Boom Bail?

[shnool]

Ok, this has bugged me on both my Capri 22 and now my Capri 25... shouldn't there be a boom bail on the boom? See my picture maybe you'll understand why I ask...

My Capri 25

My Capri 22

This is what I am talking about with a true bail:

My thoughts are if there was a semi-circular Bail, that hung about 1 inch below the boom, that connected THROUGH the boom, it'd be A) stronger, and B) would rotate as the sail twisted the boom, allowing for the stress to more evenly apply downward.

I've not had a problem with what I am doing (so far), but boy I don't want to be around if I ever do. The Capri 25 boom is nearly identical to the Capri 22 boom (castings, size, cleat location, etc).. and there are more people here dealing with this design than over the Capri 25 forum.. was just curious if I am the only one who does not like this configuration (or perhaps I've rigged it wrong on 2 boats, which is definitely possible).

 

[NewportNewsMike]

I have also had the "boom bail" question come up in my mind. My last boat, a C&C 30, had one, and it was a necessary setup since the C&C boom did not rotate. I think a boom bail is definitely required on a non-rotating boom.

I first saw a boom bail on a Capri 22 when I saw the one on Chris's Verboten on his Capri 22 videos. Maybe he will be along shortly to tell us his experiences.

I still want one. But after giving it some thought last year, it is not on my immediate "job list". I have convinced myself that the Capri 22 setup will be the one I have for a while. I did check that the boom was rotating properly - it was not. But I disassembled every thing, adjusted the retaining nut, and made sure that it rotated properly. I figured out a boom that did not rotate plus the stock setup trying to rotate the boom was asking for trouble.

As a half-way step, I looked at replacing the Capri long-D shackle with a bow-shackle, thinking it would be somewhat more bail-like, just mounted on the lower part of the boom rather through the middle portion. I never did find one that fit the way I thought it should.

 

[shnool]

Good, thought I was the only one that had this thought.

I have a brandy new gooseneck fitting, and it rotates fine, but my thought process started to wander (as it has tendency to do on these topics)... I am looking to replace my topping lift, and go with a boom kicker. If you look the standard CD boomkicker also has a "preventer" that keeps the boom from rotating (just looks like a yoke that attaches boom to sail track below the boom)... NOW you get my drift right? Now I see stresses being created that weren't there before. Hence my question.

Picture in question:

 

[NewportNewsMike]

Yep - I agree: a boom kicker with "rotation preventer" plus the standard CP22 setup equals stresses in places that should not be stressed. With enough torque applied, something would have to give / bend.

If I had a non-rotating boom (for whatever reason - boom kicker, problem child, whatever) a boom bail would be at the top of my "to do" list.

 

[shnool]

Glad to hear some confirmation of what I was thinking. Again this is for the Capri 25, but it truly IS a duplicate to the Capri 22 Mark I, boom.

 

[sinnettc]

I have a bail like the one in your 3rd picture Shnool.

 

[shnool]

Chris, did you put it on yourself?

 

[sinnettc]

No, it came that way. PO might have though.

 

[shnool]

So my next mission is to figure out how much further back the pin is..
I think I stated that I had to drill a new hole for my 8:1 outhaul... the original pin through the boom was at 19 inches in (from the aft end of the boom)... it required me to drill in to 25 inches in (again from the aft end of the boom)... So now I have a hole at 19 inches in (not being used)...

Looking at my picture above (you can see the pin at 19 inches)... you folks think thats too far forward for a bail? Probably... the existing hole for the shackle is directly above the traveler. My concern with putting a bail on, would be the bolt THROUGH the boom, interfering with my 8:1 outhaul...

This was all much easier when I didn't think things through, typically I'd just drill the hole, put the bail on, and think nothing again of it (you know until my outhaul didn't work and I'd be cursing up a storm).