Which pole is placed between the mast and the jib's clew to hold the jib out when sailing downwind?

Which pole is placed between the mast and the jib's clew to hold the jib out when sailing downwind?

• A. Sprit
• B. Spinnaker pole
• C. Whisker pole
• D. Topping lift

Answer: (C)

When sailing downwind with a jib, you want the sail held out in front of the mast so it catches the wind instead of luffing. The whisker pole is the lightweight pole that extends from the mast to the jib’s clew, keeping the jib stretched out and away from the mast. This setup, often called wing-on-wing, improves drive and reduces the sail from collapsing in the breeze. A sprit is used with a spritsail, not a standard jib on most keelboats. A spinnaker pole holds a spinnaker, a different downwind sail. A topping lift is a line that supports the boom, not a pole used to extend the jib. So the pole placed between the mast and the jib’s clew to hold the jib out is the whisker pole.

When sailing downwind with a jib, you want the sail held out in front of the mast so it catches the wind instead of luffing. The whisker pole is the lightweight pole that extends from the mast to the jib’s clew, keeping the jib stretched out and away from the mast. This setup, often called wing-on-wing, improves drive and reduces the sail from collapsing in the breeze.

A sprit is used with a spritsail, not a standard jib on most keelboats. A spinnaker pole holds a spinnaker, a different downwind sail. A topping lift is a line that supports the boom, not a pole used to extend the jib. So the pole placed between the mast and the jib’s clew to hold the jib out is the whisker pole.