Busted Boom Vang, Temp fix ?

[Royal Flush]

Winds picked up Sunday from 6-9 knots to nearly 20 knots within 15 minutes.
The boat came alive took off like the race horse it is. While underway with this freshened breeze, the boom vang fractured off and nothing significant happened that I noticed.

I'm planning to sail again withing two weeks and may have to rig a Temporary vang as a replacement. Sounds like I could use the existing attach points and use the winch to tighten the temp roped vang replacement.

-M

 

[Clark]

IMHO, you don't have to have a vang to sail. As you said, it broke and "nothing significant happened". Just remove it and replace what parts are broken. If you feel as though you need something to keep the boom from rising too much, just tie a healthy piece of line from one attachment point to another of a length that would allow the boom to rise ~ 10* and leave it until you get your vang repaired.

 

[mark_swart]

I'm with Clark... if you aren't racing, you can live without it. I'm willing to bet most people don't even fool with theirs a lot of the time.
A nylon tie down like you use to haul motorcycles/ATVs might also work as a temp, if you really have to have one. Walmart, Autozone or Advance, less than $10.
-Mark

 

[Stu Jackson]

Oh, nonsense

The vang is a very important mainsail control. Doing without it is not appropriate. Here's why:

1. Closehauled -- you can't flatten the main and will be overpowered

2. Running -- the bag in the sail hits the spreaders with the boom out and you can't flatten the sail

Those who think it's unnecessary are missing the point. Very often smaller boat owners believe this. It's simply not true.

Vangs also usually require mechanical advantage that only blocks & tackles can provide, so single lines won't usually provide enough advantage to make any adjustment.

Fix it properly and learn to use it.

 

[Relentless]

Re: Oh, nonsense

Lighten up Stu, He did'nt say he wasn't going to replace it he just want's to go sailing before he can replace it

 

[Stu Jackson]

Was simply

responding to those who felt it wasn't necessary, not to the temporary issue. Want a Bud Lite?

 

[Relentless]

Re: Was simply

I love you man, but your still not getting my Bud Lite

 

[Stu Jackson]

Just was offering

not asking. Enjoy.

 

[SeaLifeSailing]

Hi Mac,

I am with Stu that ultimately, the Vang should be replaced, and it sounds like you aren't about to permanently do without it. That said, I'd be a little careful about temporary fixes that don't allow you to easily adjust the tension under load - I'd rather do without if I just wanted a sail or two before getting around to fixing it.

Here's why: If you throw in a temporary fix that is not easily adjustable, and you were to sheet out as you bear away from the wind with a decent amount of windspeed, by not de-tensioning your temporary vang, you risk a worse blow-out, of your gooseneck - the point where your boom attaches to the mast.

I'd just leave it be until you can fix it, and ultimately, the sooner the better

Good sailing!

 

[jibes138]

What kind of vang is it and how did it break?

If it is a typical block and tackle vang, what broke? Seems unusual for the mechanical parts to break, was it the fitting on the boom? A shackle? Or did the line separate? Not clear what needs to be fixed so a temporary setup could include the original equipment.

 

[Clark]

To clarify; I in no way suggested that the gentleman throw his broken vang away and never replace it. His question was in regards to going sailing again before he repairs it. No reason to forego a beautiful day for (temporary) lack of a vang. With that said; I'll agree with the gentleman who cautioned about using a non-adjustable vang. It would be better to simply do without one until yours is repaired than to use a fixed length of line.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Thanx, Clark, I agree

wholeheartedly.

 

[Royal Flush]

The part that Broke was the 1/4" side strapping on the block and tackle. It suffered a classical fracture at a rivet hole. I might go ahead and drill out the remaining rivets and add a fresh strap and get on with it.

-M

 

[Don Guillette]

Royal Flush: I was following this thread looking for the piece of info you just provided and that was how the piece was attached to the boom - pop rivits.

Personally, I don't think pop rivits are the was to go and neither is threading the hole. The reason both methods don't work is the metal on the boom is too thin and made of aluminum. If you decided to thread the hole you'd be lucky to get 3 threads.

I've installed a number of Garhauer rigid vangs and the attachment I use is called a RIVNUT. It looks like a top hat with threads inside. The aircraft industry uses them as do school bus builders and ambulances etc anytime they want to attach mirrors or lights on thin surfaces or whatever else they are doing. The RIVNUTS come with a special instalation tool which kind of looks like a pop rivit gun but is bigger due to the force you need to install them.

If a RIVNUT ever pulled out, which it never will, it would take a good chuck of the boom or mast with it. You can buy the products on line. I think Harbor Freight sells them.

 

[kendall]

Rivnuts are great, and like you say hold great, but I think that size for size, the rivnut and pop-rivets have about the same actual strength, the advantage with the rivnut is easy removeability of the bracket etc.

The rivnut will have more strength in the same application, because the overall size of the rivnut is going to be larger, IE: a fitting that takes an 1/8th inch fastener can use either a 1/8 rivet (a 1/8th hole) or a rivnut large enough to accept a 1/8th screw which will be closer in size to a 1/4 inch rivet.


Ken.

 

[mark_swart]

Stu -- I was just thinking short term too, as in "it's 75 and sunny with a nice breeze" and I wouldn't let it keep me off the water.
Agree completely it should be fixed and used properly!
Uh, so, can I score one of those Bud Lites now?