Adding a Whisker Pole

Factors to consider when adding a downwind Whisker Pole

Nothing breathes life into downwind sailing like a whisker pole. Modern wisdom says an asymmetrical spinnaker is a hot ticket downwind, but the dirty little secret is that they are a lot of work and can be terrifying. Bagging the main and poling out a headsail is the key to happiness and fast downwind boat speed. But where do you start? You don't just buy a whisker pole off the shelf at West Marine.