6" broken off from bottom of skypole

[mjaubbs40]

I was given a 13' 6" 180lb skypole that was broken at the bottom. I'm going to cut a clean edge and put a end plug on it, which will make it 13'. I'm wondering what that does to the weight rating? Perhaps a 13' 170 with a lower sail piece? Any thoughts?

[rainbowgirl28]

Probably more like a 13' 185 or 190.

[theczar]

removing length makes poles stiffer...so yeah like a 185 or 190

[OUvaulterUSAF]

along the same lines of cutting poles. If I have a 5m pole and want to cut the top to make it a 4.90m, that won't do anything to the flex or integrity of the pole?

[Boomer]

If you cut the top nothing happens.

If you cut the bottom, it lowers the 'sail piece' (spelling?) but softens the pole!

It's not like gripping down on a pole where it stiffens, you are cutting the bottom off, and that softens the pole !

[Bruce Caldwell]

This cutting off the bottom of the pole does not soften the pole only moves the energy focus up to an area that has less reinforcement so the pole will be stiffer over all but when bending it, it will weaken higher and could cause the pole to break if over bent.
The area a pole normally bends is made with the correct amount of wraps to hold the load the new higher area is not made to hold the load the pole was rated at.
Be careful

[Boomer]

If you were to test the flex rating on the pole, would it not be softer or at least the same?

[Bruce Caldwell]

flex will and will not change

I know that sounds confusing
A flex cannot change however the flex point is now changed when you cut the bottom off the pole. so the whole pole has now been moved down from it original point of measure.
So if re-flexed it would read softer or a bigger number as you are now measuring more of the non-reinforced part of the pole. The grip which provides very little stiffness to the pole.
As you look at the pole you see a sail piece it is a trapezoid that has a width on what we call the short side of a range of 36 to 45 inches.
The short side where it tapers at the top is now moved down and not as much of a part of the measurement. So you get this false security that I was on a 22.5 but now that I cut it, it is now measured as a 23.0.
THIS IS A FALSE READING AND CAN GET YOU A BROKEN POLE OR HURT BY LANDING TOO DEEP IN THE PIT. IT IS THE SAME AS USING A POLE UNDER YOUR WEIGHT RATING. BUT what you are really doing is using a pole that was built for a weight and you are weakening the pole by cutting off the butt. Now 1-2 inches is OK but 6-8 inches is not. First of all lowering the top of the sail does make it easy to get on the pole as it then becomes a training pole that is thinner than it should be.
Lowering the sail also makes the pole return slower and hold more load than the pole is built to handle.
Results; You will get poor timing, poor technique and create bad habits in your form that will hurt you when you jump on the proper pole.

THERE are no short cuts to jumping high!
I know these poles are fun to jump on but be careful!

[Boomer]

That is exactly why I was saying it was softer, meaning it is easier to get into, and virtually not safe, especially if you are not an experienced vaulter.

For people to say the pole is 'stiffer' makes people, especially younger vaulters, think that it will be harder to get into, then they jump into a part of the pole with less glass, and blow through it.

I think it is very important for young vaulters to know especially that if you cut the bottom off, you are jumping into a part of the pole that is softer generally, and has less glass, so be very careful. Don't think the pole is stiffer with more return than previous.