How to keep the spinnaker pole from flopping around

[ekenna]

When I bought the boat last summer it came with a spinnaker pole. I took it home because it used to make such a racket that it kept me up at anchor or at our mooring and I had never used a spinnaker. I want to take it back to the boat so I can us it to hold the genoa out on a wing and wing. But I need to have it not rattle around. It is held vertically on the front of the mast. There is a metal loop just under the steamming light for the top and another loop on a adjustable track at the bottom. It just hooks onto these when you pull the cables. All this movement can't be good for it either chauffing etc. Anyone with a similar setup have a solution for securing it?

[jarcher]

Many people put it on the mast during a race, and other times its on the deck. You can buy hardware to mount on to the deck that each jaw of the pole grabs on to. So you decide where you want the pole, and mount one of these things at each end.

I'll see if I can find you a link.

[AdamLein]

I have several padeyes running the length of the foredeck along the toerails. They have shock cords threaded through them with snap hooks on them. On the port side, the shock cord is used to tie a jib down on deck, and on the starboard side, the shock cords hold the spinnaker pole. The jaws at the forward end of the pole clamp onto a fitting on the deck like jarcher described above.

Some points, however:

1) My setup lends itself to grime building up under the pole. Little green trails on the gelcoat would follow the length of the pole and wherever the bridles touched the deck. This past winter I mounted the pole on the mast and belayed the forward end to the forestay with shock cord. This kept the pole off the deck and didn't put much lateral strain on the stay. Much less cleaning to do this way.

2) If you only want it for poling out a jib, a whisker pole is a better bet. It's lighter and doesn't require bridles like a spinnaker pole does. That said, if you have a pole and a spinnaker you might as well use the spinnaker in situations where you would pole out a jib... if you don't, you're missing out.

3) I've seen a lot of boats with the setup you have. If your pole is rattling around, it might be that the fittings, either on the mast or on the pole ends, are worn away and are permitting movement. Can you post photos, of the various bits of hardware along, and with the pole stowed on the mast?

[Faster]

Something like this (linked below) may help.


Heavy Duty Mast car & Vertical Pole Storage

But if it's just noise/rattle that's keeping you up, something as simple as a piece of a foam noodle stuffed behind the pole might quiet it down... or a more permanent but similar arrangement with a foam pad of some sort.

[ekenna]

The attachments on the mast are just loops. I am going to the boat on Saturday so Ill try to remember to take a picture. As far as flying the spinnaker, I would like to be I have never done so. Everything I read says you need 3 people and thus far I have only been sailing it with 2 my wife and I.

[CalebD]

It is nice to have 3 or more to fly a spin but you can do it with 2 fully competent crew members.

[TQA]

It is nice to have 3 or more to fly a spin but you can do it with 2 fully competent crew members.

One and a good autopilot will do even without a snuffer. I like my snuffer but like many things if it goes wrong it is a real chinese fire drill.

[jarcher]

Originally Posted by Faster

Something like this (linked below) may help.


Heavy Duty Mast car & Vertical Pole Storage

Looking at that FC-125 mast car, I am wondering if it makes an end to end jibe difficult. It seems that the fitting where the pole attaches is small...

[mgmhead]

One can handle a spinakker. Second crewman or autopilot handling the helm. Sock makes it easier. Two crew on the foredeck is nice but one pretty much just ends up watching. Flying the Spin solo is no problem, it takes longer to explain to the newby what you're doing than it does to rig and fly the spin.

Go For It...MGM

[AdamLein]

ekenna: most of my experience with the spinnaker is with two, one on the helm and main and one on the lines. I imagine it's easier if you're doing end-for-end jibes. Actually the crew on the helm has the tougher job anyway.