Symmetric pole systems

It's the northerners who call it that I think. Posh southerners as supposed to call it the "Tweaker". But I kinda like the sound of SNODGE somehow....

Most boats have twin poles, but whilst you have two 'snodgers' (the pole downhaul that also pulls the guy ring into the outboard end of the pole) they lead to the same tail, so theres only one rope to pull.

Only one guy and sheet, as per normal symmetric system.

With carbon poles it is expensive to have two, but very swift to launch, and they make less noise clanging on the boom.

the twin pole ones don't seem to have any clipping to do, but must surely have seperate sheets/guys, two sets of pole up and down hauls, and two pole-out lines? Plus halyard and kite retrieval. Plus the thirty billion other adjustable bits for sails and rig.

Originally posted by MerlinMags Fantastically complex pole systems were one of the reasons I bought a Merlin Rocket. Photo galleries of 2 boats show the most common system: http://www.merlinrocket.co.uk/gallery/.....rigging_guide/359 4 http://www.merlinrocket.co.uk/gallery/....rigging_guide/3489 This has evolved over 60 years so much surely be reaching perfection sometime soon?!!

Some of the ones at the Tiger had twin pole systems though- rope multiplication! Think there's some 5o5s run those sort of systems too, aren't there? Far too many ropes for my liking. I could see the words "WHICH PURPLE ROPE?" preceding something wet, sore and possibly expensive.

slight detour- was introduced properly to the workings of the old-style B14 pole system (on Rondar-built boats in the UK) on Sunday. The outhaul system is, somehat oddly, mounted internally, with the whole in a built-in pipe from bow to mast-step.

The Ovington ones have it simpler- there's a trench down the middle of the bow with a removable maintanence cover, and the blocks etc are outside the pole, like you'd find on most assymetrics.

It was a just me being confused, I wasn't sure quite how the ropes were rigged in the cockpit....