be a bit short Mark. My spin pole is 18' long and current whisker pole 24'. 

The 18' pole works ok with the 300 sq ft yankee and the 24' whisker pole works ok with the 530 sq ft genoa.

West Sail wrote:

Wing and wing is fun I can't get enough of that . But what I think is really fun , pole the Yankee out to windward and  fly the Drifter and Main to leeward. Usually we douse the Stay sail . Thomas I know it's a lot of money , but I would give some thought to a Drifter . Unfortunately Kern is long gone ,. Plus on a light wind day you can reach with the Drifter . Have fun ! Mark .    

I have to agree with you, the Drifter is well worth the money. However, Kern is still around, just spoke to him about new storm sails.  He made our new Yankee 300sft, and a customized staysail last year.  His prices were better than other quotes we got from reputable sailmakers in the PNW.  The sails are beautiful and very well made.  Kern is happy to work with Westsailers and VERY knowledgable about the boat performance.

As to the Drifter, we paid about $1200 for a new 1.5oz, well made one from Banks sails in Portland, OR.  We're very happy with it. Reaches well, performs great in light winds when poled out. If there is enough wind we have hoisted without the pole and flew it like a kite in certain conditions.

We also sail with the yankee and drifter, with main up.   Here is a link to some PHOTOS of Konami coming up the Columbia last summer "racing" Dave King on Saraband. We have the drifter poled out to windward. Just depends on the heading and conditions.  And, it is a lot of fun!  ~Diane