MacGregorSailors.com

Hello Group,
At least three times each summer, I've been on a long, down-wind run and had to reduce sail because I couldn't control the jib. What I really needed was a whisker pole. I suppose that I could buy one, but what is the challenge with that? Is there anyone out ther who has a design for one that could be made inexpensively from Home Depot, etc. parts? As another option, I thought about getting a 10' adjustable boat hook. I could put a rope to the mast to secure the handle end and reduce the diameter of the hook end to fit into the jib sheet clew. Any pros or cons to either design?
Thanks,
Dave "Jac"

I though the $400 or more they wanted for a real topping lift for my 150 genny was a little steep, so I made one out of a $16, 16' twist lock pool vacuum pole that came in three sections, and a $30 "small boat" end fitting kit from West Marine.

It was way thinner wall tuibng than a "real" whisker pole, and flexed more than it should under load. However, it was light enough that I didn't feel I needed a topping lift. Under the right conditions, it worked pretty well, but the right conditions didn't seem to happen very often. I figured I'd be able to deploy it and leave it for extended periods, but in the typical light and variable wind conditions in our usual sailing area it was a pain; I would get it pulling nicely, then the wind would back a little and it was heavy enough to drag the clue end into the water; I'd have to stand there on deck and hold it as a human topping lift (difficult when singlehanding) or pull it in and stow it. A "real" topping lift might have helped, but that would have made it even a bigger pain to use.

It lasted exactly one season. The last sail of last season, it bent double right about in the middle. I kept it and intend to salvage the fittings, but I don't recommend it.

I've been keeping my eye out for another, heavier duty pole which might be a little better compromise, but so far no luck.

I'm planning to make a simple one. Got a Ronstan spinnaker pole ring to mount on the mast in November for one-third price at a West Marine Clearance Tent Sale. Got a twist-lock extendable 6 to 12 feet aluminum pole at Home Depot for roller painting high things. A little jury-rigging and modification of some dog-leash-type snap hooks for the ends and away we go.

Chip:

I forget if your headsails are hanked or furled. If furled, couldn't you have used the jib halyard as a lifting line for the end of the whisker pole? Do you know the length of the foot on the 150% genoa?

I think my intended 12-foot pole will be technically short but, I suspect it will be better than nothing. I have no idea how much force will be acting on it but, again, I'm not expecting much and am surprised your pole bent. I may be in for a rude awakening.

I don't use any support line for my whisker pole. It is an aluminum, telescoping model and is very light. I attach it to the clew ring (I know I shouldn't but it gets me out of having to rig a supporting line and it is so light it doesn't pose a problem.)

I have a Forespar 6-12 adjustable whisker pole. It is a twist lock pole. Works great. It only cost $99. It just connects to the clew ring and the plastic eye attached to the mast which came with it. No support lines are needed.

Technically 12' is too short as the foot of the 150 is longer, but in practice it works fine and the cost of the next size up jumped into the $200 plus range.

I have the same pole as Duane and love it. It really helps at the right times. Considering it's not outrageously priced (although it's not cheap eaither) I thought it was a better answer then going homemade.

I have a Forespar 6-12 adjustable whisker pole. It is a twist lock pole. Works great. It only cost $99. It just connects to the clew ring and the plastic eye attached to the mast which came with it. No support lines are needed.

I have the same. Works great.

I believe the "correct" pole for the Mac 150 genny is 14-16'. I looked at the tradeoffs and decided to go with the light duty homemade pole of the correct length rather than the "real" pole which was both too light duty and too short. The pool vacuum pole is the same diameter as the "real" pole though I don't know about wall thickness.

It's probable that if I had compromised and not extended the pole full length, it wouldn't have broken and the need for a topping lift might not have been so obvious. However, that would have defeated the purpose of building the longer pole in the first place.

I have the roller furler and thought about using the otherwise unemployed jib halyard as topping lift, but I was trying to go simpler, because it was already a big PITA to keep deploying and stowing the pole (singlehanded) because of the variable winds.

It's not recommended to attach the pole end directely to the clue, but to the sheet so you can let it run if you need to. And it's not even reasonably possible to attach it to the clue with the 150 genny without either partially furling the sail or at least dumping the wind, so you can bring the clue amidships to reach it and latch the pole on. That's not something you'd normally want to do if you're trying to wring that extra bit of downwind performance out of the boat, which is why you're poling the foresail out to begin with.

In fact, I had just latched my pole to the sheet and was sliding it out towards the clue so I could latch the other end to the mast when it buckled. BTW I was not singlehanding that day but sailing with Steve (Catigale). I wish I could blame it on his helmsmanship but unfortunatley it was totally my fault.

Now that it's become obvious that, if I insist on a 14-16' pole, I can't get away without the extra complexity of a topping lift, I might reconsider and go with the shorter pole. As I said, I'm still looking. I definitely will not be trying an equally flimsy but shorter pool vacuum pole

It appears from the WM online catalog that the $95 pole is only 8' max; the 12' pole is $130; what a surprise, prices are up. But this one is recommended for boats only up to 22'. The cheapest 12' pole recommended for a boat the size of the Mac (but still a little short for the 150) is $320, while the cheapest 16' pole is $420. Seems like there ought to be a compromise position somewhere in between $130 and $320.

I've only had a chance to use mine a few tiimes, but I don't thing I need it any longer. But I also have a Genny 140 so that may make some of the differance.

My ADJ6-12 pole is the version with the spike at one end. I find that this makes it really easy to set up. You don't have to be able to reach the sheets or the clew of the sail. You just spear the ring on the sail, push outboard and clip the other end into the ring on the mast. the spike also allows you to release the headsail if needed. You can just free the sheet and let the sail blow forward. As it does so the spike just slides out of the ring and the pole drops down to the lifelines yet is still attached to the mast.

I store my pole in some rubber pole clips mounted just along the port side companionway track. This makes it easy to get to from the mast yet keeps it out of the way when walking forward.

Perhaps for true sailing purists the 12' pole is too short, but I find it works great with the fully unfurled 150 genoa. The shorter pole probably reduces how high I can sail by a few degrees, but I'm happy with how it works. It's a big improvement over no pole at all. Running wing on wing with the genoa poled out is our standard downwind setup. The boat tracks so well downwind that I have no problem going forward to set the pole.

Duane's Forespar ADJ 6-12 lists for $105 in the 2004 WM catalog. The website lists all the prices on the poles increased by around 20%, so this pole is now $130. Defender has it for $97.

Time to come clean about the last sail with Chip....

I grounded Chips boat, holed her in the bow, but I didnt fold up his whisker pole....





ok, I did that too....if I remember it fell to very light winds as we were fighting our way back home against the tide and then we caught a pretty good puff with everything up and I couldnt keep her stern to wind..and the pole folded up...

So, when someone "axes" you about your pole, have you been pole-axed?

Sailnet has the ADJ 6-12 with the spike for $89.66 or $86.07 with the SailPerks Membership.