looking at the Forespar site, I see I should have a 12-22ft line control
pole (#402200). That would only be 27 lbs. I could handle that.

However the list price is almost $900. Way out of my budget for this season.
(still have to pay for the rigid boom vang from Garhauer.)

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.

Maybe I can find someone to trade my telescoping spinniker pole for
something closer to what I need for a whisker pole.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

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. The issue is whether or not these
things make any sense economically, but then, does sailing make sense
economically? Probably not, still we do it.

Another possibility is to stow the gear either on deck (which is a "pia" to
fit), or using stanchion-mounted gear. I use these plastic
stanchion-mounted fittings for the whisker pole and they work well. Not
perfectly, but well enough.


--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/

"Armond Perretta" wrote in message
...

Another possibility is to stow the gear either on deck (which is a "pia"
to
fit), or using stanchion-mounted gear. I use these plastic
stanchion-mounted fittings for the whisker pole and they work well. Not
perfectly, but well enough.


If I use the Forespar collapsible pole, the shorter length would be much
easier to store on deck or on the stanchions. However, while doing a lot of
downwind sailing, I would like to leave it stored on the mast while for
windward work, I could always put it in a deck or stanchion storage.

I really don't need any more weight or windage on my mast. (mast steps and
oversized rod rigging is enough to cause her to heal over under bare poles,
at the dock.)

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve wrote:

I really don't need any more weight or windage on my mast. (mast
steps and oversized rod rigging is enough to cause her to heal over
under bare poles, at the dock.)

I have always thought that twin poles stowed on tracks on the mast looked
good, but they represent quite a bit of windage and weight in the wrong
place. They also require some expensive running rigging and hardware in
many cases. The idea of twin jibs downwind sounds good, but putting that
idea into effect with no chafe, not an excessive amount of windage, twin
headstays, etc., etc., is pretty hard to carry out. Besides this rig tends
to roll in heavy seas and I don't particularly like the motion.

The newer idea of poleless spinnakers and jibing downwind is probably as
good an approach as any these days if a conventional spinnaker is too much
to handle.

As a last resort you could always rig yards and square sails (smile).

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/

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.