Pole installation question - do you allow for water drainage

[ck40711]

I have an S&K Tri Pole installed already, but it is attached to a large fence corner post. . . so I have never dealt with putting a pole in the ground. . . until now. I am looking to install a second S&K Tri Pole. I have a ground sleeve, and the directions basically say to
1. put a little concrete in the ground (to form a base)
2. after an hour or so, put the sleeve in the middle of the base
3. pour concrete around the sleeve and let dry for 24 hours

All of the above makes sense. My question is, following those directions it does not seem that any water that might get in the pole would be able to drain out of the bottom. Do you think that is a problem? I would appreciate any other suggestions or feedback.

[jr 2]

ground here is sandy;;I put a brick flatways that has holes in it in the hole and set my post on top of it and then poured concrete around so the water could drain and put a level on pole;;I did not use the ground sleve as it didn't seem too be long enough as I wanted too put the pole a lot deeper as we have sandy ground here close too the ohio river,,when I take houses down for winter I use duct tape[not duck] too cover up the top end of pole too keep water out;;;jr2

[John Carter]

I just installed an new gourd pole and the instructions were to fill the ground socket with cement which I did. It replaced a galvanized pole that was in the ground for 19 years with only a gravel bottom to drain it out...looked OK when I broke the cement off. Good to go again.

[Dave S (Texas)]

[quote="ck40711"]I have an S&K Tri Pole installed already, but it is attached to a large fence corner post. . . so I have never dealt with putting a pole in the ground. . . until now. I am looking to install a second S&K Tri Pole. I have a ground sleeve, and the directions basically say to
1. put a little concrete in the ground (to form a base)
2. after an hour or so, put the sleeve in the middle of the base
3. pour concrete around the sleeve and let dry for 24 hours

All of the above makes sense. My question is, following those directions it does not seem that any water that might get in the pole would be able to drain out of the bottom. Do you think that is a problem? I would appreciate any other suggestions or feedback.[/quote]

IMO: setting the sleeve on concrete is not allowing for drainage. Concrete is not porous.
What I did: I have black clay soil (Blackland Prarie). Dug 5' deep hole. Added 12" of 1" stone for drainage. Pounded long ½" rebars into/past drainage and formed above ground top. Dropped sleeve in and centered it in top form. Placed concrete and smoothed top. Let is set/dry one week then set my pole into sleeve and secured it to the sleeve. Sleeve sits on drainage stone.