Next message: rob patt: "Re: [world-cruising] small scanner"
On 6/19/06, Len den Besten <> wrote:
>
> I'd like to improve my rig for light air downwind-situations. A
> whiskerpole for the genoa is one of the items I am considering. I have
> been reading that the right size of the whisker pole is the downfoot-
> length of the sail. Problem is that the down-foot of the genoa is 30
> ft long and handling a 30 ft whiskerpole seems a bit much.
Absolutely correct, it is a bit much. I have a telescoping "line control"
whisker pole that was originally designed to reach 25 feet. I cut it to 22
feet to make it fit bettor on my mast, as the radar antenna was
interfering. Even at that size, it's heavy and a real load when the wind
and sea get up. I'm reduced to using it in very benign conditions. Most of
the time, I don't bother, because most of the sailing I do has many course -
and apparent wind - changes, nearly all of which require changing or
removing the whisker pole. Way too much work for what should be fun. Far
easier to hoist a "poleless" asymmetric spinnaker and use that for downwind
work.
The whisker pole is still useful on occasion. I wouldn't hesitate to deploy
it if I was running a constant course offshore. It can also be rigged as a
crane to hoist a dinghy or other heavy gear to the foredeck, without beating
the items against the boat hull.
You probably should explore a carbon-fiber pole, because the weight and
momentum of a 30-foot aluminum pole could be a problem.
--
Best,
Bryan Genez
"Capella" V40-158
New Bern, NC
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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