Author Topic: How do you store your whisker pole?  (Read 9143 times)

selene

  • P323
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 376
  • Karma: 6
  • Mighty Member
    • View Profile
  • Model: P323
  • Vessel Name: Selene
  • City: Redwood City
  • State: CA
How do you store your whisker pole?
« on: May 14, 2012, 09:38:07 PM »
Looking for ideas/best practices.  My whisker pole is currently secured on the stbd deck, midway, with bungees holding it to a couple of stanchions...inelegant but functional.

I bought some chocks from West Marine, but with the pole amidships it rubs on the shroud turnbuckles - the chocks cannot go all the way to the deck as the stanchion base prevents this, so they have to be ~1" off the deck, thus putting the pole against the shrouds.  Further forward, and the curve of the hull interferes; further aft, it gets in the way of the jib sheets.

I have also stowed it against the mast; there is some windage, and it works fairly well except that it is sometimes fiddly to drop the mast car to the right position.  If ever you are in a hurry the mast car tends to stick!  Plus it takes longer (more steps).

So...best practices to share? Anybody tried the new Forespar chocks?
« Last Edit: January 01, 2013, 02:33:44 AM by SeaFever »

Now or Never!

  • P323
  • Jr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 41
  • Karma: 1
    • View Profile
  • Model: P323
  • Vessel Name: Now or Never!
  • City: Brunswick
  • State: GA
Re: How do you store your whisker pole?
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2012, 10:35:05 PM »
When we bought Now or Never!, the pole was stored on the port side deck.  It was continually in the way.  The 323's side decks are not commodious.  Since we had to pull the mast last winter, I took the time to install a track on the mast for storing the whisker pole.  Wonderful!  Actually, I had the hardware for that project for a couple of years.  But, when the mast was on the ground, it was so easy to do.

Peter
Now or Never! P323

Captain Bri

  • Brian
  • Ensign
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 142
  • Karma: 2
  • Sailmaker
    • View Profile
    • RedSkySails.com
  • Model: Ensign
  • City: Anytown
  • State: Ct
Re: How do you store your whisker pole?
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2017, 10:41:41 AM »
Same topic, same issue with the pole getting in the way on port sidedeck, so why not mount a track on the mast?

Mast project is forthcoming so I will have it off the boat. Forespar provides a nice tutorial on whisker poles and their storage - one would want to leave the deck mounts in place for heavy weather storage.

Any experiences, pro or con, with mounting the whisker pole on the mast? 
« Last Edit: December 19, 2017, 11:32:59 AM by SeaFever »
Men and Ships; Rot in Port

rnebergall

  • P323
  • Jr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 49
  • Karma: 0
  • P323 Owner
    • View Profile
  • Model: P323
  • Vessel Name: Zufrieden
  • City: Grand Marais
  • State: MN
Re: How do you store your whisker pole?
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2017, 08:54:34 PM »
I have used the newer Forespar chocks.  Available at Defender: 

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1%7C118%7C2358541%7C2358544&id=3953052

Just got them at the beginning of last season.  I did not find the pole all that troubling on the port-side deck. Was not in the way that often, or that much.  They work quite nicely, holding the pole securely, yet are easy to open to use the pole.  Even so, I would agree, the mast mounted solution is probably more convenient.


Alma

  • P323
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 343
  • Karma: 10
    • View Profile
    • GeneSmithStudio
  • Model: P323
  • Vessel Name: ALMA
  • City: Forked River, NJ
  • State: NJ
Re: How do you store your whisker pole?
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2017, 07:53:55 PM »
Alma's original owner mounted the pole on chocks on coach roof. It lays right next to the droade box. That was no problem until I put a solar vent on and the vent's perimeter sits a little outside the dorade dimensions. The pole now needs to be 'tucked in' carefully. It is a good spot. The PO used regular steel screws to hold the chocks in place- 40 years later they are still holding the chocks. I took an afternoon to remove them but they are still holding really well. Yep they are in a salt water! One day I'll drill them out and fill the holes with thickened epoxy and re-fasten. One day....

Captain Bri

  • Brian
  • Ensign
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 142
  • Karma: 2
  • Sailmaker
    • View Profile
    • RedSkySails.com
  • Model: Ensign
  • City: Anytown
  • State: Ct
Re: How do you store your whisker pole?
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2018, 04:45:32 PM »
Its good to hear what others are doing. It seems that in my situation the pole gets in the way because it is right where I board the boat from my dock so a simple relocation may be in order.

The best reason I have found for storing it on the mast is that it can be rigged and ready to deploy, which in turn makes it more likely to be utilized out on the water.  But it comes at a great cost in parts and labor, it "clutters" up the mast (windage and weight), and still has to be removed for stormy weather, so it is back on deck.

In practice I have rarely used the pole, but I do have a lot of experience with an asymmetrical on other boats- which makes sense to me as a future upgrade for sailing off the wind. If it is set up properly  (ATN tacker with a sock?) it can be use for reaching and running and it may not be so bad if the whisker pole became obsolete.

« Last Edit: January 04, 2018, 01:34:48 PM by SeaFever »
Men and Ships; Rot in Port