?Hi Roger,
 
Thanks, I wholeheartedly agree with having equipment able to withstand a wide range of conditions. I do wing & wing somewhat frequently when lazily returning on a late afternoon with a Southerly breeze behind me thats slowly dying, and the jib not quite having enough air to stay out there. Almost no boats on the lake except the occasional http://www.lakegeorgesteamboat.com boats heading out on their dinner runs. Peter’s mention of Rummy’s suggestion using an extendable boat hook seems fine for that though not for every condition. 
 
Heading there next week if all seems okay up there covid-wise. Happy sailing everyone! 
 
Larry

> On May 27, 2020, at 6:48 AM, ROGER PIHLAJA <Roger_Pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:
> 
> ?Peter & Larry,
> 
> I won’t have gear on my boat that I can only use in a limited range of conditions.  Every time I used such a piece of gear, I’d be wondering, “Are the conditions gentle enough to use this?”  If conditions suddenly get heavier, the 1st thing I’d be worrying about is getting the weak gear taken down vs. enjoying the stronger breeze.  Finally, although the weak gear might be OK for light conditions and proper use; sooner or later everyone makes a mistake, or a powerboat towing a water skier falls right in front of you & you must swerve, or an unintended gybe, or you must suddenly swerve to avoid a piece of debris in the water, etc.  The weak gear may fail at just the moment you needed it to work, leaving the foresail all tangled up, the foredeck a mess, and you unable to maneuver.
> 
> We all make choices and I have tried to explain mine.  Larry, just make certain you make your choices with your eyes wide open.  Then, go enjoy your boat!
> 
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> 
> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10
> 
> From: Peter Nyberg<mailto:peter at sunnybeeches.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2020 11:14 PM
> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Whisker Pole Rigging - simple suggestions for gentle-breeze late afternoons?
> 
> Roger,
> 
> The pole you recommend is the pole I have.  This is in part due to your recommendation somewhere way back in the early days of the archives of this list.  For the type of sailing that I do, I wouldn’t use anything less.
> 
> Larry asked for a light air alternative, and I offered him one with a warning about the possibility of failure.  Larry’s response would indicate that he is aware of the pros and cons.
> 
> I decided that the solution that you suggested was the right one for me.  Larry can decide what’s right for him.
> 
> —Peter
> 
> 
>>> On May 26, 2020, at 10:33 PM, ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:
>> Peter,
>> You are a big boy and can put whatever you want on your boat.  For what it’s worth, I recommend the Forespar M/N:  HD 6 12-DL Heavy-Duty Twist Lock Whisker Pole.  There are lighter duty poles available; but, sooner or later your genoa is going to fold it half!  As far as using an extending camping tent pole, well good luck with that.  In my experience, using inadequate gear always costs more in the end.
>> Roger Pihlaja
>> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium