Attaching a spinnaker pole to mast - when NO track on front of mast?

[builder dan]

A track would spread the load out a lot better than an eyebolt be aware that most masts break around the gooseneck so any point loading is to be avoided.

[Cheechako]

just add a good strong loop/pad eye to t he front of your mast. Make sure the loop is big enough for the end of your pole fitting.

[SteelCruiser]

Heading up there tommorrow.

Will take your suggestion(s) with me and let you know how we go.

[SpiritofGlenans]

Originally Posted by dlymn

Sounds like a half finished project by PO.
You might try using the spin like an assymetrical for the fun of it. Shackle the tack to the bow and run a sheet to an aft winch. Not perfect but have done it once or twice.

Did that once, to get a small training keelboat, with three trainees on board, back to base in very slack conditions. There was an enormous blind spot to leeward and the boat was moving faster than I realised, as we were all quite relaxed in the hot almost windless conditions. The result was that I had actually crossed a channel that I thought I was still in the middle of, and found myself right in the middle of a group of rocks, yards from shore. I have never taken a spinnaker down as fast, before or since!

[SpiritofGlenans]

If you already have a spinnaker pole it will either have spring-loaded jaws at both ends, or have jaws on one end and a fitting for a track at the other. If the latter, obviously you have to buy and fit a track. In which case, for stowage you will drop the pole to the bottom of the track, raise the pole to vertical and engage the jaw in a ring fixed to the mast. If the pole has two jaws you will need a ring on the mast to which to attach it. Please buy a proper spinnaker pole ring, and not a ring-bolt, as the dedicated item will present a bigger target area when you need to attach to it really quickly when gybeing.
As for the height at which to attach the ring; the customary height is such that it will allow the pole, when attached to the ring, swing past the base of the forestay, almost touching it.

[Jd1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I just installed a track a week or so ago, nothing to it,and I have about thirty .25" fasteners to spread the load out.
I did it for a whisker pole though, but it is easy work

Just curious - how is the track attached? Rivets ? Screws ? are the holes all tapped?

[phydeaux]

Strongly suggest a pad eye type mast fitting on the front of the mast, especially if you're not going to install a track/car setup.. Assume you're already planning a topping lift and downhaul - while it seems excessive, you'll want to do that, both for your spinnaker and whisker poles.

For good professional advice (free) contact Randy Riswold at Forespar.

He won't try to sell you something

[alctel]

I added a track on front of my mast last summer. It's kind of a pain, but I had a 15' long one to install as I wanted to store pole on mast. I used rivets. Probably the best idea would be to drill/tap, but there were a LOT of holes...

[Larry Chamblee]

I have 1 1\4 inch track and a nice spinnaker bale from my decommissioned boat. Anyone interested?

[SpiritofGlenans]

Originally Posted by SteelCruiser

No
Nothing on front of mast
I've considered tying a loop of spectra - with an eye - around the mast at the correct height ( passing between sail slides )

knowing "the correct height" changes and is thus problematic

"Correct height" is dictated by the length of the spinnaker pole. If you place one end of the pole at the base of the forestay and slant it back toward the mast, where it touches the mast is where it should be attached. This is set out in the specifications and dimensions of your yacht, and is known as the "J"-Measurement.
If you intend to use the "Dip-Pole method for gybeing, then attach it perhaps an inch higher, so that the other end will clear the forestay fitting.( However, for a boat the size of yours, the "End-for-End" method of gybeing the pole is more suitable.)

[StuM]

Originally Posted by SpiritofGlenans

"Correct height" is dictated by the length of the spinnaker pole. If you place one end of the pole at the base of the forestay and slant it back toward the mast, where it touches the mast is where it should be attached. This is set out in the specifications and dimensions of your yacht, and is known as the "J"-Measurement.
If you intend to use the "Dip-Pole method for gybeing, then attach it perhaps an inch higher, so that the other end will clear the forestay fitting.( However, for a boat the size of yours, the "End-for-End" method of gybeing the pole is more suitable.)

No, the J measurement is the horizontal distance from the front of the mast to the headstay pin.

The distance from the headstay pin to the spinnaker eye is greater than J.

There is no "correct height". Ideally the eye should be positioned so that the pole is horizontal when rigged so that you get maximum extension.

But since the height of the tack will vary to a certain extent based on wind direction and strength, you can only approximate this. And of course if you have more than one spinnaker, this height can change considerably.

You also need to consider the ease of attachment. If the eye is much above chest height for whoever is on the foredeck, it can be much more difficult to handle, especially when end-for-end gybing.

[UNCIVILIZED]

To fly it like an assymetric kite, you can use (or improvise) one of these ATN Sailing Equipment | The Tacker | No Boom Spinnaker Handler

One Summer, when I went to visit the old man, something told me to take a kite along. Which was a wise call, as that Summer, the Great Lakes had nada for wind. And his boat, like yours, had Zero kite hardware.
So I simply put a D-Shackle around the headstay. And then, for the inboard end of the sail, I ran a line with a snap shackle up from a (stout) deck fitting, through the D-Shackle, & to the sail's tack.
Adjusting the height of the tack by easing or tightening the line coming up from deck level. Much akin to what you see happening out at the ends of the sprits on sport boats.
Other than that, all you'd need is a kite halyard, & a pair of sheets.

NEVER, BTW, put knots in the ends of ANY lines attached to a spinnaker. As at some point you may need to let them run, even if it means losing the kite.
For in high winds, a spinnaker can cause you to take a knockdown far enough to put the spreaders, or even the mast into the water. Possibly with downflooding through the companionway, etc.
Yep, it's rare, but it happens.

Anyway, the spinnaker sock (sleeve), mentioned by Jim Cate, is another product made by ATN ATN Sailing Equipment | Sailboat Spinnaker Sleeve
Which can make handling them a good bit easier much of the time.

As to ring mounting height. Generally on a boat that size, it'll go onto the spar at about chest height.
And such rings, as well as mast tracks, & their attendent end fittings & such, can often be found at; Used Gear Chandleries, Ebay, Boatyards with cast off spars, etc. And be hand for a fairly small amount of coin.
Pass on any who's fasteners are frozen in place by galvanic corrosion.

[Joyful Noise]

Originally Posted by SpiritofGlenans

"Correct height" is dictated by the length of the spinnaker pole. If you place one end of the pole at the base of the forestay and slant it back toward the mast, where it touches the mast is where it should be attached. This is set out in the specifications and dimensions of your yacht, and is known as the "J"-Measurement.
If you intend to use the "Dip-Pole method for gybeing, then attach it perhaps an inch higher, so that the other end will clear the forestay fitting.( However, for a boat the size of yours, the "End-for-End" method of gybeing the pole is more suitable.)

How is that handled when you have a cutter rig with a self tending boom?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Joyful Noise

How is that handled when you have a cutter rig with a self tending boom?

I have a whisker pole, but I don't think it matters.
The pole of course has to have enough "play" so that is can reach to either side of the boat, this is my car
CAR FC-125

You see it can flop to either side, so I mounted my whisker pole to the Starboard side of my mast, this did two things, first it made it so my self tending Stay sail boom would clear, but it also made it so the top car and pole would flop around at anchor or when not being used making noise.

On edit I assume you mean how do you store the pole?

[Bambino]

I've been interested in adding a track on my for a whisker pole for some time. My main concern would be jeopardizing the integrity of the mast. Any thoughts on this?