Several reasons to use fore and aft guys and a topping lift on a whisker pole. First, it stabilizes the pole so you can move the wear poing on the sheet. Not a big deal on a day sail but running with a
jib poled out for twelve days, it becomes criticial.
Second is control of the pole in other than ideal conditions. When it comes time to set and or douse the pole, it's a breeze with a pole set up with guys. As others have said, just furl the
head sail, set up the pole with fore and aft guys and lift and swing it out. Unfurl the sail and you are all set up and running. To douse the pole, furl the sail, bring the pole forwared and unhook the sheet from the jaws. If I anticipate using the pole again soon, I lift the inner end, pull the
outboard end down with the foreguy where it nestles securely on the bow and go about my business. When I'm ready to use it again it's ready and waiting.
As far as
hardware to set up the guys, I attach a snatch block to the stem weldment at the bow, have several unused pukas, to run the foreguy. Led it back to the
cockpit on the windward side which has unused winches and
cleats for the sail to
Hawaii. I used it without any other
gear on the sail to
Hawaii. Have since added a small block to the padeye I attach my Jack Lines to a few feet aft of the stem and a fair lead eye so it runs along the edge of the deck/cabin and to a cam cleat on the outside edge of the
cockpit coaming. Found I didn't need to use a
winch on this and wanted to leave it rigged all the time. The afterguy is lead to a snatch block on a spar car on the
genoa track and back to the secondary
winch on the boat. With tension on the
jib sheet, pretty much have to winch the pole into position.