Spinnaker Pole Stowage

  • January 13, 2013 1:03 PM
    Message # 1178866
    Deleted user
    I have a Forespar Ultra spinnaker pole that the previous owner had always stowed on the mast. Forespar recommends while cruising to not stow on the mast because of windage and weight and resistance during a knockdown. I believe they recommend against stowing on stantions.
    Where are you guys stowing your poles? inside or outside grab rails?
    Any other locations?

    Also, stowing on the mast messes with my sail cover.

    Thanks
  • January 13, 2013 1:51 PM
    Reply # 1178890 on 1178866
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Carl:  I can't comment on where the best place to put your spinnaker pole would be - I have a pole mounted on Pygmalion as seen below and don't use it often as I don't have a sail to go with the pole.

    Pygmalion had a 4" diameter by 17' fixed pole mounted on the deck - what a trip hazard and very hard to handle!  I sold the ends and found a smaller adjustable used pole.

    I thought that the mast mounted was a solution to keeping it off the deck and also making it easier to deploy especially if you have one of the sliding car/track on mast versions.

    Last modified: January 13, 2013 1:54 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
  • January 13, 2013 3:01 PM
    Reply # 1178935 on 1178866
    Deleted user
    Our boat came with a spinnaker pole mounted on the cap rail.  One chock was on the top of the cap rail and the other on the bow sprite platform, similar to Jays.  It was a real pain to deploy when on the ocean, especially in rough conditions.  Before we went cruising we replaced it with a line control whisker pole mounted on a mast car on the mast.  Line control whisker poles are fine for Genoas, drifters and asymmetrical spinnakers, but not symmetrical spinnakers. This is much easier to deploy. I've talked to Forespar about their advice and it makes some sense for a spinnaker pole which is slightly larger and heavier than a whisker pole, but  disagree for a whisker pole especially when cruising.  It's much easier to deploy from the mast, an important matter when there's only two, sometimes one on deck. It is a little cumbersome to lay on the sail cover but we manage without having made any alteration to it. We like off wind sailing or running with a sail poled out and do it as often as we can.

    Just our opinion,  but having tried both ways we diffidently will keep it on the mast.

    Jim
    Last modified: January 13, 2013 3:03 PM | Deleted user
  • January 13, 2013 4:07 PM
    Reply # 1178959 on 1178866
    Deleted user
    Awesome information guys, thanks.
    Probably I should keep it on the mast since it is already there, it's the "ultra" telescoping line controlled pole, and the sliding car track is on the mast.

    Would you follow Forespar's recomendations to remove it from the mast in a storm?
    It would suck to remove it from the mast in a blow and lash it to grab rails or whatever. Imagine the damage that thing could if it was swinging around?
    I suppose it could be stowed below during the storm.
  • January 14, 2013 3:11 PM
    Reply # 1179880 on 1178866
    Deleted user
    We've never been in any serious weather nor do we intend to be.  We have seen 50 knts twice and numerous sustained 30 knts. with gusts to 40, mostly on the Bajha Bash. Short of a hurricane I can think of nothing that would make me take down our pole.  Actually the boat sat out a hurricane on the hard in Guayamus, Mexico which saw 85 knts.  We had stripped everything but the pole and were back in the states when it happened.   

    Jim