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New parts and finally a boom vang!

Got my order from Long Beach RC today! It included some line, some wire for the backstay and shrouds, a wind indicator, some bowsies, and two 35mm adjustable screws. One of the screws I'll use for the backstay, the other for the boom vang.


But the really exciting news for today is that I figured out a boom vang idea that I really think will work! And, it still allows for a wide range of adjustment in two places. Bit of a mish-mash but overall it looks good and should work fine. Will need to really test it to dial it in though, but for now I'm pretty excited about it!

So here's the idea. I used one of the new 35mm adjustable screws as the main arm of the boom vang. Turns out that it was actually just about the perfect length too.

I had to find a way to fashion an arm that would keep the gooseneck separated from the bottom of the vang, so I used some brass wire and some brass tubing. The pictures tell it better...

Boom vang without any tension on it. The boom is resting on the deck in this picture. Note the brass screweye wired to the CF sleeve on the boom. The black thing is a beveled nylon/neoprene washer I got at Home Depot. It is VERY tight on the boom, but can still be adjusted if needed. Most of the adjustments though ought to be able to be made with the knurled screw.

This is the vang with me lifting the back of the boom. The screw is tightened all the way down and this is as far as the boom will rise at that point. You can see that it still has some downward slope to it.

Finally here is the boom with the screw done quite far out. Look down near the bottom of the screw and you can see the threads. You can't see them in the upper pictures. Plenty of rise! In this image you can also see the mainsheet adjustable attachment. Further aft is the actual mainsheet attachment, but this visible one is there I'll attach a short line to a ring. The rubber washer allows me to easily adjust the mainsheet.
I'm satisfied with this boom vang idea so far and really like how easily adjustable it is. We'll see if it adjusts itself while underway, but it's certainly a good start.

We're getting close to the maiden voyage!


Peace!


Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 11, 2013 at 4:29 PM

    Just looked on the Long Beach RC site and don't see the 35mm adjustable screw you have. They have a 42mm turnbuckle that looks like your setup with another eye in place of the wire loop you have going to the boom. Was this a modification you made, or a special order they don't have shown on their site?

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  2. SteveNovember 11, 2013 at 8:35 PM

    Hi Pete,

    Thanks for emailing. I tried to leave a comment on your page a few days ago in response to your great deck plans, but it wouldn't let me. Kept saying that I had the wrong Captcha word but it never asked me for one in the first place. Weird huh?

    I've noticed on the Long Beach RC site that they seem to run out of things often. Right after I ordered mine I went back and the site then said "Sold Out" for those screws. So maybe they have a small amount of inventory? The 42mm turnbuckle though would work fine. In fact it would probably be better because it will not only hold the down, it will hold it up too and that can be useful. Mine only holds the boom from going up. Get them and you'll figure something out I'm sure. It's just a matter of piecing stuff together that works.

    I had my maiden voyage today and it was a bust! Zero wind and a 6 year old with a toy destroyer who rammed me! Grrrr...

    Are you going to the "Learn to Sail your T37" clinic this coming weekend?

    Steve

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownNovember 12, 2013 at 9:42 AM

    Sadly, I will be out of town this weekend and won't be able to attend the event. Hopefully I will be able to pick up any of the handouts from the morning, classroom session. Looking to finishing up soon and getting out on the water.

    Thanks for the heads-up on posting to my blog. I will look into it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tom C.December 15, 2013 at 3:29 PM

    Good stuff, Steve. As a note, however, the boat I'm sailing came with a hard boomvang. I found that the sheet could then bend the boom, completely miss-shaping the sail. So I've replaced it with a rubber band which I can change out to use a light one in light air and several heavier ones if it really blows.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SteveDecember 15, 2013 at 7:26 PM

    Thanks Tom,

    That's a great idea. I haven't been able to sail the T37 enough to actually see what it does. I don't think mine bends the boom, but I'll keep an eye on it from now on.

    Thanks!

    Steve

    ReplyDelete

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