Spinnaker Pole

[GoPopp]

Hi all

I'm looking at refurbishing my old pole on my Defiance 30 (SS30 hull shape)
I have never used it. It has a line attached to the outboard end with a elastic chord attached. I have searched the net for an explanation. The nearest I can find to what I have is a forespare with retractable bridle option. See here.
Aluminum Spinnaker Poles

Can anyone throw any light on how this is used.

Thanks

GoPopp

[Hydra]

GoPopp,
A picture of your pole would be useful.

Alain

[GoPopp]

Its like this sketch

[Paul Elliott]

The cord at the end is probably used to retract the latch pin (used to capture the sheet or guy). In the picture you posted there are two of these cords, labeled "inboard trip" and "outboard trip". The elastic is used to keep the cord out of the way when not being used. When the pole is in use the cords are let hang so you can grab them and release the guy/sheet, or release the pole from the mast attachment ring.

[knot smart]

,+1..I agree.. mine is springs loaded and the cable is used to release the pins ..one end to the mast and the other to the jib sheet..

Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[GoPopp]

Thanks both Knot smart and Paul

That's not how it is. You will note on the sketch there is and outboard and inboard trip. These release the bird beak pins. I can't figure out the bridle and the retractor cord function. How it would be used.

Thanks again

I have never seen this system in action

GoPopp

[Paul Elliott]

I don't know anything about the retractor cord, but the bridle generally looks like the combined "bridle" and "retractor cord" as shown in your diagram. Generally though, a Bridle is symmetrical, and a topping lift (or "uphaul") attached to the midpoint of the bridle. An uphaul is much like a halyard, but usually attached to a block 3/4 the way up the mast, and is used to support the pole.

When "end-for-end" jibing the spinnaker pole the bridle and uphaul keep the pole from dropping onto the deck and keep the ends at the proper height to re-attach to the mast ring and spinnaker guy (or sheet). The uphaul also lets you adjust the pole height so you can trim the spinnaker. There may be a downhaul attached to a second bridle, also to control the pole height.

I just did a quick Google search for "spinnaker pole" and found this: http://www.bostonharborsailing.com/r...kerclassv1.pdf. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of pages, documents, and books on-line that describe how to sail with a spinnaker and rig the pole.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by GoPopp

Its like this sketch

If the retracter cord is just shock cord then the pole lift is set up for dip pole jibing as only the outboard end is supported. Since you know which end of the pole is always inboard the retracter pulls the pole lift back to the mast so you can have the pole on the mast track ready to go as you do that last tack or jibe at the mark and not have the jib fighting with the pole lift.

My boat is setup this way and is obviously a dip pole boat because of the socket end at the mast. I've never tried it as the shock cord is dead and I don't race my boat and the people I sail with not being racers we're not doing last minute tacks or jibes with the pole setup.

I could have used it in my racing days on the boat I was on. One day lots of current at the mark, not taken into account by the skip. As foredeck I was told to rig for the run. I get mostly setup when the frantic cries of clear the foredeck for tacking comes up. First tack happened with everything not quite out of the way, second tack happened while I was still getting things untangled. Third and forth tacks happened quite a bit later when they had finally figured out how much to overstand for the current.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by cal40john

If the retracter cord is just shock cord then the pole lift is set up for dip pole jibing as only the outboard end is supported. [...]

This makes a lot of sense. I use dip-pole jibing on VALIS, but don't have a retractor cord. Note that you will probably also need a foreguy or downhaul. Again, there are many, many on-line articles and recources about using a spinnaker and rigging the pole.