just fitted my new carbon poles to the boat but can't get the uphauls right. I was told fixed was the way to go, but when the poles are stowed along the boom they foul the lowers. Was told about an elastic lop six inches from outer pole end but cant work it out.Have looked at almost every picture on the web for cluse and read articles but still confuddled
Any tips would be a great help, pictures would be great.

1st off, if you put the attachment point as high as you can go (e.g. a widget hanging off the lower fixing of the jib sheave box) then the pole will sit higher - difficult to explain the geometry without drawing pictures which I haven't got my head round on the computer.  Personally I think this is the best solution.  The alternative is for those people who already have a lower attachment point and do not want to drill more holes in the mast.  Essentially what you are doing, and it matters not how you achieve this, is to put a bit of elastic into the uphaul that will be tensioned when the pole is launched and under load, so the low stretch uphaul itself determines the height of the pole, but which will contract when the pole is hanging by the side of the mast & boom.  All you need to do therefore is put a loop in your uphaul a reasonable distance above the pole itself and run a bit of shock-cord from the loop to the same attachment on the pole that takes the uphaul proper.  Adjust the length of this shock cord until the pole is lying comfortably above the lowers and puller.

That's it.

Watch this space. I have the very photo you need at home - can't understand why it isnt on the site?!?!?

Mags,
did you find this picture??

No, cos my memory is rubbish.
I do apologise, this time I will stick a post-it note on my forehead....

........and one in your pocket to remind you to look in the mirror to see the first post it note stuck on your forehead reminding you to look out the photo!!!!  I have every sympathy - post it notes are designed for us wrinklies (you are over 30 remember)

Sorry, what are we talking about?  The trouble with these long threads is that one cannot remember how they started after scrolling to the bottom.

anyway - now that I have fitted the wings to my national 400, how do I go about canting the keel??

'Perplxed' - this might be the elastic loop you were told about. With one on each uphaul it lifts the poles up out of the way of the lowers when stowed along the boom.

more pics in that folder now - i only took them....er....2 years ago