The Pole Jumpers

Unknown to most Hoofer Sailing Club members, there exists a secret club-within-the-club that only a scant few can ever join. Only the coolest, raddest, best-looking male club members are invited into this clique, known to some as the Pole Jumpers. Here's their inside story, revealed for the first time ever.

"Sailing is great fun, but what if you want more..? What if tacking upwind and popping back to Hoofers just isn't as much fun as it used to be? You're bored with that. You want some action, some excitement, some tighter camraderie. So, what else can you do in a big co-ed club like Hoofers? Well, boats aren't just for sailing anymore. There is lots of equipment that can be put to other good uses, including pole jumping.

Here's how it works. While sailing on a reach with the headsail down, you stand alongside the mast and grab onto the end of the spinnaker pole. Then someone else yanks the pole forward using the foreguy. Of course, this only works on the club's biggest boats (e.g. Soma). At exactly the right moment, you let go. Let go too soon and you'll trip on the lifelines. Wait too long and you'll land underneath the bow. Landing as far from the boat as possible is a good idea. When you hit the water, there is a tendency to spin around, and as it's dark out, you can easily lose your orientation. Getting back to the surface is not at all a given. Tumbling around underwater at night can be very scary—or very exciting if you're able to channel your fear.

Points and other favors are awarded for stunts. For example, you might score if you can do a back flip in the air and finish with something better than a bellyflop. And stripping off your shorts in mid-air will guarantee you a bigtime score. The ultimate is to use your momentum to fling yourself to the other side of the boat as the pole slams into the forestay—without getting run over. Variations can be done with the spinnaker actually up, but this requires more wind. After everyone has put on their own little show, you drop anchor, slam a few shots, and everyone jumps in together.

It's a test, of course, to see if you're man enough to bond with like-minded members. And since this club-within doesn't officially exist, it's hard to make any discrimination complaints.

Now, that's the story they want you to hear. The real purpose of the club-within is known only by its secret members. The rest of us can only guess at what they're really doing out there at night in the water.