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loads on reaching pole much less then spin pole. Spin pole may be over kill. Unless its carbon fiber also heavy and a PIA. May want to jury rig a light pole just for the function you want. Then just need some way to attach to boat ( some just clip them to toe rail) and a way to keep it near clew of sail. I have full blown set up with telescoping CF spin pole. Takes a while to set up - lower pole off mast before starting- topping lift first-then fore guy- then after guy- then roll up genny- then clip pole around sheet- then deploy pole and set lines so its where it needs to be- then unroll genny and set sheet to correct length. Can do with the boat on AP by myself with trepidation but takes awhile. Generally don't bother unless its a long board. Still if going down wind wing and wing with the solent in big wind very much worth doing. Other wise not so much. Just knocking around may just drop the main if wind abaft the mast.

On small boats have even seen boat hooks used for this purpose. Did this myself when I had a small Cape Dory. Clove hitch to secure bottom end to mid ship cleat. pointy end through clew sheet grommet. Pole clicked out to right length. Worked fine and cheap and cheerful.

 

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So often I agree with Jon it's scary. A couple tricks I was taught.
If DDW in light air and not flying a spin,asymmetric or parasail ease the halyard and tighten the leach line before deploying the genny.
If wind builds you can just roll the genny in some without trouble if you gone the whole 9 yards. Pole usually doesn't need much adjustment if any and it's in stable position regardless of what the sail is doing.
Have super long genny sheets. Then you can leave pole out ( now on wrong side) for short bit and go back to original course with out hassle. Find rolling genny in then gybe then back out works just fine.
One last suggestion. Don't cleat fore and after guys. Run them through clutches instead. May want to let them off in a hurry ( knock down, broach, urgent gybe etc.)

 

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York please tell me how you do it. I can and do roll the genny up from the cockpit and can let the solent out from the cockpit but have to go forward to release the pole from the sheet and then go to the mast and pull the line that raises the pole up the mast so I can attach the other end to the ring at the base of the mast. Can't figure out a way to do this from the cockpit. When its bumpy find its great help to have a second person there to control the pole as you ease its topping lift as you pull it up the mast otherwise the thing swings around. Get rid of the guys last. Leave them clipped to end of pole so I have something to control it as it comes in.

 

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York would gladly crew for you. That statement about MOB is quite thoughtful. My thinking is how can I do this without every creating a possible MOB scenario. Still think you fall off the boat you're dead.

 

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Cf poles are very light but strong. Still ackward to handle. Can do everything from cockpit except getting rid of it and putting back on mast. Also have to go forward if I want to set it up on the other side. Guess I'm lazy. Rather use the parasailor with no pole ddw in less than 25 that I can do with just me on deck. Usually when the pole goes up it stays up for awhile.