FAQ & SPECS

Frequently Asked Questions/FAQ

Something else on your mind? Email us at [email protected]

(SPECS are at the bottom of the page)

1. WHAT SIZE POLES DO I NEED FOR MY PROJECT?

Not sure? Contact us for guidance.

Pole sizing chart — What size poles do I need for my project?

* The 1.5″ poles are for shade under 80 square feet (black, white, silver, red and blue) – they fit regular rod holders as well as our 1.5 inch separating mounting bases (for those boats without rod holders)

* The 2 inch poles are for shade over 80 square feet (AND for use on residential shade) – we have a variety of 2 inch mounting bases for boats, as well as one 2 inch residential mounting base

* For residential shade, the 2″ poles are best, along with the 2″ stainless steel oval mounting base, designed with a wider footprint for larger shade areas. Depending on how large the sailshade is, you may need three or more poles per side.

* For Sport Fisher Boats and large boats, our unique tapering SPORTS FISHER POLES are best, as they have a 2″ diameter, but then taper down to 1.5″ diameter so they fit regular rod holders – and they’re made from Kevlar and carbon fiber, so they are super strong for these larger boats. From 84 inches to 120 inches. Super Strong!

* Bow poles are for BOW shade (front of boat) – shorter, stiffer – meant specifically for all types of bow shades

* Stainless Steel telescoping poles – for shade under 80 square feet

* Fiberglass poles – flexing up to 10 degrees, suitable for shade under 60 square feet

* Fixed poles (2, 3 and 4 inch) – different wall thicknesses, different heights – for a variety of large boats and mega yachts.

2. WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO LOOK AFTER MY CARBIEPOLES? (I.E. CARE AND MAINTENANCE)

Firstly, always make sure your support strap is installed when using the poles for shade. Failure to use the support straps voids all warranties.

Secondly, always rinse the poles off with fresh water after exposure to salt water and dry them (soft polishing cloth).

Thirdly, do not allow the poles to become excessively hot, as extreme temperatures can cause the poles to bow or warp. This means really extreme temperatures though, not just normal day to day exposure to sunlight. Remember too that dark colored objects absorb heat more than light colors, so black poles will become much hotter than white poles (for example). This means that after a day out in the hot sun, your poles may be warm or hot to the touch. If you’re not going to be using your shade for a while, the poles are best kept in a protective soft bag and in the shade. Make sure you do not extend the poles beyond the red warning line, and always use a support strap when the shade is up and poles are under load.

And lastly, like most things, with extended exposure to sunlight, Carbiepoles may fade over time, so when they’re not in use, store them in a soft, protective bag in the shade. We sell those bags directly (one of the few items that we, along with our distributors, sell directly), so if you would like one of these bags, send us an email at [email protected]

3. WHAT POLISH CAN I USE ON THEM TO KEEP THEM LOOKING SHINY AND LIKE NEW?

Boat wax or car wax can be used to polish and protect the finish of the poles – many different brands are available, although our favorite is the Original Non-Silicone Wood Silk (in the yellow can). We use that for polishing our antique furniture too – it’s great, smells wonderful too – but that’s just a personal preference – just choose a good quality wax.

4. WILL THE POLES SCRATCH?

If treated roughly, the poles may be susceptible to scratches or scuffs – but if that does happen, and you get a scratch or chip or scuff, you can easily repair it with AWLGRIP paint. We have experimented with many different coats and paints, and found that it worked the best. For more information, contact us or research AWLGRIP. What is Awlgrip? “Awlgrip Paint, the Best Topside Boat Paint,.AwlgripTopcoat is a polyester based high gloss polyurethane topcoat giving long lasting gloss and color retention. It is considered among the best Topside Paints in the marine industry. AwlGrip Topcoat may be applied by brush/roller or spray .” One of our distributor received their poles damaged by the shipper – huge holes in the box, the poles themselves were chipped, scuffed and scratched – so they had them professionally sanded in the affected areas, buffed and polished, and painted with AWLGRIP, then polished and buffed again and they look as good as new – just outstanding!

5. WHERE DO I BUY CARBIEPOLES AND CARBIEPOLE PRODUCTS? CAN I BUY THEM ON YOUR WEBSITE?

Carbiepoles and Carbiepole products are available in the USA only through authorized distributors (see our “WHERE TO BUY” page for more details). Most of our distributors will sell to canvas fabricators only, although some do sell directly to the end user. We have distributors overseas in several countries, but if you live in a country where we don’t have representation, we are more than happy to sell and ship to you directly. Just send us an email or visit our “WHERE TO BUY” page.

6. WHO CAN MAKE MY SHADE FOR ME AND GET YOUR PRODUCTS?

You can always research on line for marine canvas fabricators, but if you are unsure, let us know – tell us where you are located geographically and we’ll find one for you that can purchase our products and we will send you their details. Home Depot also makes a pretty good pre-fabricated shade We also know some awesome fabricators in the south Florida area – just ask us!

7. I HAVE CARBIEPOLES ON MY BOAT. CAN I KEEP MY SHADE AND POLES UP WHILE I'M DRIVING THE BOAT (RUNNING)? OR MUST I TAKE THEM DOWN?

This is a very good question. As long as you have the support straps in place, with your shade up, you can move at slow speeds on the intracoastal (low or no wake areas) – where there are speed restrictions – but your support straps MUST be in place. However, if you are going to speed up at any point above 10 knots (11.5078 miles per hour) the wind and air pressure may cause the shade to flap, which might cause the poles to flex – which could cause damage to the poles. This is why the support strap is essential – it provides equal tension to the front and back of the poles which is crucial – so the forces pulling the pole from the shade must equal the forces pulling the shade from the cleat/padeye on the boat’s deck. Please note that you should not be running with theaft shade up over 15 knots and if you have a bow shade, then do not go faster than 5 knots – regardless of whether you have the support strap in place.

8. TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS SUPPORT STRAP: IS IT REALLY IMPORTANT?

YES! They are VERY important – no support strap = no warranty.

(does not apply to Stainless Steel poles or Fiberglass Poles)

Having a support strap in place provides equal tension/pressure to both front and back of the pole while under load and strengthens the pole – and even MORE important, a support strap anchors the pole to the mount, otherwise a strong gust of wind can lift your shade upwards and can pull the pole right out of the rod holder or mounting base, causing damage to the shade, the poles and even your boat.

Remember – your shade needs to be as tight as possible – why? Loose shade will allow a lot more up and downward “flap”, which puts a lot more pressure on the poles and bases, not to mention your boat.

You can use 1 inch webbing to make the strap, and attach that with a snaphook, or else simple rigging wire or marine rope/line will suffice, as long as it is durable and very strong. The support strap increases the holding strength of the base by 50%. This is because the attachment point is actually the weakest point in the system.

OUR SHADE POLES ARE NOT DESIGNED TO BE KEPT UP IN EXTREME WIND CONDITIONS I.E. WINDS OVER 39 MPH. IF YOU’RE EXPECTING EXTREMELY WINDY CONDITIONS, PLEASE TAKE YOUR SHADE DOWN.

9. HOW DO I TIGHTEN THE CLAMP?

When tightening the clamp – MAKE SURE THE LEVER IS OPEN WHILE YOU TIGHTEN IT and only close the lever once you have tightened it. Tighten it so that it is nice and snug and THEN close the lever. Don’t try to tighten the clamp while the lever is closed – and be sure not to over tighten.

10. I'D LIKE SOME CARBIEPOLES BUT WOULD LIKE A DIFFERENT DESIGN - DO YOU CUSTOMIZE POLES?

YES! We can certainly make customized poles for your company, and even put your logo on them – 10 pairs minimum order required.

11. OOPS! I ACCIDENTALLY PULLED OUT THE INTERNAL RIGGING LINE, WHAT DO I DO?

Relax! This isn’t the first time it’s happened and it won’t be the last. Fortunately, with Carbiepoles, the fix is easy.
Just click on this video. All you need is another piece of string or rope and some tape. Separate the top pole from
the bottom pole – slide a piece of rope through the pulley until it pops out of the top pole – then tape that piece of
rope to the other piece of rope (that is fed through the cleat on the bottom of the pole) – and then gently pull it
through the pulley. Here is the link: RE-THREADING THE LINE https://youtu.be/oTxnteTco9o

SPECIFICATIONS

PLEASE NOTE WE CANNOT SHARE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OR DIAGRAMS.

Specifications: 1.5″ poles (38mm) extend from 72″ – 92″ (fits regular rod holders)

2″ poles (53mm) extend from 80 – 108″ (fits our 2″ separating mounting bases for boats, and fits our 2″ oval mounting bases for residential shade)

SPORTS FISHER POLES (tapering and telescoping ) extend from 84 to 120 inches )

fits regular rod holders – the only one of our poles made from kevlar and carbon fiber

material: carbon fiber 3k carbon fiber, WE USE TORAY CARBON FIBER, THE BEST IN THE WORLD

the Sport Fisher Pole is made up of a proprietary combination of carbon fiber and kevlar, and our

Stainless Steel poles are made from 316 stainless steel

process: Rolling process

Hole: CNC machine

tolerance: +-0.01mm

Clear coated: AWLGRIP CLEAR COAT

Warranty: 1 LIMITED WARRANTY year on wear and tear

(Warranty is voided if there is no support strap or if poles or strap are incorrectly installed.

Warranty is also voided if shade is up and boat is running/moving over 15 knots with aft shade up

or over 5 knots with bow shade up. Residential shade must be taken down if winds are in excess

of 39 mph. ALL POLES MUST HAVE SUPPORTS STRAPS INSTALLED.

Surface: 3k then coating flat without fold

Edge: TEXTURED exterior

Finish: All except white have Glossy twill

White has glossy PLAIN/FLAT white (no twill showing)