Re: O'day 25: I think the boom lift is supppose to be shackled to the boom by design (ie, fixed), and the block & horn cleat, on the side of the boom, are for the outhaul. Have i got it right? Does having the boom topping lift fixed interfer with shaping the sail?
Boom related rigging
- Thread starter William John
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Thanks for the reply. I thought that a fixed BTL was by design, but wasn't sure, So you could say that, if the sail is correct for the boat, the sail should/will take tension off of the topping lift? Am i thinking correctly? Do you have any comment on the block & cleat on the boom?
On my 25 I added a carabiner to connect the topping lift to the boom. I have sailed with it connected and disconnected. My problem is I want the TL to hold the boom high which keeps it under tension with the main up. I have seen a few configurations for adjustable TLs, including one on an earlier thread titled New Pocket Cruise Illustration. I like that one as you can put a knot in the line to keep the line from running through the cheek block. This way you just let the line loose for sailing and pull up the boom after dousing the sail. The knot keeps the boom from dropping all the way when the sail comes down.
The manual for my boat says to tie the outhaul to the hole in the boom end and optionally you can add a block set up for adjustment and run the line to one of the two horn cleats.
I believe the port side eye, startboard side cheek block and one horn cleat are for the clew reef point.
The manual for my boat says to tie the outhaul to the hole in the boom end and optionally you can add a block set up for adjustment and run the line to one of the two horn cleats.
I believe the port side eye, startboard side cheek block and one horn cleat are for the clew reef point.
The TL on this boat has a shackle on the end, and it is attached to carabiner. It is than attached to the eye in the end of the boom. Sounds like the way you have it rigged. If that works for you I'll try it as is. Thanks. I was thinking that the block & cleat were for reefing. My main sail has 2 reef points; however, only 1 has the sail ties in the sail. Apparently the PO had it rigged for 1 jiffy reef line. That works for me. Thanks for confirming. I used to sail on the Barnegate. Cat Boat, Gaft rigged, cotton sail. 1960's. Great times Thanks again.
You could make the TL adjustable by putting a sheave at the end and running a line from the end of the boom through the sheave, and through the cheek block near the end of the boom to a cleat near the goose neck fitting on the boom.
My spar set up has internal halyards and boom control lines with cam cleats under the goose neck but basically it works on the same principle.
Also, the first pic shows a bale attachment at the end of the boom that I just recently installed last year.
My spar set up has internal halyards and boom control lines with cam cleats under the goose neck but basically it works on the same principle.
Also, the first pic shows a bale attachment at the end of the boom that I just recently installed last year.
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I have two small blocks in the end hole in the boom. One I use for topping lift and it then goes to a cleat on left side of boom The other goes to the out haul and then to a cleat on the right side of boom. I use the cheek block for reefing. I tried one line reefing to much resistance so just have a line fixed to boom run it through the reef point on sail and through the cheek block and then to the cleat where the out-haul would be. Running the topping lift through the back block makes it easy to raise the boom out of the way when anchored or lower the boom/loosen for sailing.
Two blocks in the end hole of the boom (1 for TL & 1 for OH) is a good idea. I went to my boat yesterday and saw that I had 1 block in the end of the boom and decided that the PO had probably used it for the OH. The other hole had the TL attached. Adding another block for the TL is a good idea also. I also have 2 eyes on either side of the boom just about in the same location that a reef block would be placed. I guess I could attach a small block to one of the eyes and rig a reefing line, or maybe i should remove 1 eye and add a cheek block for the reef line? The other eye would be used to attach the beginning of the reef line, right? I am also going to start a new thread on the Mast hardware and rigging. Thanks for your input.
Mine is as you said. One eye on one side and cheek block on the other. The line is attached to the eye then you run the line up to the reef point and then down through the cheek block then to a cleat. This works good as it makes the reef line work like a out-haul that can be adjusted.
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