Submitted on December 16, 2002 by Marc Lewis

Question: Question on whisker pole length. I have a Fuji 45' ketch. Along with the yankee/stays'l combo , I have a 140% genoa on the roller furler. I plan on purchasing a gennaker soon for downwind performance. How do I determine the optimum whisker pole length for use with the 140%, and gennaker. I'm on a budget and am trying to avoid the cost of a telescoping pole. Is there one length that would work for me? marc lewis

Answer: Hi Marc, It seems like the best pole length for square running with a genoa is about .8-.85* the LP of the sail. So ignoring handling concerns for a 140% genoa your ideal length would be between 112% and 119% of your J dimension. If you intend to use the pole for a gennaker at times, you should opt for a shorter pole length to make it a little easier to handle. A pole as short as 100% of the J-dimension will be okay with the gennaker. In breezier conditions, you can use your 140% genoa on the shorter pole with the sail partially furled to get rid of the excess depth and make the sail more forgiving if the boat steers off course. All things considered, a pole of about 110% of J will work for you in all combinations. You could probably even pole out your yankee with it in big breeze.

Regards,
Dan Neri

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