It's normal to get some chafing at the pole during long offshore runs.
You could try putting a foot or two of braid over the sheets at the
wear point, changing it out once in a while. This is a common problem
on racing boats doing long runs under spinnaker.

================

On Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:57:57 -0400, "Skip Gundlach"
wrote:

Well, not a joke...

We like using our spinnaker pole (we don't have a whisker pole) to
hold our genoa out in dead-downwind or there-abouts situations. We
can rig it so we can furl the genny if needed, by putting the sheet
through the jaw, and of course can also release it readily. We have a
topping lift for the pole and fore and after guys. As we always use
it that way, we're able to "set it and forget it" by markings on the
guys, placing it in the same position each time. The pole rides on a
mast track on the other end.

However, in really rolly stuff, the sail moves around enough that the
sheets also move in the jaw, leading to chafe.

So, a couple of questions...

Given a spin pole rather than a whisker, and the need, perhaps, to
furl the genny quickly (and the jaw not being big enough to attach to
the clew), is there a better way to rig?

Secondly, for those advocating this modus, how do you avoid chafing
the sheets?

Thanks.