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Whisker pole recommended for PSC 37?

4K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  ralopata 
#1 ·
I just got back from Strickly Sail in Chicago. Attended a short-handed sailing seminar where the speaker recommended a Forespar whisker pole for downwind sailing. I was wondering if other PSC owners have found these worth the coin and added boat stuff. I sail the Great Lakes, so not sure if that would influence your recommendation.

Boy did I walk away from that show ready to prep my boat for the 2012 season! I am sure, exactly what they intended! Jimmy Cornell was a beacon of information, a real add to the show. Nice.
 
#2 ·
I have a PSC 34 and found the spinnaker pole it came with was very unwieldy to work with for downwind sailing. Since I don't fly a spinnaker (only an assymetric) so last summer I switched over toe a whisker pole. It works great. You have to be careful not to crank it down against your shroud. The whisker holds the jenny out nicely, it is light and easy to handle.

There's my two cents.

Bob Steneck
PSC 34 "Alaria"
Christmas Cove, Maine
 
#3 ·
I have a Caliber 33 with a whisker pole and use it pretty often on long stretches. Makes in possible to sail way deeper in light winds than you could otherwise. It isn't the easiest thing in the world to deal with but not too hard either. Nice thing is you can roll up the genny without taking it down if you need to shorten sail suddenly for a squall or whatever
 
#5 · (Edited)
SC:

I think once you start cruising longer distances, you'll find it invaluable. We've had one up for days, on the genoa. Easy to "douse" too. John Kretschmer's video does a nice job explaining:

Forespar Whisker Pole - YouTube

Now, one pole or two? Aluminum, Aluminum/Carbon, or all Carbon? Which pole car? Decisions, decisions - gives us something to do over the long winter.

Here is one of my favorite YouTube videos of a Dana 24 going downwind with twin poles

Singlehanded sailing with twin headsails view from a kitecam - YouTube
 
#6 ·
A whisker pole is great, especially for long runs. I've spent days running downwind wing and wing using a whisker pole.

A regulation-length spinnaker pole is really too short to fully pole-out a big genoa, so an extending whisker pole is a good solution. The whisker pole is generally less sturdy than a spin pole so you need to be careful in big winds. On a PSC 37 you can probably manage the weight of an aluminum pole, but the carbon ones are certainly nice (and expensive).
 
#7 ·
Appreciate the additional input! Looks like a whisker pole would be very valuable when I am sailing up/down Lake Michigan coast or crossing in the right winds, especially if I am really trying to get somewhere (i.e. not daysailing). I definitely would want the lighter pole for manageability. The videos make it look like more sailing fun! :)
 
#8 ·
PSC#& whisker pole

YES definitly "need " a whisker pole, we have a mast attached spinnaker pole and a 17 ft "whisker pole" for trade wind sailing a must in my book I cheaped out on alluminum pole and would get a carbon pole next time they are are a handfull for sure but fun and required to run down wind in any kind of rolling seas ,after all she is a sailing m
achine afterall. fun cheers, BIll
SV Terrwyn
 
#9 ·
YES definitly "need " a whisker pole, we have a mast attached spinnaker pole and a 17 ft "whisker pole" for trade wind sailing a must in my book I cheaped out on alluminum pole and would get a carbon pole next time they are are a handfull for sure but fun and required to run down wind in any kind of rolling seas ,after all she is a sailing m
achine afterall. fun cheers, BIll
SV Terrwyn
Bill,
Does that mean you deck mount the whisker pole ?
rgds
Andrew
 
#11 ·
For what it's worth, we have a deck-mount for one pole, and keep the other on the mast. The deck-mount is dimensioned to fit the spin pole, but since the whisker can be collapsed to spin-pole length, either pole can go in either place.

The deck-mount hardware and pole are certainly foot-hazards, but we've learned to step around this stuff.
 
#12 ·
The storage options for the pole are worth discussing. I have opted for the mast mount version for my LC 12-22 UTS/UTR . The UTS end is designed for use with a toggle car for the track. Since my wife and I usually sail the boat alone I thought this would be a good option since I will be handling the pole solo. If it's easy to deploy then I will use it more often.
I don't like adding weight and windage to the mast but decided this was a good trade off for a couple sailing a moderately heavy displacement cruising boat.
I have no experience to share in regards using the mast mounted system as I am in the process of installing it. It looks like lots of cruisers like this system.
Maybe some sailors that use this set up can weigh-in on the subject.
 
#15 ·
I have no experience to share in regards using the mast mounted system as I am in the process of installing it. It looks like lots of cruisers like this system.
Maybe some sailors that use this set up can weigh-in on the subject.
Same boat, same setup and it works well, there isn't enough space to mount it on deck IMO. As a singlehander I was concerned about being able to control it while rigging it (1 hand for yourself, 1 for the ship). I still don't bother to deploy it unless I'm offshore.
Tom
 
#13 · (Edited)
Thanks for that Bill.

I'm thinking that if we go Whisker then I'll junk the Spinnaker pole altogether as we don't use, indeed don't possess a Spinnaker only an Assy. SPole is only used for poling out the genoa, a task for which the whisker is probably more suited. That way I can use existing track on the mast.
 
#14 ·
You see people in the Marquesas with very expensive boats, looking for bamboo to pole their jib out, because they didn't consider it that important before heading out. Many such regrets.
I use 1 1/2 inch or 2 inch sch 40 aluminium pipe from the scrapyard at $2 a pound. Never had one fail. It's commonly used for scaffolding.
 
#16 ·
We deck mount the pole. If the pole is mast mounted and the rig goes over the side, there goes your jury rig. This would not apply if most of your sailing is inland, coastwise or speed of deployment is more important, but if you cross oceans, it's something to think about.

Dave Mancini
PSC 34 #305 "Swan"
 
#18 ·
Our boat, JUNO, is a PSC 40 not a 37, but we opted for a mast-mounted line control 50/50 (aluminum/carbon) pole. Here was our thinking. That pole is a lot of weight and length for one person (we cruise as a couple) to be fumbling and stumbling with on a rolling deck. With one end anchored to the mast and the other controlled by an "uphaul," it is much easier to rig -- and therefore 1) safer and 2) more likely to be used. And, yes, we use it and like it very much. The 50/50 saves some weight over the aluminum, which also eases handling (also less weight aloft, I suppose). All carbon might be even better, but it is pricey.

One last thought: be sure to size your pole properly. There's a big difference between a working jib and a 140% genoa (not only would the pole need to be longer, but it would be bearing a much heavier load, as well). On JUNO, with a 120% genoa (J=18.5), we use the 13-24 pole.

Roger Lopata
JUNO
PSC 40 -- #46
 
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