Spinnaker track height ?

[gjordan]

I have a masthead sloop and will be placing a track on the front of the mast for the pole. My previous boats have had rather short tracks and I never used the poles for a spinnaker. I now have a 7.5 foot track to mount and am looking for advice on how high to place it? The I is 41 feet. Thanks ahead of time. _____Grant.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Having it top out at much above 8' or 9' probably isn't necessary even if you have an adjustable system for the pole's butt, akin to the traveler on the main. However if you plan to do dip pole gybes, test out how high the end on the mast needs to be in order for the pole to easily clear the headstay at waist height.

Also, ensure that you use Blue Loctite on the fasteners that attach the pole to the mast. Both to isolate the 2 metals from one another, & so that they don't loosen under load at the wrong moment.

Occassionally some folks will install a super long track on the mast so that they can use the pole's adjustment car in order to store it on the spar vertically. Though IMO a pole stowed that way is too much extra weight up high. But it is an option.

[gjordan]

Thanks, I dont want to store poles up the mast and I doubt I will be using the spinnaker much (maybe I will learn to love it) so I am guess my question at this point would be how high off of the cabin top I should assume for the bottom of the track? With the rather long track It probably isnt too critical but if there is a common practice I will go by that. Thanks, ____Grant.

[UNCIVILIZED]

There are times when it's definitely nice to be able to put the butt of the pole down at the deck level. Though usually that's done more when racing, so that it's easier for the bowman to move around the foredeck. And it also gives you the option of setting the butt so that it's at about mid-thigh level, so that you have something to brace against when working at the mast. Yet at that height it's not to difficult to climb over.
Hope that helps.

[markpierce]

Depends on the spinnaker's size. Ask the sailmaker what the ideal distance from the top and give one plenty of room for adjustment which 7.5 feet would seem to be plenty.

[StuM]

What is the length of the pole?
What is your J measurement?
What is the height of the cabin top/mast base above your headsail tack point?

[UNCIVILIZED]

NOTE: Ensure that you put positive STOPS at both ends of the track. As you Do Not want the pole's butt sliding off of either end, & flailing around while it's still attached to the spinnaker.

[markpierce]

Ideally, the boat's and sail's configuration would place the pole's attachment point at or slightly below one's chest level.

[markpierce]

Aaaahhh!

[Jim Cate]

It sounds like you will likely be using the pole to hold out the clew of a jib or genoa more than with a kite. IF that is the case, have the track go high enough to be level with the clew of the 'highest" headsail you will be using. Eg, a yankee jib's clew is often quite high up, and conversely, a deck sweeping gennie's clew is way low down, so you might need a lower pole position, too!

Jim

[gjordan]

Thanks Jim, that sounds reasonable to me. I cant go too low because I am planning on a canister liferaft between the mast and the forward hatch, so I am thinking I will start the bottom of the track at about 2 foot. The rig is down and I havent hoisted all of the headsails, but other than the storm jib, I dont think I have any real high clews. _____Grant.

[AdamLoory]

Here is a link to a good article on the UK Sailmakers website about how to determine the proper spinnaker pole height.
Setting the Pole Height — UK Sailmakers

[barnakiel]

I agree one point (no track) and at the chest level or just below is easiest.

I think long tracks allow the following:

- dip gybe with a longest pole (by sliding the inboard end up),
- storage of the pole at the mast.

Maybe some other benefits too.

A track that starts too high is a disaster to handle.

b.

[UNCIVILIZED]

One check that you can do even without the mast in the boat is to put the pole on the foredeck, with it's tip resting on the foredeck, & the shaft of the pole sitting on the forward edge of the coach house. And then measure to see where the butt will fall on the mast. Then regardless of the liferaft issue, fit the track so that when the pole's butt is all of the way down, the shaft just clears the cabin top. Assuming that is, that this still leaves the upper end of the track up high enough to allow you to do dip pole gybes.

Don't fit the pole based on the life raft, as there will be times that you'll sail without it. Or you may switch to one with a soft vaise which is stored down below, or in the cockpit on top of the lazarette, etc. That or you later may wind up with a raft of different dimensions stored on the foredeck/cabin top.

This is the same mindset/philosophy where it makes sense to buy a windlass which can be fitted with several different sized chain gypsies. That way your options are more unlimited.

Also, as cheap as track is, why not just by another 3' of it, & run it from just above deck level up to a point that you'll know is more than high enough, regardless of what sail's flown. Other than drilling & tapping a few more holes, I don't see much downside to having an overly long track.

[gjordan]

I will be on the boat Monday and will try the pole and see just how high the inboard end needs to be for a dip pole gybe. Even though I will probably never use a spinnaker on the boat, I dont want to do something that would make it difficult for someone else or if I decide to get crazy and use a chute. My first experience with a chute was with 5 cruisers, none of which had ever flown one and we managed to take a major knockdown and injured the skipper. I doubt we could have done it more wrong and I have been hesitant ever since. Thanks for all of the advice. _____Grant.