My friend has an 87 O'Day 222 with a boom vang. I have a 86 O'Day 222 without a boom vang. Both boats have the original DAMCO (Dwyer Aluminum Mast Co) mast. I am mainly a cruising sailor who participates in the local races mainly for the social aspect. I am considering adding a boom vang (a common 4:1fiddle block vang) in order to keep the boom from rising when traveling downwind. In order to add a vang, I need to add a bail to the mast- This is where I need your advice:
I need your help. Pictured below are my mast (top of photo) and my friend’s 87 mast (lower in photo) - both masts aft-facing. The 87 mast shows placement of the bail for the vang. Note there are two hex head bolts on the 87 mast at the level of the bail. The bail is attached to the forward-facing bolt. There is also an aft facing bolt.
Note – there are two screw head bolts on the 86 mast. If I were to add the bail- I would not have to add another hole to the mast- I would just use the existing forward-facing hole.
The diameter of the 87 hex bolts is larger then the screw bolts on the 86.
The questions I have concern whether or not I should use the 86 hole as is- or make hole or holes larger to accommodate a larger diameter bolt.
Question#1: The bolt on the 87 is a larger diameter than the screw hole on the 86. Should I replace the smaller screw head bolt with the larger diameter hex head bolt?
Question #2: Should I replace both the bolt that will hold the vang and the other screw head bolt with a larger diameter hex head bolt?
I am nervous to mess with enlarging holes on the mast.
Another topic using same picture:
Note both the 86 and 87 mast have three cleats mounted on the mast. The port and starboard cleat placement is in alignment when comparing the 86 and 87. However, the placement of the cleat that faces aft is different for the 86 and 87. On the 87, the aft-facing cleat is lower on the mast- when compared to the 86.
It looks like adjustment of the aft-facing cleat is in the same mast track as the gooseneck- and so adjustment up or down of the cleat will have a direct relationship on the lowest placement the gooseneck can attain.
Question #3: Which placement for the aft-facing cleat is best?
Question #4: Is placement of the aft-facing cleat something one may want to adjust based on mainsail choice?
Question #5: How do I clean all that junk (old screw, broken sail slugs) out of the mast? Do I take off the mast bottom plate?
I need your help. Pictured below are my mast (top of photo) and my friend’s 87 mast (lower in photo) - both masts aft-facing. The 87 mast shows placement of the bail for the vang. Note there are two hex head bolts on the 87 mast at the level of the bail. The bail is attached to the forward-facing bolt. There is also an aft facing bolt.
Note – there are two screw head bolts on the 86 mast. If I were to add the bail- I would not have to add another hole to the mast- I would just use the existing forward-facing hole.
The diameter of the 87 hex bolts is larger then the screw bolts on the 86.
The questions I have concern whether or not I should use the 86 hole as is- or make hole or holes larger to accommodate a larger diameter bolt.
Question#1: The bolt on the 87 is a larger diameter than the screw hole on the 86. Should I replace the smaller screw head bolt with the larger diameter hex head bolt?
Question #2: Should I replace both the bolt that will hold the vang and the other screw head bolt with a larger diameter hex head bolt?
I am nervous to mess with enlarging holes on the mast.
Another topic using same picture:
Note both the 86 and 87 mast have three cleats mounted on the mast. The port and starboard cleat placement is in alignment when comparing the 86 and 87. However, the placement of the cleat that faces aft is different for the 86 and 87. On the 87, the aft-facing cleat is lower on the mast- when compared to the 86.
It looks like adjustment of the aft-facing cleat is in the same mast track as the gooseneck- and so adjustment up or down of the cleat will have a direct relationship on the lowest placement the gooseneck can attain.
Question #3: Which placement for the aft-facing cleat is best?
Question #4: Is placement of the aft-facing cleat something one may want to adjust based on mainsail choice?
Question #5: How do I clean all that junk (old screw, broken sail slugs) out of the mast? Do I take off the mast bottom plate?
