Downwind Sailing
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WHISKER POLE SIZE RECOMMENDATIONS WORKING JIB Boat Length Make Downwind Sailing Fun, Exciting and Efficient WHISKER POLES LINE CONTROL POLES Max. UXP-UTR UTS-UTR UTS-UTR UTS-UTR UXP-UXP UTS-UTR UTS-UTR UTS-UTR UTS-UXP UTS-UTR UTS-UTR UTS-UTR Inboard Outboard * All Carbon poles **50/50 Combo poles (carbon inner/aluminum outer) TWIST LOCK POLES Part No. Size /Weight Telescopes from 53” to 93”/3 lbs. 1” outer diameter With latch fittings on both ends Telescopes from 72” to 134”/3 lbs. 1-1/4” outer diameter With latch fittings on both ends Two sections extending from 79” to 138” 1-7/8” outer tube diameter With self-latching fittings on both ends /8 lbs Sailing downwind is exhilarating and a great way to get to your destination whether racing or cruising to your favorite anchorage. Using a whisker pole to hold your jib or genoa and go wing on wing is the best use of the combination of both the main and foresail. Three sections extending from 84” to 190” 2 in. outer tube diameter With self-latching fittings on both ends /9 lbs UXP Inboard/Outboard End UTR Outboard End w/ Trigger AT-125-S Aluminum Body T-125-S All stainless steel for 1-1/4” T-track. Used with UTS & TS inboard ends. Good for vertical storage. The same suggestion applies to learning to set the pole easily and properly. An adjustable length pole provides advantages in addition to simplifying its’ storage. The adjustable poles, the twist-lock and line control models, are preferable to the lock-button type which have limited length choices. A longer length will be used for close reaching with the length being shortened more and more as you go from broad reach to downwind. In general the pole should be kept near 90 o to the apparent wind just as with spinnaker pole practice (see diagram A). When trimming the sheet, keep in mind that very significant compressive loads can be exerted on the pole in strong winds. Please understand that you are creating a force vector on the pole. As a matter of fact, you could, on a still day tied up at the dock with the jib up, crank in the sheet with a winch until you had buckled the pole. FC-125 Flange style car for 1-1/4” T-track. Used with EL, UXP, & UTR inboard ends. Good for vertical storage. Aluminum, Aluminum/Carbon Combo and all Carbon Poles Available How do you know when it’s time to deploy a whisker pole for downwind sailing? When the jib sheet goes limp and you have to head up to get more boat speed or you have had to sheet in until the jib leech is too close to the main and is denigrating its’ performance. Then it’s time! However, other factors require consideration. In heavy winds giving near hull speed, deploying a pole will only be advantageous after you are way off the wind like 150 o apparent. Then again in very light winds and if your pole is long enough, (see Diagram A) you may find advantage as early as 90o to 100o apparent. There is nothing as helpful as some practice and experimentation. RC-125 Ring Car Solid stainless steel for 1-1/4” T-track. Used with EL, UXP & UTR inboard ends. Not for vertical storage John Kretschmer VP-Car For 1-1/4” T-track. Used under FC-125, AT-125-S & T-125-S style cars. For vertical storage. Holds pole & stops rattle. Order per outside pole dia. Forespar Products Corp. 22322 Gilberto Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Phone (949) 858-8820 Fax (949) 858-0505 Email sales@forespar.com Website www.forespar.com Professional Passagemaker & Sailing Writer “I can’t imagine sailing downwind without my Whisker Pole” I make offshore passages for a living and I count on my Forespar ® whisker pole. The telescoping feature gives me great flexibility when poling out my headsail. The pole is robust, well engineered and easy to set. When the wind pipes-up I can sail on a deep reach and if it builds more I can simply furl the sail, adjust the pole length and just keep blasting along. PE-1 Plastic pad eye for ADJ 4-8 & 6-12 twist lock poles. To get the most lift and best speed out of a poled out jib, trim it until the leech (which is now acting as the luff) begins to curl back just as is done with a spinnaker. As you head more and more on a downwind course there will be a tendency for the jib clew to lift and even oscillate up and down. A fore-guy will help keep the clew at the right height for best boat speed. This height will vary as dictated by apparent-wind speeds and angles or even wave conditions. On smaller boats, say under about 30 feet, the leeward sheet can be tucked under a bow cleat horn and used as a downhaul. On boats 30 ft. and over you should be using both a topping lift and a fore-guy. Whisker poles cannot be jibed end-for-end as with spinnaker poles. The procedure is to ease the foreguy, remove the pole from the mast, pass it aft between the mast and what will become the lee shrouds until the forward end can be passed through the fore-triangle and switch the sheet attachment on the forward end of the pole. Then push the pole to weather and reattach to the mast. The sheet trimmer must tend the weather sheet to help control the pole as it is pushed forward else the jib and the pole will be slammed against the head stay. The main should not be jibed until the pole jibe is completed. When it’s time to dowse the pole it is pretty much a reverse process. Ease the sheet, detach from the mast, pass the pole aft on the lee side and disconnect from the sheet. The helmsman must not head up until the pole is completely disconnected and off the foredeck. The pole should be kept level at all times. To accomplish this there will need to be multiple or adjustable mast attachment fittings (track & cars) on the mast except for small day-sailors with a single jib inventory. PE-3-SF Flat base PE-3-SC Curved base Stainless steel pad eye. For use with poles up to 10-18 size. For more in-depth information on the use and care of whisker poles, please visit the Tech Tips section on the Forespar ® website. MAST POLE CHOCK Mounted on mast to hold pole wh