On 2008-08-23 14:57:57 -0400, "Skip Gundlach" said:

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.

Well, my solution is to only do dead-downwind wing-on-wing for short
periods, maybe for a half hour, and no pole.

"Tacking" downwind is faster, more comfortable, requires less attention
and avoids the possibility of accidental gybes, though it demands
periodic gybes to keep to the rhumb line.

If you're married to doing a poled-out wing-on-wing, I might suggest
attaching a sacrificial loop to the clew for the pole's jaws. You won't
eliminate chafe, though the idea of putting some braid over the sheets
might give you some more time before you have to replace the sheets.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/