Want To Buy: Seeking 20' spinnaker pole

[Atraxia]

Seeking (preferably used) 20' long 4-5" Dia. spinnaker pole.
Will be in Fort Lauderdale by end of April but can have it shipped to a local address for pick up.

Many thanks!
Ron

[Stumble]

If at all possible find a carbon fiber pole. In this size and length the weight savings is massive. There are some good places to find poles this size (breeding grounds of the TP-52's are a favorite). The problem is you are looking at a roughly 50lb piece of metal up there if you go with aluminium.

That being said, if you can't find a used one, the prices they charge for new poles is insane. You can get the end fittings for about $1,500 a pair, and then find an aluminium supply place and buy a piece of 4"OD X .120 wall thickness tubeing for about $300. Combined this is about $700 off retail for a pole this size.

[Atraxia]

Thanks Stumble!

Searching while cruising is limited and hard but will try.
If there are any specific suggestions to narrow the search.... I will be grateful!

[TheOffice]

Check Sailorman when you are in Lauderdale


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Atraxia]

Thanks 'The office',

Was there 2 weeks ago. They had one 15' long. Unfortunately too short for us

[Stumble]

So I just did some looking and it looks like the Forte 20-24' carbon poles for about $2,300 including end fittings. At half the weight of an aluminium pole I would really recommend trying to stretch the budget. The weight reduction makes a huge difference on a pole this size.

If you are looking for aluminium tubing you just need to find an aluminium supply company. The tubing itself is pretty cheap ($1-2/foot) but the shipping for a 20' long pole is brutal. If at all possible it's much cheaper to show up at a wharehouse for the seller and pick it up, which if you are in Florida may actually be possible.

As for end fittings, I prefer Pistons on both ends, but it really depends on what hardware you already have on the mast. Obviously matching it is more important than a debate about end fittings.

[Atraxia]

Thank you for your reply Greg but $2300 is wayyyyy beyond our budget. Will have to wait and see what else I can find.

Thanks!

[HappyMdRSailor]

You might try Welcome to Don's Marine Surplus and Salvage Yard. Your new and used boat parts heaven! -FL

- Spinnaker and Whisker Pole - MA

You might consider 2 shorter poles, one sliding in the other... But it's hard to find the OD in shorter lengths, and will be a bit of work...

[Atraxia]

Thanks Happy MdRSailor!!

I contacted the second option you wrote and hope for a win.

All the best!
Ron

[bsurvey]

go to any place they sell steel. by 50 ft of 6061 T6 aluminum tubing and some pole end fittings from harken and you are good to go

[tdh1849]

When next in Ft.Lauderdale locate and call sailmakers, " Nance and Underwood" located a few blocks from Sailorman. Talk to Roger Underwood, tell him Pat N. now in Tampa sent you. He and I were members of the same sailing club, a good guy and if he doesnt have one he knows where to get one.

[Only Time]

I have a 4" diameter aluminum spin pole that is 19'6" long including the end fittings. Spin pole is from a 1973 Swan 44. One end fitting is a jaw and the other end fitting is cone shaped designed to go into a receptacle.

The pole is in the Boston, Mass area (Marblehead). Let me know if this fits your requirements.

[jheldatksuedu]

I have a 17 foot spinnaker pole, it will certainly be a lot cheaper than carbon fiber. I'm in Ft Denaud (LaBelle), Florida, about 30 miles east of Ft Myers.

[BobLoucks]

Don's Salvage in Clearwater Fl has a large inventory of used Poles
Suggest you check with them Welcome to Don's Marine Salvage. Your new and used boat parts heaven!
Good luck!

[Stumble]

Used poles are absolutely worth it. The aluminium at worst is a few hundred bucks, the ends are where the cost is. So if you can find an old used pole, even if it's too short, takeing the ends off and buy a new extrusion from a supply shop is a very cheap way to go.

The only thing to keep in mind about the aluminium, is if at all possible use 6061, or better 6061-t6 aluminium. 6063 is also commonly used, but isn't prefered.