spinnaker pole

DaveR · Post by **DaveR** » Sun Feb 29, 2004 1:32 am

Are most spinnaker poles these days rigged with a bridle or d rings in the center ? Do you need a tapered pole to use rings and keep the pole from snapping?
Thanks!

Paul Latour · Post by **Paul Latour** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:25 pm

I have bent several poles on reaches, so recommend use only tapered if use D-rings, which I used to do. But my foredeck man says they don't help enough to bother. I'm back to bridels.

Tom Line · Post by **Tom Line** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 4:37 pm

Bridles here, and a straight aluminum tube.

I did the math a while ago, and realized that even if you went to tapered carbon fiber, you only save a couple pounds. Just not worth it on the spinnaker poles. They don't weigh enough to matter, especially with the costs for tapered aluminum and carbon vs. a straight tube.

Post by **Tom Elsen** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:19 pm

I use a bridle and a straight pole.
D rings work well...... until your pole snaps.

Post by **Tim Bosma** » Fri Mar 26, 2004 10:33 am

Tom Line wrote:Bridles here, and a straight aluminum tube.

I did the math a while ago, and realized that even if you went to tapered carbon fiber, you only save a couple pounds. Just not worth it on the spinnaker poles. They don't weigh enough to matter, especially with the costs for tapered aluminum and carbon vs. a straight tube.

The same with Hot Tamale and, I believe, the other boats in fleet 1. A couple of pounds is the third beers we leave on the dock for our return!

Dale Eager · Post by **Dale Eager** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 3:44 pm

While we are on the subject of math and broken spin poles, I lost perhaps 3" or so of my pole due to a skying incident. How high should I put the replacement on my list of upgrades? I am primarily doing club racing, but don't want to give up any big advantages.

Tom Line · Post by **Tom Line** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 3:08 pm

If your sails are decent and your rigged is tuned, you might notice a bit of downwind speed lost. It won't affect sheeting angle enough to matter, but it will allow (dead down wind) 3 feet more in width of the spinnaker and the height of the mast to be blanketed behind the mainsail. Probably worth a small bit on a deep run downwind. it will be more evident in light air than heavy.

I'd fix the pole reasonably quickly.

Jeff W · Post by **Jeff W** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:16 am

Ours is a few inches too long, want me to send you the sawed off part

by the way what is the minimum diameter pole recommended?

Jeff W
S2 7.9 HID279
Renegade

S2 7.9 Meter Class Association

spinnaker pole

spinnaker pole

spin pole taper

Spin pole