After a year of cruising Que Tal, we made a great upgrade to her sail plan: we added a track-mounted whisker pole on the front of her mast. While we had a cruising spinnaker aboard Que Tal, we found that we rarely used it. It was designed for very light air, and if the winds got over 10 knots, we had to quickly take it down.
In contrast, we were able to use the whisker pole even in winds gusting to 35 knots — and we could use it with the winds dead behind us or even sailing slightly by the lee as long as we didn’t have the main up.
Many sailors are more familiar with using a spinnaker and aren’t too familiar with the whisker pole. On a cruising boat, they’re large and unwieldy. Being uncertain of how much use they’ll get out of one, many cruisers try to save a little money and buy a whisker pole that is stowed on the deck and has to be wrestled into place. And, because it’s such a hassle to use, they seldom use it.
We opted to mount ours on a track on the front of the mast where it was easy to use and didn’t require any gorillas to muscle it into place. As a result, we used it frequently and sailed many times when other boats were motoring because the wind was “too far aft.”
I wrote this article for the May 2006 Cruising World on installing the pole (including a complete parts list, although prices are now out of date) and using it.
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Annual Salvador Rally says
We used this set up for many downwind passages withe the mainsail stowed. So easy with a fore & aft guy. We could douse the jib without worrying about the pole flying around.
The Boat Galley says
Absolutely! We did it many times without the main and the motion of the boat — even in a gale with just a scrap of jib out — is so easy. Happy Thanksgiving Jean & Bill!
Sally says
Carolyn, do you just leave the dinghy hoisted on the whisker pole overnight? What does that do to your balance?
Carolyn Shearlock says
On our previous boat, yes (our current boat is a catamaran and has davits). Doesn’t affect the balance more than a degree or two — not enough to notice when there is also wind, current, etc.
Dawn Shaw says
Dallas Shaw
Fia Cederlund says
Robert Grönlund
Diane Mercaldo says
We put one on our boat this year. Love it on the mast
The Boat Galley says
If it’s easy to use, it GETS used!
Diane Mercaldo says
The Boat Galley very thankful for it. Making our way down the ICW and then We will be doing your bahama route in January. I’m sure the whisker pole will be well used.
Tony Warner says
Marcella Balkema