If you need to get downwind and have a conventional non-planing hull, flying a jib, genoa or asymmetrical sail with a whisker pole is the fastest, smoothest and easiest way to get there.
One must consider where you will store a whisker pole on the boat when not in use. Traditionally, poles have been stored on deck in deck chocks.
Sailing downwind is a great way to get to your destination whether racing or cruising. Using a whisker pole to hold your jib or genoa and go wing on wing is the best use of the combination of both the main and foresail.
Whisker poles are used for non-spinnaker class racing and short-handed cruising, or whenever downwind performance is desired without the use of conventional spinnakers. A properly sized and deployed whisker pole will allow the headsail to add considerable power and speed to downwind sailing.
