On Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:52:22 -0400, Marc Auslander wrote:

Can you say more about "flexible fibre tent poles". Where can I buy
then and get specs? Do they break down into lengths suitable for
storage belowdecks? My local camping store doesn't show anything longer
than about 8 feet, and they are metal and don't sound very flexible.

Yes, the fibreglass poles come in approx. 2' lengths and various
thicknesses. They're sold at many camping and outdoor outfitters here in
Canada, such as:

http://www.fcsurplus.ca/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=3809

They have a metal ferrule on one end that is a female socket for the next
length of pole. Put 4 of them together and they span my cockpit nicely.
Put a length of shock cord through them and they keep nicely tight. In
the first incarnation of this rig, I had cut access openings into the
sleeves in order to seperate the centre joint so that the tent could be
folded in half and stowed in a sail locker. This new one hasn't had that
mod done to it yet, but it rolls up into a bundle about 4" in diameter
and at eight feet can be stored in the v-berth with getting in the way of
much.

It's really been quite a good solution for us and quite sturdy. It has
survived several Great Lakes storms 40kts over the past 8 years.

Good luck with it.