Shawn, Yes is was a 'wild' ride. almost lost it a couple of times.
Carlos, the jaws go on the windward line. the pole slides up against the sail. No knot. You need to be able to hook the jaw on from the cockpit and slide it up to the sail when setting and jibing.
Here is a exerpt from a recent post I made that may clear this up a bit:
drted asked;
")How do you decide on placement of where spinnaker pole downhaul turns on or through the deck? I was thinking of using a turning block located on or near the mast/deck meeting point. It looks like you have it entering the cuddy front. Is that just a simple grommet hole or do you have a pulley of some kind? "
I answered;
"Placing the downhaul right next to the mast is actually the best place for simplicity. Putting the downhaul like it is on Lollipop, complicates things a bit, or alot depending on how you use it. The advantage of my forward placement is that it creates a forward pull on the pole as well as down.
This keeps the pole end at the spinaker clew and keeps the pole from sliding away from the sail. The disadvantage is that this creates a 'differential' pivot point, as opposed to the uphaul. (This will get tricky, I will try to explain, Hang in there) Because these two controls are working from different pivot points when the pole is adjusted forward or aft with the spinaker guy (windward control line) the uphaul pivots from the same plane as the mast end of the pole. But, the down haul is in a different plane. When the pole is pulled aft the downhaul trys to pull the pole down, OR when the pole is eased forward, the downhaul also eases and lets the pole rise. There are three options to deal with this;
1, use line for both up and down hauls, and adjust them both every time when you adjust the guy. (three adjustments for one result, YIPE )
2, "temper" the uphaul with a 2' section of 1/4" bungee to absorb the length differential when adjusting the guy. This is what some of the very successful California DSer's use. Advantgage is that the pole is positively kept from skying in heavier air. but it also causes the pole height to change whenever the guy is adjusted as described above.
3, "temper" the downhaul with about 2' of bungee. Advantage is that the pole height stays where you set it, no matter what you do with the guy. Disadvangage is the that Pole can 'sky' during jibes in heavy air. The bungee can be backed up with a line to limit its mamimum stretch. This will help with the skying.
Lollipop has option 3.
Yes the hole in the cuddy is just a plastic push in fairlead grommet. The distance from the mast determines how much forward pull is created. More forward = more pole pull to the sail, and more differential troubles. Place the downhaul near the mast base and no differential complications or forward pole pull. Choose your poisen "
The thread was
http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2319
I answered some other questions there too.
phill