[tiz_1]

You want the outboard end (at the tack of the spinnaker) to have the jaw opening facing up. With the jaw facing down, in a gybe, the pole will not drop off the guy and swing to the new guy. It will hang up on the old guy. This assumes you do dip-pole gybes. Jaw down ends would probably make end-for-end gybes harder as well.

If there is a risk of having the pole drop off the guy unexpectedly and hurt someone on the foredeck you should have the jaw serviced so it is reliable. Also, the pole should not drop as you should be using a topping lift to support it.

If you find that the guy will not lift out of the pole in light air you may have to ease it slightly once the pole jaw is opened. In more air the sail should want to lift, and will pull the guy up out of the jaw once opened.

The mast end jaw opening may go up or down, based on the mast ring size. If the ring is too small the jaw may bind or break when the pole is let down. I usually keep both my jaw end openings facing up on a Cal 40.

--Kevin