Sorry Robi,

If you boat was fully rigged then the pole will not have been supported fully in the vertical plane when pushing down on the pole end. Even slight downward forces (something the spi NEVER excerts on the poles tip while sailing) will lead to high bending moments at the bridle. It is all about leverage. The fact that the spi doesn't produce these forces while sailing is the reason why the pole is not designed to handle such loads. And if you didn't do it this time then it was done in past initiating the fracture. It is really the only way to weaken or break the pole.

The repair however is equally simple.

The breakage is clean. Find an alu tube section that has an inner diameter that is just larger then the outer diameter of the pole. Make a sleave from that of about 1 foot length. Slide it over the spi pole and have it overlap the breakage. Then rivet the sleave into place with two rivets. Check alignment and fix the pole in that position properly and then lay down three small rows of rivets one on bottom and two on the side halve way between top and side. About 6 rivets on each side of the breakage will be enough. I've done repairs with less and it worked but better to do it right.

Wouter