boom height

[Dave B]

My H23's boom, with the sail fully up, hangs down at an angle toward the cockpit. The end of it is low enough to hit your head when tacking. Is this normal? If the boom were level, it would be a foot over my head. My boat does not have a topping lift, and I see no way to change the angle at which the boom hangs.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

-Dave

 

[Charlie]

Boom kicker

1. Get a topping lift or boom kicker. This will not solve your other problem except at the dock. 2. Get a sail maker to check your sail and maybe recut the foot, or possibly it is time for a new main.

 

[Brian M H23]

The boat was designed this way!

Yes,that's right. If you look in the archives, almost every Hunter 23 has the boom hanging down.
it is possible to get a new sail made, or have the foot cut, but you end up losing a sorta big chunk of sail (720 square inches, 5 square feet, 2% of your total sail area with a 10 degree cut) This is also the hardest-working chunk of sail, with the least heeling effect on the boat.

scan from the owners manual attach - i just made it blue (but you can clearly see the boom angle)

 

[Dave B]

thanks for the response

You are right, I looked at the owners photos on this site, and most (if not all) have the boom hanging down at face level.
As far as a topping lift is concerned, is it ok to sail with the boom pulled up by the topping lift? Won't that have a pretty significant affect on the sail's shape?
In a pinch, like when I have passengers on the boat, could I use a reef grommet to pull up the back of the boom?
Interesting what you said about the hatch, mine does not clear the gooseneck fitting. I have to prop the hatch open. I have seen pictures of hatches leaning directly on the mast, but mine can't open that far. A variation in model years?
Mine is a 1991....

-Dave

 

[Brian M H23]

i've got an 85

However, my hatch actually DOES hit the boom, unless i crank the topping lift up.
You really don't have a topping lift? At all?
Upwind, pullin on the topping lift essentially opens your leech - a lot. Only the bottom third of the sail will be making any power, the rest will just be spilling air. Downwind the effect is less - you lose area but gain some camber.

I think that using the reefing point to hold up the boom would work oppositly - tensioning the upper 2/3 of the leech and slacking the bottom third. The effect on power is probably similar, with the reefing line approach giving you more heel for the same power.

 

[Jim Kolstoe]

Yeah, its designed that way

Dave,
The h23 was designed, and the main is cut, for the boom to hang below level. My experience (original owner of a '86 boat) is that if I'm sitting in the forward half of the cockpit, the boom will miss me, but aft of that I need to duck. FYI, I'm 6' tall. The prior postings are correct, you would have to recut your main and suffer the lost power if you want it to hang level under sail.
You do have a topping lift, assuming you installed everything. There is a line(provided with the boat)running from a pin at the masthead to the aft end of the boom and then through the boom to exit just under the gooseneck fitting. Pulling the line raises the boom, letting it out lowers it. Getting under way, I let it out once the sail is raised so that it does not affect the position of the boom. Similarly, I use it to raise the boom before dropping the main. In very light air, I use it to raise the boom just enough to take of the weight of the boom off the sail, improving my sail shape.
When we're not sailing, I sometimes use the topping lift to raise the boom to make more headroom. Like Brian, I cannot open the seahood hatch all the way without raising the boom. No big deal because I don't normally want it open anyway - the slider provides plenty of room.
Enjoy your boat, it provides good performance and room for a small family in a reasonably trailerable package.
Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo

 

[Dave B]

Thanks, Jim

I appreciate the info.
My boom has three lines running through it, the center being the out-haul, the outer two I assumed were for reefing. Neither is long enough to be a topping lift. I do remember a pin at the mast head. I don't believe anything is on it. I will have to look again the next time I go to the boat. I would assume this topping lift line is relatively small diameter?
I have been moving the main halyard to the end of the boom after I drop the sail. This has the undesirable action of dropping the boom in the laps of my passengers. Not a great thing. I really wish there was a topping lift..


Thanks again

Dave

 

[Steve]

Not mine...

No one in the cockpit of my 1985 Hunter 23, Kenyon mast, has to worry about being hit by the boom if they are seated. Plenty of clearance. I got my main from The Sail Warehouse when I bought the boat to replace the blown out OEM main.

I've attached a picture of the boom to show you which line goes where.

I too don't have a topping lift any longer. 5/16 would be plenty heavy if you wish to replace it. Short term solution, 'till you drop the mast, is to rig a line from the plate where the back stay splits with a quick release on the end. I'm using a clip just like the one on my head sail halyard only a little smaller. I have a 5/16 line running through the boom with a loop on the aft end that I clip that line to before dropping the main. When I hoist the main I just pull the short line I have attached to the quick release to let the boom swing free. If I'm not sailing alone I just have someone pull the pin after I hoist the main, else I hop back in the cockpit and pull it myself.

Enjoy your boat.

 

[Dave B]

Thanks for the help

Thanks for the help, Steve. I think I will rig mine the way you described until the next time the boom is down. Thanks also for the diagram on the reefing set up. I had mine similar but not quite right.
I appreciate all of the info!

-Dave