Whisker Pole and Boom Preventer on a CP19??

[Shawn Morrow]

I was wondering if anybody has ever rigged a ComPac with a Preventer and whisker pole.  I am thinking about doing this to aid in downwind sailing.  I have a pretty hard time keeping the sails filled when powerboat traffic sends thier wakes my way.  Any advice, suggestions, hints, or tricks would be appreciated.

Thanks, and fair winds.

Shawn Morrow

[curtis]

Shawn,

I've rigged both on a CP23.  The whisker pole is easy.  Just buy one (or some
people will make their own) and buy the mast loop to attach it to.  I drilled
and used a tap and die and machine screws but some people prefer rivets.
Try to get the pole so that it will be parallel to the waterline (same height as
the clew of your sail.

The preventer is also fairly easy.  I had an extra padeye on the bottom of my
boom, why it was there I don't remember.  In light air and waves the boom
would sometimes swing back as the result of rocking on a big wave and
backwinding (ocean waves).  I rigged a line from this padeye to a stanchion
base.  This was a preventer, though I knew the padeye was inadequate.
It worked for quite a while though I didn't trust it.  Sure enough the rivets
on the padeye pulled out.  Since then I've added a boom bail that is bolted
through the boom with a 3/8 in bolt.  That can be used for a preventer and
it isn't going anywhere.

No need for a block and tackle on the preventer on a small boat.  There
is no load on the line when you secure it.  There is only light load on the
line if you get backwinded on a wave.  If you should accidentally gybe,
then there can be moderate load, possibly a high shock load if the boom
swings a little way before the prevernter brings it to a stop.

I'm not sure where the best place is to secure the other side of the
preventer.  As I said, I used a stanchion base and that has worked fine.
You could use a block to lead the preventer back to the cockpit.

Curtis

btw - When the padeye let loose I had gone up to the foredeck to rig the
whisker pole.  By the time I got back I was off course enough for a gybe
to occur.  I stayed low and moved quickly stepping into the cockpit, not
trusting the preventer.  When the boom swung I put up an arm.  The
padeye yanked out and I caught the boom and tossed it back.  Obviously
not a lot of force on the boom but the shock load was enough to yank out
the rivets.  That was in about 15 knots of wind (estimated).  Good sailing.
I was getting 6 knots of boat speed which was a good thing because I had
nearly 60 miles to cover that day (Block Island to Vineyard Haven).

[mgoller]

Hi Shawn,
I have a ring on a slide at the front of my mast.  I bought an anodized aluminum boat hook at the marine supply and added a spinnaker hook to one end with machine screws.  I insert the plastic hook in the ring and clip the spinnaker hook into the grommet or on the sheet in a way that wont slip.  I bought this pole because I use it a lot as a boat hook for moorings etc... and it telecsopes.  It looks good because it matches mast and boom.  It stores from bow to mid ship in clips designed for it along stanchions.
I use the tail of one of my genoa sheets as a preventer.  I use a slip knot.  There isn't much force on it but it keeps the boom from swaying.

[Shawn Morrow]

Curtis, Marcus -
Thanks for the info.  Based on your input, it sounds like both preventer and whisker pole should be fairly easy to accomplish.  

I only have a working jib right now.  One question comes to mind: If I get a genoa will it affect where the whisker pole is mounted to the mast?  

I haven't exactly figured out how I should attach the preventer to the boom - I am concerned about the strength.

I'll probably do both these early this spring.  I will report back here with what I finally come up with.  

Thanks for the assistance!
Fair winds...

Shawn

[curtis]

Shawn,

You want the pole at the height of the clew and the clew can't possibly be at  the same height for both sails.  The height difference can be quite a bit, and in that case you don't want the pole tilting far from horizontal.  It you want to fly either sail  then either 1) put the mast ring in the middle and be off a little (probably not a great idea), or 2) put two rings on the mast in fixed positions, or 3) put a short piece of track on the mast (expensive).  I'd go with the second option.

Curtis

ps - my ring could stand to be a bit higher.

[Shawn Morrow]

Thanks Curtis.  

I don't think I would have thought about that, but it makes pretty good sense.  Since I dont' have Genoa yet, adding the second ring at a later date does seem to be the way to go!

Shawn