23.5 boom vang

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Jun 28, 2011
120
None now boatless Mobile
I am wondering if my 23.5 has a boom vang on it. Does anyone have pics of theirs? I have had this boat since last June and have yet to take it out due to my wife being pregnant last summer. I come from a hobie cat to the monohull so I have no idea what to look for as far as a boom vang goes. I purchased a boom kicker but it is still in the box waiting to be installed. Any pics or info would be great.

Thanks in advance,
Jeremy
 
Jan 22, 2008
423
Catalina 30 Mandeville, La.
I don't have any pics, but mine has a line and two blocks. It attaches at the base of the mast and the bottom of the boom about 3 feet from the mast. I keep the loose end on the boom and can easily reach it from the cockpit. The boom kicker will eliminate the need for the topping lift. I always seem to forget to adjust the topping lift before I start trimmming the mainsheet. Adjusting the topping lift requires a trip to the mast/ boom attachment point which isn't always convenient. I'm going to put a boom kicker on my wishlist.
 
Jun 28, 2011
120
None now boatless Mobile
Hmmmmm!!! I dont think I have seem one on my boat. Is this something you need to adjust while you are sailing or is it more of a set it and forget it. If you need to adjust it, when do you do so?
 
Apr 19, 1999
1,670
Pearson Wanderer Titusville, Florida
Hmmmmm!!! I dont think I have seem one on my boat. Is this something you need to adjust while you are sailing or is it more of a set it and forget it. If you need to adjust it, when do you do so?
The boom vang is used to keep the boom from rising as it swings outboard when sailing downwind. A rising boom spills air off the sail and reduces its power. A vang is not a necessity but it's nice to have.

A vang isn't necessary when sailing upwind, because the mainsheet not only pulls the boom in, it also pulls it down. Look closely at the boom the next time you sheet in hard.

The sail trim forum has many posts about mainsail trim and how the various sail controls affect it. You may also know that sail trim on a monohull is a bit different from a cat because cats typically sail so much faster, the apparent wind is rarely aft of the beam. Good luck.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,532
-na -NA Anywhere USA
From the very first 23.5 leaving the factory behind my truck, they all came with a boom vang as standard. It is used for sail control to prevent the boom from rising up and spilling the air thus affecting speed. Sorry but it is important to me from experience over 50 plus years of sailing.

Crazy Dave Condon
 
Dec 8, 2011
172
Hunter 23.5 New Orleans
Forrest15112 said:
I don't have any pics, but mine has a line and two blocks. It attaches at the base of the mast and the bottom of the boom about 3 feet from the mast. I keep the loose end on the boom and can easily reach it from the cockpit. The boom kicker will eliminate the need for the topping lift. I always seem to forget to adjust the topping lift before I start trimmming the mainsheet. Adjusting the topping lift requires a trip to the mast/ boom attachment point which isn't always convenient. I'm going to put a boom kicker on my wishlist.
Instead of running the topping lift through the boom to the gooseneck, next time your mast is down tie one end of the topping lift line to the mast head and run the other end of the line to the boom end sheave. Pass the end of the topping lift line around the boom end sheave and tie the end of the topping lift line back around the topping lift line with a rolling hitch. You then can easily adjust the boom height to suit from the cockpit by sliding the hitch up or down the topping lift line.

Krgds

Hugh
 
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