Spinnaker pole release line

[Silkie]

My pole has two separate release lines which are both spliced to an unstainless ring in the middle. The unstainless ring is now very grotty indeed and I intend to replace it (at some unspecified point in the future ) but wondered what it is for. Why not just have a single piece of string between the two pistons?

[Telo]

Ours is a single line between the two pistons. No problems with it.

[Silkie]

No problems with it.

Me neither but like yourself I mostly use the pole for the genoa. There must be a reason why a previous owner went to the trouble of making four splices instead of two.

[Telo]

Inspired by your success last year, we have used the spinnaker on a couple of occasions this year, but just didn't want to let on about it. On the second occasion, which began well, we came a bit unstuck after a change of wind direction. I changed the pole position but tried to take shortcuts with the spinny, and completely cocked it up. It was a struggle for survival....

With only one person on the deck (me), changing tack was all a bit laborious, especially with the inner forestay to contend with. I'm wondering whether a second pole is worth considering ie lay down the redundant pole, swap the uphaul and downhaul, swap the sheets etc.

Another advantage of two poles is that I could go downwind with the genoa, and hang long baited lines from the poles extended on either side. I think it's called trolling.

[ash]

There must be a reason why a previous owner went to the trouble of making four splices instead of two.

Some sort of grip in the middle of the trip line would make it easier to trip one end only, ie release the guy but leave the pole clipped to the mast.

Silkie's ring could have a line running to the mast and then back to the cockpit so that the guy could be released remotely but I'm not sure if that would be of any advantage.

Ash

[Nick]

.

Silkie's ring could have a line running to the mast and then back to the cockpit so that the guy could be released remotely

To a non-sailor this could be a mind-boggling line . . .

[bilbo]

Silkie's ring could have a line running to the mast and then back to the cockpit

Importunate turn of phrase! Reminds one of the ditty which includes "Twice round the deck, once round his neck, and up *** **** for a stopper!"

[Silkie]

Leave my ring out of it you two FFS. No - wait a minute - that's what we were discussing, wasn't it?

[bilbo]

"....Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,
ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul....."

[ash]

"....Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,
ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul....."

"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them."

Found that my Free Translator doesn't do 'Black Speech'

If you want to find out more.

One (aka Ash)

[Silkie]

Looks like I'll need to post this on a decent forum.

[Pete Cooper]

Normally the release line is just a single line going from one end release to the other, often through some kind of guide in the middle of the pole, presumably to try and stop it getting in the way of anything else. Usually if the uphaul and or downhaul are connected via a bridle rather than direct to the pole then there will be a loop in the centre of each bridle to clip the up/downhaul lines to. As the loop on the release string seems to serve no purpose I would replace it with a single string.

[Silkie]

My downhaul is a SS bridle and my uphaul is a saddle screwed directly to the pole.

The ring on the release is probably just to make it easier to grip as suggested by KenMcCulloch in another place.