Armond Perretta wrote:

Steve wrote:

looking at the Forespar site, I see I should have a 12-22ft line
control pole ... the list price is almost $900. Way out of my budget
... I think I will proceed with a fixed length (DIY) for this summer
but will set up all my hardware for the ultimate Forespar
recomended pole.

I agree that Forespar has never been "bargain-priced." Still I have
used their gear for decades with few problems.

Not me. Every Forespar item I've used has proven to be junk. The latest
frustration is a whisker pole that pops off the track. There doesn't seem to be
anything wrong with it, except that the tolerances are sloppy. Their end
castings and track stops always break. I've had trouble with their spinnaker
poles, small boat whisker poles, and their tiller extensions too.

Other sailors I know concur. Whenever we're shopping for something, the "Geez,
why don't they sell anything but Forespar," is an often heard refrain. It's one
of those companies with established advertising and distribution that won't go
away or improve, no matter how much competition there is.

Matt O.