If you have the standard end pole hoop that most run, then you should be running the spin pole bridle to the tip of the hoop.There should be a stainless steel double eye bolt at the tip of the hoop. The top eye is for the tack of the spin to attach to. The bottom eye is for the bridle. During setup,if you attach one of the bridles to this eye, the pole should already be under compression. You should have to push the hoop down and away from the first attached bridle to attach the second bridle line. Once both bridles are attached, you should be able to pick up the whole front of the boat by pushing up on the tip of the hoop. Your pole should have an arch of about 3 inches minimum. Your attachment at the forestays should not be providing upward pressure to induce bend in the pole, but should instead be holding the pole in place(column). The bend in the pole should be induced by the foreword pole bridle inducing compresson. The tip of your pole should be about 3' in front of your bows. +_. If properly set up, you could hang your boat in a tree by the tip of the pole to dry out after a day of sailing without it coming off that pin. Your mast rake will have no effect. Rig tension will have little effect.(only in that it will help hold the center of the spin pole in column).