[C320-list] Allowable Whisker Pole Length where you race

[Rick Smith]

No restriction where I race -- Lake Lanier, GA -- we have same sail 
inventory (155, 135, 110) and we adjust to the sail. Usually the 155 and the 
pole is at full extension.

If you would like to chat with any of the Lake Lanier PHRF Committee members 
I'm happy to connect you -- good guys!

On a sorta related whisker pole note -- I'd be interested in hearing about 
your approach to launching the pole -- my foredeck guy has rigged a system 
with a lot of purchase so that he can launch and gybe solo if need be, but, 
darn it, it takes a lot more time than it used to when we just kept the pole 
at full extension!  And there's a ton of line in his system.

Rick Smith
Layla #136
Lake Lanier, GA



-----Original Message----- 
From: Larry Frank
Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2020 7:35 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Allowable Whisker Pole Length where you race

Up early this morning researching rules that may limit the maximum whisker 
pole length under PHRF rules.  Of course since every area has their own 
rules, there may not be a single answer to this question.  So for those of 
you that race and have looked into this issue, what does your local PHRF 
rules allow?



I will add a little background for further comments.



I have a 155% genoa for WindSwept ( 110 and 135 too) which is the max 
allowed under South Texas PHRF Rules.  This is a quite common maximum size. 
I also have a line control adjustable whisker pole.  In our PHRF handbook 
the word whisker does not even appear.  When I ask what is the maximum 
length I can extend the pole, I am given the answer for a spinnaker pole 
which is the “j” dimension.  But this is not a spinnaker pole and attaches 
to the clew and not the tack.  I think this is just either the lazy answer 
given to me by other members who race all sails and are not knowledgeable. 
Sometimes spinnaker poles are used as Whisker poles because that is what is 
onboard.  To me this doesn’t mean that the maximum spinnaker pole length 
should dictate maximum length of a whisker pole.



I did some Internet searching on what other PHRF fleets say about maximum 
whisker pole lengths.  I found quite a few that state in their rules that 
there is no limit or penalty for whisker pole length, or that a whisker pole 
may be of any length.  I found others that specified the maximum pole length 
that varied with headsail size.  This length was based on sail LP.   In this 
case poles longer than “j” are allowed.



I tried to look up whether the 320 Association has any rules on Whisker Pole 
length on our website, but could not find whether we have class rules there. 
Even if there is some limit, I am not sure this would necessarily carry over 
to local fleet PHRF handicaps, since C320’s are not a one design fleet.  It 
might only apply to our association races.



So I am currently thinking that in future races I will use the pole extended 
to the optimum length considering which genoa I am flying and the 
conditions.  Based on my research I do not believe I would be breaking any 
rules, and if so have a good case for pushing our local PHRF Handicap 
committee for a rule change. Of course someone would have to file a protest 
for this to become an issue and I believe I would win the protest because 
the protesting person or authority would not be able to find a rule that had 
been broken.



This is all made slightly more complicated because I am on the local PHRF 
Handicap committee.



Thank you in  advance for sharing your experiences and wisdom!



Larry Frank

WindSwept

1995 C320 #246