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Fly away pole systems

Started by crawfyreid, 09 Apr 2005, 11:39

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crawfyreid

As an Albacore sailor I hope this will not exclude me from the wisdom of your members.
I have looked at several different systems around but, as the class which seemed to  " invent" the concept, is there a paricular system that has proven to work better than others.
Regards
Crawford

MikeDay

The 12s started off (in the mid 90s, if I recall) with the boom-mounted system, which of course only works when the jib is goose-winged.  On reaches, we were still using barber haulers and I think it was still at that time illegal to boom out the jib on the same side as the main.  One or two people then started experimenting with what we all use now - the dangly pole and this rapidly became the norm because of the control it allows over the jib on reaches, especially with a skilled crew.  In simple terms, the pole runs up and down a tight thin guide line stretched between the spreader bracket and the lowers.   It is retracted by a long piece of shock cord running from the top of the pole up to a block near the spreaders an then down to the base of the mast (that length is needed to keep tension in the shock cord). The control of the pole then happens via a continuos line attached to the jib clew, running up through the pole around a block in the top and then down to a block and cleat on the back of the mast or on the foredeck.  Sounds complicated but isn't when you get your head round it.  It's definitely the way to do it, if you're allowed to use it on reaches.

Mike
N3496 (pole still on order and not yet delivered!)