Fiberglass Rod INSIDE the Boom

[RobertLangdirect]

ADDED PICTURES -- Fiberglass Rod INSIDE the Boom

ADDING NEW PICTURES!

GOOD TRADE is a 1978 Pearson P-31, hull #14. Looking from her stern, into the back of the boom, you can see a small, 1/4 thick, fiberglass rod with a 1/2 to 3/4" botton end.

See the diagram, please. Getting a good picture did not work out as the rod is inside a very dark area.

What is this rod for?

I add on 6 July, I tried to move the rod but it "seemed" stuck. I will return Thursday (& July) and try with more force. Also, note, I tried to get a decent picture but no luck do to sunlight, shadow, cheap phone camera, and poor photographic skills (sorry).

 

[Ted]

It's probably where the previous owner stored his extra battens. It's a common practice for those skippers who change their battens as wind conditions change. Windy conditions call for stiffer battens. Inside the boom is a convenient place to store them.

 

[RobertLangdirect]

It's probably where the previous owner stored his extra battens. It's a common practice for those skippers who change their battens as wind conditions change. Windy conditions call for stiffer battens. Inside the boom is a convenient place to store them.

The rod is part of a batten holder?

 

[kloudie1]

storage for a Man Overboard Pole.. ??

 

[Ron20324]

Or for an awning tent? Uummm... did you pull it out to see what it was?

 

[Alex Dare]

If it's round and about 1/4 ", best guess is old LORAN antenna.

 

[Ted]

The rod is part of a batten holder?

No, the boom is the holder for the battens, loran antenna, man overboard pole or boom tent. Remove the fiberglass rod and post some photos. We're just guessing here.

 

[Douglast]

jib running pole...lol..

 

[Bill Roosa]

A perch for the birdies. You know it is our civic duty as sailors to provide nice places for them to live. don't froget to cut a hole in the mast for same too.

 

[RobertLangdirect]

OK. THURSDAY I will go to the boat and more forcefully attempt to remove the rod.

Still, what is it for, I ask? I was concerned to have it be some esoteric trigger for some not often heard of go-faster-still option that comes on some Pearson Yachts (like the electon-pulse hydro-drive of Tom Clancy fame installed below my water tanks). So I did not want to break it by pulling or pushing wrong.

But now, who will be proven right?

Ted said, “It's probably where the previous owner stored his extra battens.” I mistook the comment and asked him for more on his comment.

Kloudie1 said, “storage for a Man Overboard Pole.. ??” I have to say WOW about that because a friend at Quantico looked at the pole yesterday as I was writing my post and offered that maybe it is the aft end of a man-overboard MARKER. I asked him why would it be there. He replied, because, if a crew member falls over, the wheelman can simply reach up and throw the marker. To that I add, if one could only pull it out).

Ron 20324 said, “Or for an awning tent? Uummm... did you pull it out to see what it was?” That reminds me of Joe Walsh, “You can tune a piano but you can’t tuna fish.” In this case, I certainly can’t “pull the pole.” But an awning tent? Well, as a matter of a fact, I had the white fabric awning for GOOD TRADE out over the Fourth of July. Being the third owner of the boat, I was not too disappointed that I did not find the poles for the awning. But WOW, this may be right on.

Alex Dare said, “If it's round and about 1/4 ", best guess is old LORAN antenna.” I used to date a girl by that name, or was it Lorraine? In any case, she seemed to always know when I was coming into port. But we broke up after the President ordered the shutdown of the radio beacons, so I ripped out the 18/12/6 inch 54 pound, 55 amp 1852 technology and its antenna as well. But if Ron is correct and there is only one rod in the boom, then the old Loran antenna will become a 100 percent recycled other awning rod. COOL!

Ted added back in, “The boom is the holder for the battens, loran antenna, man overboard pole or boom tent. Remove the fiberglass rod . . .” Yes, I think now I can use greater force to get it out.

Douglast added, “jib running pole...lol..” I have, in the past, duct taped broom and mop handles together to replace a broken whisker pole. So, I will keep this in mind if I ever do the same, again.

Bill Roosa said, “A perch for the birdies.” This comment brought me the most surprise. In as mich as it seems like a perfect spot for some swallow to nest, it appears that none has.

THANKS for the REPLIES. While not as controversial as suing a marina for moving a government marker, I hope in helping me you find some satisfaction for yourself.

 

[kloudie1]

OK, Mister Lang.. What have ya found..??? Inquiring minds HAVE to know!

 

[RobertLangdirect]

Alien &#^$%@ Probe

OK, Mister Lang.. What have ya found..??? Inquiring minds HAVE to know!

I have a friend who also posts here but as he did not tell me to drop his name, I mention him by reference only. Apparently, he was lucky not only to have contact with aliens from outerspace, but he actually saved their "probe."

So, with a lighted device that men of a certain age might remember from a vist to the proctologist, we were able to push a camera deep into the boom to discover . . .

that seeing the termination point does not end the mistery. . .

rather . . . the rod "tees off" into the through bolt noted on the first diagram. This through bolt holds a block. The block is part of the main outhaul.

Now, I thought for just a moment that the rod might be an indicator to show how far back the block moved, but no, it is attached to the through bolt, so there is no movement.

I have a new diagram. and yes, the alien probe does, supposedly have, someway of taking a picture but I did not have the where-with-all to take one.

Also, I was told to contact HALL SPARS as I have a "Schaefer Spars" boom. I will post the new diagram and yes, will provide an update. I am thinking that this rod may be a "convenience" item left to place the block over the through bolt.

 

[RobertLangdirect]

See the top of the post -- I ADDED PICTURES -- Fiberglass Rod INSIDE the Boom

 

[kloudie1]

EXCELLENT !! (harbor freight has the alien probe on sale now for $79)
What a mystery !
YA best wear a tin foil hat while messing with that thing !!
We used to use vibration dampeners (mass and tuned flexible rod) kinda like that but I don't think that is one..
My best guess (like yours) is it's the handle that lets you position/line up holes of the bracket and block from the outside?? Not nearly as fun as a very directional covert alien transmission device !

 

[Freedom77]

I never met a Proctologist who could remember a face. Fair Winds and full Sails...

 

[Bill Roosa]

Perhaps it is OEM bird nest preventer. Rattles around to scare off the beasts from building a nest in the boom???

 

[Mark Maulden]

Well, I won't make fun of it and I hope you find out because my S2 also has one.

 

[Douglast]

well one thing that camera does indicate....your boom has hemorrhoids and needs Preparation H and Scotties little softies

 

[kendall]

Any other attachments on the boom?
Can't think of any reason for a "T" that just hangs there free in the front, but if it was a longer rod that extended past the pivot bolt, it could be a release for something farther back in the boom

 

[RobertLangdirect]

Any other attachments on the boom?
Can't think of any reason for a "T" that just hangs there free in the front. . .

The head of the T is hollow and accepts a through-boom bolt that also secures a block.

Please go back to the top and look at the four pictures.

The first JPEG was a diagram if what I thought I saw. Note on that, where I saw a through –bolt I noted that I suspected the rod might attach at this point.

The second picture shows the very tip of the rod, the white dot.

The third picture shows the end of the boom (in the background) and in the forefront, a picture as displayed by the alien probe. The top left hand corner of the screen is the “block” and in the center, the T intersection of the rod and the portion of this device that holds the rod at the through-bolt point.

The last picture (far right) is the probe itself.

Interesting to note, not even the current spar makers know about this. That does not surprise me at all, now, that a friend explained to me why. GOOD TRADE is 33 years old and the men who designed her are probably all retired, or sailing in a broader sea. But with that said, how great to think that something I might do will be asked about 30 years later? I can only hope.

So with one mystery solved, I have one more to ask about.

It seems that whenever I sail fast fast, there is a humming noise that come from under the boat, and no, I do not mean the motor. So, last week while out and about, we tracked it down a box, deep in the center of the bildge.

Does anyone know what this does? It seems like some sort of biological control system.