Cockpit boom vang?

[JoMama12879]

Thank you all in advance for helping and not laughing at my ignorance!

Here goes, what is the proper method to stay the boom fron an accidental jibe? I see that the M has a traveler, as boats I've been on in the past. What am I missing here?

OK, you can laugh now, but please advise!

 

[Retcoastie]

Preventer

I have a dedicated preventer line I use when sailing downwind. It has a loop on one and a caribenier on the other. As I set up for a downaind sail I clip the caribeneir to the ende of the boom and then loop the loop over the bow cleat on the side the boom will be. The line is too short to allow the boom to come into the cockpit. No "thunks" since I started using it.

 

[Beija Flor]

I'm using a "twin mainsheet" system that I spotted in Jim Howard's book, Handbook of Offshore Cruising ... with a difference, in that I only use the "second mainsheet" when I'm far enough off the wind to need it.

The Mac-stock boom vang uses the same blocks as their mainsheet - only the line is longer. I fitted it with snap shackles top and bottom, same as my original mainsheet. Then I found some track-mounted padeyes that snap onto the forward end of the genoa track.

Now, when I'm off the wind enough to worry about it - anything beyond a beam reach - I clip that "second manisheet" to the front of the leeward genoa track, and haul it taut. When I do have to gybe, I can carry it over with complete control. It's all in the cockpit and all over to leeward. No problems, mon!

 

[Robspan]

Generally, a preventer is effective when the apparent wind is aft of the beam. I don't know about the X or the M, but the 26C's stays are such that under those conditions, you can't let the main out very far anyway, so you can use the vang as a preventer on something out wide, such as a stanchion base. They're most needed when the wind is aft and strong, and the seas are heavy enough that steering can be a problem.

 

[cscott]

I have two preventers that I can operate from the cockpit. One for starboard and one for port. They both go forward from the end of the boom. From the boom, they go forward through a block attached to the bow pulpit. One comes back to cockpit on port side, and the other comes back to cockpit on starboard side. If boom is on port side, the port preventer is pulled tight and cleated, and starbord preventer is loose. When I jibe, I reverse the setup from the cockpit. Easy to work from cockpit without getting on deck, hooking and unhooking.

Chuck

 

[MrBill_FLL]

sc scott, / chuck, if you get a chance could you post a photo of this setup?

very interestiing idea!

 

[cscott]

MrBill_FLL
Not sure when I will be able to take a picture of set up, but it is very simple. Put a block on each side of bow pulpit. Run a line from each side cockpit to the block and back to cockpit. Connect one end of each line to end of boom. Make sure that line is long enough to go from cockpit to pulpit to end of boom, on cockpit side of mast when boom is all the way out on to port or starboard. If boom is out on starboard side, the port line needs to go from cockpit to bow pulpit block, back behind mast, to end of boom on starboard side, while the starboard line is pulled tight from cockpit to bow pulpit block to end of boom. Visa versa if boom is on port side.
Chuck

 

[MrBill_FLL]

Thanks Chuck,

how do you secure the tail end of the line? or is it just tied to something?

btw, I've seen (the aftermath) of a boom snap in a broach... (w/ a preventer in use)... but doubt the macs' would do that...

 

[cscott]

MrBill_FLL,
On the ends not connected to the boom, I havs Stanchion cleats port and starboard by the cockpit. On the boom, I snap the ends to the topping lift tang.

Hope my boom never snaps. I try to put the wind off the quarter rather than off the stern.

Good luck,

Chuck