1. Poles

Maximum length including fittings at ends is 2.3metres and end of pole must not be more than 2320mm from mast when attached to mast. Poles now usually of carbon fibre tube of approx 1 inch diameter (needs to be reasonably snug fit to trigger ends used) but aluminium can be used although this is heavier.

2. Pole end that attachs to mast

Usual trigger mechanism which most people mount so that the opening of the jaw is pushed up into the pole end attachment on mast. Usually have a plastic collar some 2-3 inches from fitting and with a thin cord attached to the trigger to allow crew to release the trigger. Epoxy attachment with carbon fibre – rivet with aluminium.

3. Front Pole end ie from which spinnaker flies

Use a large bullseye with stainless steel centre that just fits into the end of the tube. The end of the spinnaker downhaul comes up from the base of the mast, through a slot near the end of the pole and then through the bullseye. On aluminium poles, a small deck turning block can be fitted but on my carbon poles there is simply a slot about 1 inch long and about 1 inch back from end. The downhaul is of 2-3mm diameter dynema (low stretch) and an alloy / plastic ring is attached to end by a bowline or whipping. Alloy is best as plastic wears through quite quickly. The downhaul runs through the bullseye, through slot in pole and down to block at base of mast.

4. Mast End of spinnaker downhaul

This is attached to the becket of a small block. A control line (3-4mm dynema) is taken through this block to allow the end of the pole to be held down when the pole is out and spinnaker flying. One end of this control line is fixed as near as possible to base of mast and the other end goes down through a lined deck bush (bullseye) in front of mast step to another block below the deck. Through this latter block, a control line is taken via as many as necessary turning blocks to either to a cleat on each side of the thwart or to a central cleat at the rear of the centreboard case. Frequently this spinnaker downhaul is called the snodger or tweaker.

5. Pole End of spinnaker uphaul

This ends in a snap shackle/ release clip (or a captive shackle) and there is a short length of thin elastic in a loop in last 6 inches – this helps to keep the pole up when it is back by the boom and stops it getting in the way. The clip goes onto a simple deck clip loop fixed near the end of the pole. In this way, the pole can easily be rigged / derigger.

6. Mast End of spinnaker uphaul

There is a deck clip loop on the mast and each downhaul (remember you have a separate downhaul and uphaul for each pole) is simply tied off to this loop. It is important to get the height correct for the spinnaker that you are using and some people make the downhaul adjustable by putting a small block on the deck loop and leading a control line down the front of the mast and then back to the centreboard case / thwart.

What you do need to do is get this deck clip positioned at the right point as you do not want to have to move it as that means more holes in the mast (as you are using a carbon mast, you may want to ask someone with a carbon mast how they fix this clip). What I have done in the past is put the loop on initially with tape (eg duck tape) then fly the spinnaker on land in lightish winds, see how everything works and that the spinnaker is breaking in the middle of the luff. If breaks below middle, lower the pole and if above then raise the pole.

7. Spinnaker sheets

Everybody uses a continuous sheet which runs from one right hand corner of the spinnaker through the ring at the end of the starboard spinnaker downhaul (this will be held in tight to the end of the starboard spinnaker pole by the pole downhaul) back outside the starboard shroud through a deck mounted block to a block (on a deck clip) on the thwart then through a cleat then across the boat to a cleat through a block (0n a deck clip) up through a deck mounted block then outside the port shroud through the ring on the port spinnaker downhaul (this is loose and not located in end of port spinnaker pole which is back along the boom) to the port corner of the spinnaker.

We have a knot (with a plastic bobble) in-board from the cleat on the thwart so that when the spinnaker is flying on a tight reach, the spinnaker pole is just off the jib forestay.

8. Spinnaker halyard

This is continuous running from the top of the spinnaker up through a sheave on the mast, down inside the mast coming out just above deck level through the deck on the starboard side of the mast down to a turning block then through a cleat with a lead eye back through the starboard thwart to a turning block at the rear of the centreboard case then back through the port thwart over the front buoyancy tank and up through the spinnaker shute so that it is attached to the retrieval patch on the spinnaker. The halyard should be 1-2 ft shorter than is actually needed ie the two ends should both just meet without the spinnaker in place: this helps to stop the spinnaker going under the boat when it is dropped. Another tip is to fit a plastic ball / rope stopper about 6 inches from the top end of the halyard as this prevents it from vanishing into the mast when the end is let go or when the knot comes undone.

9. Hoisting the Spinnaker

Our routine is:

1. Pull on the puller just before the mark.
2. After you have rounded the mark, the helm pulls up the spinnaker by centring the tiller between the legs and using two hands to hoist the spinnaker: the cleat is positioned so that the halyard runs through it and it cleats automatically.
3. As the helm hoists, the crew pushes out the appropriate pole (say starboard) while at the same time pulling the downhaul so that the ring at end (through which the spinnaker guy runs) is tight to the end of the pole, clips the pole on to the mast, cleats the spinnaker guy in so that it is off the forestay and pulls the spinnaker sheet in.
4. As soon as the pole is on, the helm pulls the pole downhaul (tweaker / snodger) on as hard as possible so that the ring through which the spinnaker guy goes is held on the end of the pole.
5. You can then adjust the kicker at leisure and if the spinnaker leg is going to be a long one then the mast can be pulled upright by releasing the shroud tension and pulling on the forestay tension.

10. . Dropping the Spinnaker

Our routine is:

1. Helm lets off pole downhaul and puller then pulls on kicker (you may need to rake your mast back as well if you have let it upright).
2. The crew, sitting astride the centreboard case, does everything else in this order:

1. uncleats the spinnaker guy and sheet
2. releases the spinnaker halyard from cleat with one hand
3. while at the same time pulling the spinnaker back into the shute with the other hand
4. when most of the spinnaker is in the shute, it will not go any further until the pole is taken off. The crew takes the pole off (ideally with just one hand), allows it to fly back along the elastic and pulls in the final bit of the spinnaker with the other hand.

While the crew is busy doing this, the helm should be prepared to take up any slack on the spinnaker sheet/guy so that it does not slip under the bow.

Some people have the helm helping to pull the spinnaker in but we find that the helm is better left to concentrate on keeping the boat balanced and positioning the boat for the next leg. Practice and more practice helps to perfect the technique.

Another tip: use insulation tape to remove any possible snagging points on the jib. This is usually at the lower attachment where the jib goes down to the bow and also where the jib halyard is attached to the top of the jib.

If any questions, please