Whisker poles

[brackish]

I plan to get a 135 in the near future.  Additionally, I want to get a whisker pole.  Some of the recommendations that I've seen say the pole should be 1.4 times J or the length of the foot of the headsail which would indicate it should be 13.2 to 13.8 foot long.  It seems that the moderately priced whisker poles are telescoping to 12', then they go up considerably in price.  Seems to me, because you would normally bag the sail when running wing and wing, 12' might do it.  Any experiences with this?

Frank 2

[nies]

Frank, a telescoping to 12 foot works fine on my CP 16, I also have a 135.....Phil

[mrb]

Frank2  Beings you posted under the 23 site I would think you have a 23.  The length of pole you will need on this pole will be longer than one used for a 16 as J will be greater.  Also with greater sail area pressures will be more and you might want a stronger pole than one used on a smaller sail.  I have a 16 and the pole I have IMO would not be suitable for a 23ft boat with a 135 Genoa. 

Sad fact is larger boats usually means larger sums of money. 

All in my own opinion.  Melvin

[edbuchanan]

Hi Frank,

I have been using a small diameter whisker pole for some time now on my 23/II.  The pole is about 12 feet long overall and is used with a lapper (110%).  The good news is that I believe it has never been completely extended for wing on wing.  It is still in good condition after about a decade of use.  The small size stows quite easily.

Ernie (Molly 23/II, 1984)

[nies]

Frank, get the smaller pole and try it, if it does not work you can always use it for putting up xmas lights.........have a great turkey day......Phil

[HideAway]

Frank
I don't have a whisker pole- we usually just jibe away sort of tacking down wind-  I noticed though that the attachment point on my mast was made of plastic and it has broken.  Don't know how or why.   If I ever buy a pole I will replace the plastic fitting with a metal one.  Matt

[botelerr]

So, if you were to buy a wisker pole for a CP-19 where/who would have one..besides WM for big $$$$
I sail the Miss. river and lite air is the norm. Had one on a Catalina 22 and it was great.. bought the CP and had none.. also has no bilge pump handle > any ideas where to ge/make one?
Rob

[SailMML]

Rob,

Call Hutchins(Compac manufacturers).  Gerry will most likely get on the phone and help you out.  I have ordered a couple of things from them and they are very helpfull and will know exactly what you need.

Norm

[Bob23]

I bought the whisker pole for my 1985 23/2 at Defender. I don't remember which one but it was less about 90 clams, telescopes out pretty far and works great. A Harken if me memory serves me well, which is doesn't always.
Bob23

[brackish]

The telescoping twelves are Forespar, in fact, based on my searches, they may have no competition in that size range.  Defender has them at from $115-123 depending on the end, spike on one end being the lower of the two.  Shipping high, $18.80 to my spot in the world.

Traveled to a Coastal area over TG and went to a WM to look at one, and if I liked it,  try to get them to match Defender for cash and carry, but they do not stock them, order item only. 

Frank 2

[fafnir]

I currently use a telescoping boat hook with the correct fittings added to either end to convert it into a whisker pole.  It has either 3 or 4 telescoping sections so it easily fits in my cockpit locker and is plenty stiff enough for the work.  I don't remember the exact price but would be shocked if I had more then $50 invested in it. 

[Bob23]

Of course the companion to the whisker pole is a boom preventer. I guess it's named to prevent the boom from booming you in the head during an accidental jibe. When my main's out there on the opposite side of the jib, it's usually way out there. I've got the little wheels turning in the grey matter up there to rig a simple, and inexpensive (read: out of parts I already own) preventer so as to keep the boom at a fixed location in relation to the centerline of the ship.
Bob23

[brackish]

Well Bob23, let us know what the gray matter outputs.  I'm thinking about that too.  I'm putting together a vang and thinking it can do double duty as a preventer.  On my last boat, I just moved the vang from the base of the mast to an appropriate spot on the toe rail with a snap shackle.  No toe rail on the Com-Pac, so I'm thinking that clipping it to the forward stanchion base may be OK.  I think there is very little initial force on the boom when it becomes unstable enough to self jibe.  usually either a swell sweeping under or a little back wind from helmsman inattention.  However, don't want to rip a stanchion out.

Frank  2

[Bob23]

Frank,
   You're echoing my thoughts exactly. I already have a boom vang and I tend to loosen it a bit when the boom swings out, I could detach it and reattach it to a forward stanchion base. I don't think there is much tension on it; it's just holding the  boom in place.
   But I may just rig a separate line from either a base or install a dedicated block just for the preventer.
  There was a good article in one of this years "Good Old Boat" magazine on boom preventers. Since they tend to lean towards bigger boats than my little 23, to duplicate would be overkill but I'll probably borrow the basic idea.
Bob23...up early again.

[nick23]

Interesting whisker pole thread on the MacGregor sailors forum:
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14669

I have the whisker pole shown in the picture, with one spear tip and one clamp tip.  I got it for really cheap on Craigslist.  It is super light and easily stores vertically on the front of the mast.  The spear tip has some advantages and disadvantages, as you can read on the thread.  But, one nice thing is that to disenagage it, all you have to do is let out the sheet and the spear point will come out of the ring on the jib and just rest on the lifelines.

I haven't felt the need for a preventer yet, but will definitely use the boom vang attached to a stanchion base if conditions are ever right for a preventer.  I backed my stanchion bases up with steel plates under the deck, so the boom or boom bail would probably break before the stanchions.