Servicing Whisker Poles

[Adrian NAMT]

I have two Forespar extending whisker poles that do not extend. They have been lying on the deck of an old boat - so salt immersion, dirt encrusted. rusted securing hooks etc.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get them unstuck? What is inside to retain or lock the pole tubes when extended? If I can get them apart what needs to be done to get them usable again?
Many thanks for suggestions.

[model 10]

Getting them to extend should be easy. There is a leaf spring holding the black buttons out, just poke them in. It's the hook ends that might be the problem, They say you should only use water but that only works for a while then you need something else. I had to take them apart and make them loosey goosey so they would work when needed otherwise they were always stuck when I needed the pole.

[fryewe]

Soak the sliding parts in vinegar (get as much as you can between the two halves) and attempt to rotate them to the limit without damaging them. If you get movement, work them repeatedly in this fashion. Keep the internals wet with vinegar while you do this. If they don't free up, douche them with vinegar and let them sit overnight, they work them again. Repeat as necessary. The vinegar will eventually emulsify the aluminum oxide corrosion that is between the two pole halves preventing them from sliding.

When you get them apart, clean them well and treat the surfaces with alodyne (an iodine solution).

[roverhi]

If they are line control poles, there is rod/pole with a sheave at the end inside the pole. One end of the control line is secured internally at the base by a pop riveted padeye then goes around the sheave on the internal pole/rod and then to a cleat on the exterior of the pole. This is a 1-1 set up so there is no multiplication of force to move the pole in or out. It wouldn't take much in the way of restriction to lock the pole in place. Using the above methods to free it up will hopefully get it extending again.

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by roverhi

If they are line control poles, there is rod/pole with a sheave at the end inside the pole. One end of the control line is secured internally at the base by a pop riveted padeye then goes around the sheave on the internal pole/rod and then to a cleat on the exterior of the pole. This is a 1-1 set up so there is no multiplication of force to move the pole in or out. It wouldn't take much in the way of restriction to lock the pole in place. Using the above methods to free it up will hopefully get it extending again.

On a 37' boat they are almost certainly line control poles and work as described above. Chances are the inside parts are heavily corroded. If you can't free them up with water or vinegar, you will need to drill out the rivets, take the poles apart, and inspect, clean, or replace the corroded bits as needed. Fortunately, Forespar is pretty good with replacement parts. The ends of the stinger tube (see drawing) are especially vulnerable to corrosion.