Kite pole stowage.

[chippie 6]

We're thinking of getting a longer kite pole and the guy at the front end keeps nagging for a carbon one.  The one we've got is an alloy 5m and we're thinking of a carbon 6m but it would be a bit harder to stow on deck and avoid all the other bits.

I remember that in our Piedy days (long ago now) we used to stow the pole along the boom in couple of brackets leaving the topping lift attached during the race.

Our boom's long enough to take the longer pole (although it's a bit higher off the deck than the piedy one was)  and wondering if I'm nuts thinking it would work in a scaled up version.  Or does anyone currently do it?

[Frickie 9]

Still the way we do it on my Ross 930.

[Addem 95]

Did it on our callenge 29. Used a 180mm plastic drainage tube lashed to the boom. Quick and easy to stow the pole.

 

Looking at doing it on Elliott 10.5. Which has a long carbon pole.

[chippie 6]

Thanks for that, might give it a try.

[raz88 96]

I've sailed on a young 11 that had this. Handy for keeping the pole out of the way, and didn't seem to be any issues with it being on a larger scale, other than as the bowman pulls it forwards once it's out of the bracket it's easy to drop the back of it and bang the cabin top, which is pretty easy to avoid if you're careful.

[snail 1]

We use it as well. Works great. Just check your sail cover is still going to fit with the extra volume.

[chippie 6]

It's a leisure furl boom so the sail cover is well clear.  Now that it sounds like it will not be a problem I'm thinking about the most elegant way to design the stowage.  It's got to be practical, easy to use and secure.   Thinking the outer end of the boom needs to be some kind of ring or semi enclosed ring and the front an eye to clip the pole end into?  I remember the Piedy one used to rattle like hell in big winds!

[snail 1]

Ours are just two oversize stainless rings on each side of the boom. 1forward, 1 aft. Spinaker pole sits in the aft ring and is clipped into forward one. Our pole is under 4 metres so the aim at aft ring is usually manageable. Noise hasn't really been an issue, or more to the point, when it gets that rough I'm usually worried about something else - like keeping my lunch down!

[mattm 98]

I like this system, always used it in trailer boats, never tried it on a bigger boat. One thing that did bug me on light days was the extra weight on the boom when your trying to open the leach for flow, I took the pole off the boom on light days because we didn't have a boom topper - which would also solve the problem.

[ballystick 72]

Storing the pole on the boom lets you leave the topper and downhaul connected which meant for fast deployment and stowing with less tangles and sheet wrapping.

[Battleship 100]

Works well on a smaller boat with a lightweight pole, can get the bag up real quick. can sometimes be a bitch getting it back in on the end of the boom and can also hook up on runners if you have them.

Would be interested to hear how it works out on a larger boat, can't remember seeing this on a fully funded race (TP52) boat in the days of poles so there must be a point at which it becomes impractical.

[chippie 6]

That's exactly what I've been wondering.  Will it work on a bigger boat even though I know how well it works on a smaller one.  The only tricky thing I remember is trying to get the far end of the pole into the ring on a bumpy day.  We're 44ft, anyone doing it on a similar size boat?  The kite pole thing I mean.

[chic014 0]

Are you talking about storage while racing or when not in use at all? If while racing why not extend the butt end track on the mast down to deck level then the pole sits relatively flush on the deck and the jib can clear it.

[chippie 6]

Was thinking of both, but that's a good idea for racing.

[Guest 000]

You fellers are really smart!

My little praam has a 3 metre mast that I think can be used as a headsail booming out pole on the H28 as well.

I was wondering where/how to stow it.

Under the boom. What a great idea.

Thanks.

[Addem 95]

. The only tricky thing I remember is trying to get the far end of the pole into the ring on a bumpy day. ? The kite pole thing I mean.

That's why we used a plastic tube. One person can slide it in while the topper is taking the weight. No clips required until the end of the day or someone in the cockpit can secure it while the foredeck get on with tidying up.

 

We've got a 4m pole.