Boomkicker - I don't get it

[shemandr]

I have a boomkicker and I don't understand it. Mine appears to have little range of motion. As a vang it is nearly useless. I guess it holds the boom up but so does the topping lift. Is a boomkicker supposed to hold the boom up or is it supposed to be a vang? Should I cut the outer tube to give a greater range of motion or move the boom fitting aft on the boom to extend its range? Why do I want this over a Gerhauer rigid vang?

 

[Tim22902]

The boom kicker works....

.....in conjuction with a traditional boomvang. It's been a while since I have owned one so I'm sure others will chime in. It pushes the boom up and your vang pulls it down creating constatn pressure much like a rigid vang. Without a traditional vang it would be useless.Tim

 

[jimq26]

Not a vang - designed to hold boom up.

The picture that Fred posted is exactly how it should look if properly installed. When sailing off the wind, the Boomkicker holds the boom up to allow better sail shape. You control this adjustment with your boom vang.Boomkickers are for sale on this site from the chandlery. If you look it up, you will find a complete description and operating instructions.

 

[shemandr]

Boomkicker installation

Thanks for your responses. To followup - it came installed on my used boat, A hunter 356. I don't assume it was installed properly. The directions from Selden are terrible. So far as I can tell its installed properly.  I am still not clear on its function. If I had a vang or better yet a rigid vang I would be using it to hold the boom down (not up) sailing off the wind. This would make the sail more powerful. I would ease it in higher wind to depower. With the boomkicker, I can cleat the "Vang" line so the boom doesn't rise off the wind; but I can't tighten it because the boom fitting is almost resting on the boomkicker already. I'm not sure if it can be eased or not since most of the time I want it tight.The directions specify use of the topping lift when not sailing to hold the boom up so ...... again, what is its function? I'm hoping someone can illucidate this or I'll be calling the G-force in!

 

[jimq26]

Here's how mine is set up.

I have been using Boomkickers on my boats for the past 14 years. Originally on my C&C Shark 24, and for the past 8 years on my G-26. Installation was quite simple, and the key is to mount the fittings to the mast and the boom so the boom clew is about 4" above its normal level. You will notice that the fitting on the boom has the open end facing towards the mast. This prevents damage in the event you don't have your vang on and accidently do a "chinese" gybe.The Boomkicker holds the boom up (replaces the topping lift) when you want to reef and when you drop the mainsail. It holds the boom up when you need more sail shape for speed in light air. You crank it down by using your regular multi purchase boom vang to pull the boom down. The rods on the kicker bend to whatever pull you put on - they won't break.Your multi purchase boom vang lines should parallel the rods of the kicker, about 2" or so on the outside. The rods are on the inside of the triangle (mast-boom-kicker rods).

 

[Tim]

You will

Set it up so that you can ease and tighten you boom vang easily. The boom kicker does replace the topping lift. I enjoyed using it because with the down and up forces working together I could keep the boom at the exact level I wanted it. In light air where the end of the boom would typically weigh down the sail, the boom kicker will keep it supported allowing the sail to assume a nice shape.The others will correct me if I am wrong but if used and set up properly the boom kicker will do everything that a rigid vang will do. Poor man's rigid vang might be a good way to think of it. Look around where you sail and find a local sailor who has one set up to give you a run through before your scrap it and order a rigid vang. Or take some detailed pics and post them here so we can see how you have yours set up.Tim

 

[chuckwayne]

do you really have a boomkicker??

if you have a 356 with in mast furling, you have a selden rigid vang-but as installed by Hunter, it is set to hold the boom at the right level to furl. to gain full function, you have to add the selden spring unit internal to the tubes, and to gain further downward range, you need to move the fitting on the boom further aft. this change will interfere with the main cabin port on the cabintop. Hunter was apparently only concerned with alignment for furling when they set up the rig, so we use the topping lift to raise the boom, and the traveller(an option) to control the main.Chuck Wayne2002 H356WWW.Escape

 

[shemandr]

Aha

Chuck is right. I have the Selden "Rodkicker" which is a different product. I'm sorry I mixed up the names. It isn't set up to adjust the boom height, its merely to hold the boom up for furling. So, the question becomes: If I want an adjustable "Vang" what effect will that have on my mainsail furling? Now, I can only lower the boom a few inches before the blocks for the main sheet prevent any futher lowering. How critical would the boom height adjustment be for furling?

 

[shemandr]

An addendum

Also, Chuck is that an asymmetical on your 356 in the picture? If so, can you tell us how you rigged it? Turning blocks? Winches? Tack fitting? Thanks.

 

[chuckwayne]

you've got it!

you really can't use the vang to tighten the boom close hauled, as you've noticed because the mainsheet blocks are down on the arch. off the wind, we've found that the base position-boom horizontal-is as far down as you need to go. usually, downwind you'll let the boom rise to put more draft in the sail and in our case feed the chute. when we first sailed our 356, I was confused by the vang setup-I'm an ex dinghy sailor-but it actually works fine. for furling, the important thing is to have the outhaul stop set about mid-boom so that the sail rolls evenly onto the furler. If it's too close to the mast, the foot of the sail will bunch up.Yes, it's a Doyle APC, but built more like a racing Assym (it's larger than the standard cruising sail). We have turning blocks for the sheets on the arch, and winches on the stock pad locations-but you can use the jib winches instead. the guy runs thru a block mounted on the outboard end of the anchor roller and then down the port side thru a set of furling line guide blocks to a turning block on the arch, then forward to a jam cleat on the cockpit side-just like the jib furling line on starboard. this setup works great, we can control the tack and luff position easily from the cockpit. the sail is set from a sock with the sock control line attached to a snap shackle block on the pulpit.

 

[Dick Westwood]

Garhauer

I don't have any experience with either a boomkicker or a rodkicker. But I do have a Garhauer rigid vang.My boat had no vang or kicker, just a topping lift. So I had a choice of what to install. It seemed to me that one device - a rigid vang - was a more elegant solution that two - vang and kicker. So I went with Garhauer.Garhauer vang is a beautiful piece of equipment, and functions perfectly. Has a spring to lift the boom and a block system to lower it. So one control line lets you do whatever you want. I'll definitely adopt this solution again if I acquire another boat. Not something I can say about all my equipment purchases!