Can you use a spinnaker pole as a whisker pole?
A spinnaker pole with a declared length not longer than 1.1 * ‘J’ can be used as a whisker pole to trim headsails.
What is the difference between a whisker pole and a spinnaker pole?
Whisker poles are sized to match the size of the foot of the sail that they are working, while spinnaker poles are sized to match the distance from the mast to the bow, also known as the boat’s “J” dimension. Because of this, Whisker Poles tend to be significantly longer than spinnaker poles for the same boat.
Do I need a whisker pole?
By projecting the headsail out to weather and out of the mainsail’s “wind shadow”, the headsail can fill and stabilize. Without a whisker pole, the headsail will flop from side to side, limp and useless. The use of a whisker pole will allow “wing on wing” sailing dead downwind with surprising performance.
What does a whisker pole do?
Whisker poles are used to “wing out” the jib when sailing downwind. Sailors who have experienced downwind sailing without one can appreciate the value of being able to stabilize the jib, enabling the sail to work more efficiently and without the noise of the sail flopping in the wind and waves.
How long should a whisker pole be?
A whisker pole should be approxi- mately as long as the foot of the sail you intend to pole out. * Max available SPL with composite end fittings, attached to a fixed mast ring. If the pole is to be “Dip Gybe”, max available SPL is increased by 165 mm.
What is the difference between a genoa and jib?
A jib is a foresail that does not extend aft beyond the mast; a genoa, on the other hand, is larger and will overlap the mast and part of the mainsail. A jib sail is used for strong winds and is easy to handle, while the genoa is perfect for downwind sailing in light winds.
How long should spinnaker pole be?
Spinnaker Pole Length is normally equal to the “J” Dimension of the boat, but some classes allow for a longer Pole, the maximum length usually being expressed as a percentage of “J” (e.g., 110%). A Reaching Strut is used in conjunction with a Spinnaker Pole.
How do you store a whisker pole on mast?
I hook one end of the pole on the mast ring where it will be attached when used. The other end of the pole is secured to the topping lift, and lifted vertically. So, the pole and mast are parallel. Then, I only have to release the topping lift to lower the pole into place for use.
Do you need a spinnaker pole?
There are two key reasons we use a pole when sailing with a symmetrical spinnaker: Increasing the exposure of the spinnaker to the wind, pushing it out to windward and hence avoiding the disturbed wind behind the main sail.
What is a reaching strut?
It is a reaching strut that diverts jib outside the lifelines to open the slot between the main and the jib. It also allows the main to be eased without getting backwinded. Sheeting the jib with the strut allows the jib to stay effective at wider wind angles.
How do you size a spinnaker pole?
Length is determined in the same manner as for Whisker Poles. Poles are frequently stored in various types of Chocks on Deck, on the Mast, or on the Stanchions. See Spinnaker Pole Chocks. For Replacement Pole Parts, measure the Outside Diameter (OD) of your tube, and click on that size, below.