Boom catching in the back stays B331

Jan 10, 2018
260
Beneteau 331 Halifax
Hello all, this year unless I pull the boom in all the way when jybing, the boom catches in one of the backstays. Did not happen before....any thoughts?

Thanks!
 
May 17, 2004
5,026
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
I wouldn't expect that the boom would be able to reach the backstays (although I've never sailed a 331 myself). Are the stays excessively slack and able to sag down? Was the mast re-stepped or re-tuned since it was working ok?
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Agree with David to check tension on stays. I doubt if the forestay is adjustable, if it is similar to mine.
Also suggest keeping boom vang tensioned so the boom doesn't lift when it travels under the split back stays. Only other suggestion is to have a rigger look at it.
 
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DougM

.
Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Something is not right. I have a 323 which is similar to your 331. There is no way my boom can come close to hitting the backstays. I don’t know of a rig adjustment I could make that would allow that to happen unless the backstays were loose to the point that there was a visible sag. Hopefully you don’t have some fittings that have loosened or that something isn’t coming apart at the masthead.
Not sure about your boat, but my boat has no turnbuckle in the forestay, so no way to tighten it. Thus, the only way to tension the rig is to tighten the shrouds, then the backstays. Using a Loos gauge helps to keep tensions equal.If the shrouds aren’t reasonably tight I cannot even get the backstays connected.
 
Jan 10, 2018
260
Beneteau 331 Halifax
Mast kept up the last two years, no change. Only difference I am using a topping lift and a Neil Pryde sailbag this year - topping lift always loose.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Does the topping lift make contact with the backstays all along the length ?

Did you remove the boom for any reason when installing the lazy jacks/ sailbag or the topping lift? Any other major adjustments made?

Do you have any photos? Hard to understand how the boom moved aft or the stays moved forward enough to interfere with each other.

Greg
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Happened on a 331 that I chartered several times. Tight clearance between the end of the boom and the split back stay.
If you don't have the vang tightened sufficiently, the boom lifts enough during jibe that it hangs up on the stay. Got to keep the vang tight when you jibe. Also need to haul in the mainsheet quickly to a tight position when going thru the jibe to keep the boom from lifting. If the mainsheet and vang are tight, and the boom is parallel to the deck, there should be sufficient room to clear the back stays. Evidently, the boom is not hanging up when tacking; therefore, the boom must be lifting when executing a jibe.

Word of caution for you Beneteau owners, we had an incident where the boom detached from the goose neck in a leisurely sail in 10 knot winds. the boom is attached to the gooseneck by way of a ss shaft. the shaft is held in place with a cotter pin. Evidently, the cotter pin wears from movement in the shaft and goose neck. When the cotter pin failed, the shaft hit the deck and the boom flew out to leeward side of the boat. Could have resulted in a severe injury in higher winds. Moral of the story is to replace the cotter pin every couple of years to prevent an injury or damage to rig.
 
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Jan 10, 2018
260
Beneteau 331 Halifax
BigEasy, you have hit the nail on the head. Have to haul it in tight and let the boom out so it will clear - which we all should be doing anyway.

Thank you for the tip on the gooseneck, I will check that tommorrow.

Mike Casey
 
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SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
Gooseneck cotter pin should have a delrin or SS washer to keep it from wearing or chafing on the bottom of the boom's gooseneck, me thinks.
 
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
I use stainless split rings for years on all pins , goose neck. vang . lifelines and safeties on all turnbuckles they are strong and less likely to catch on you or your sail
 
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Sep 23, 2004
72
- - Stockton Lake
Never had that happen on our 331. I always bring the traveler to the center and sheet in quite a bit during jibes. Safer and easier on the rig.
 
Jun 18, 2013
39
Beneteau 41.1 Glen Cove, NY
I concur with BigEasy. It used to happen on my 331 often when gybing. The solution was tightening the vang. Didn't have to tighten it alot, just couldn't leave it loose when gybing. Once, on a gybe when the vang line was loose, the boom hung up on the backstay and then lifted enough that the vang came apart, spilling the spring and plastic slides onto the deck and leaving the two halves of the vang flopping around. Not pretty. Lucky that the parts didn't go overboard.
 
Jan 19, 2010
1,169
Catalina 34 Casco Bay
If you eased the vang, this would account for the boom to raise. Re-set the vang if it was eased...
 
Oct 23, 2017
2
Beneteau 331 Whitby
I agree with Mystic51. Always centre the traveller and bring in the main sheet when preparing to gybe and have never had the boom come close to the backstays.