Flyaway Jib Poles

At present we use our jib stick on a run and broad reach, flying to leeward. When doing this it pays not to adjust the sheet but to keep it fairly tight so not to loose the slot effect, with the top of the leach of jib flying away. The crew is temped to play the jib but all this achieves is an opening and closing of the leach and a loss in boat speed. A flyaway pole acts as a kicker for the jib, not only existing outward pressure but also downward pressure, allowing the crew to adjust the angle of the jib and still maintain leach tension. The tighter the reach the  steeper the angle of the pole and the more downward force it exerts on the leach of the jib.

So what does this mean,

• No more lost jib sticks
• Crew able to trim the jib on a reach
• Simpler to deploy the pole
• No need to go forward in windy weather to remove the pole
• Able to fly pole when sailing single handed
• Greater manoeuvrability when deployed

At present the optimum length of the pole has not yet been defined but I am at present using a pole of 1.5m in length I am planning to increase this to 2m 

How to fit your flyaway pole.

To avoid drill holes in my deck I have custom made a mast step which is 35mm wider to accommodate a pulley (HA2020LZ) and small cam cleat (HK423) and a fairlead (HK372).  On the mast I have attached two looped lacing eyes one just below the present jib pole attachment point and the other below the spreader bracket, this is to attach the running line which the pole slides up and down the mast, this line need to be as tight as possible