Whirlpooling

Quick question about whirlpooling...

Is it recommended to whirlpool in the primary right before raking to the bottling bucket (or secondary)?

No, after fermentation is underway you don't want to oxygenate your beer. When it's done, it's especially vulnerable to being aerated. You want to quietly rack it from one vessel to another without splashing at all. You can transfer with your siphon from above the trub on the bottom of the fermenter so you don't pick up any gunk. And make sure your hose is long enough to reach the bottom of the receiving vessel, so it doesn't splash going in.

What Yoop said... +1.

Once your yeast has come alive, oxygen is the enemy of beer.

Don't worry, it's confusing at first. Aerate...don't aerate...stir...don't stir...drink...don't drink....

Oh wait. Forget that last one...the answer is always drink.

You can shim up one side of the carboy so that your trub falls to one side.
Means that you have to rack in place to take advantage or move it very carefully.