I have recently purchased a 30' sailboat with a Hi-Low Reefer (in boom mainsail furling) and rigid boom vang all by John Mast. I have tried to contact the John Mast company via website email as well as any of their english speaking distributors (no state side distributors) but received no response. I am having trouble with the furling system jambing when lowering the main and have to limp back to the slip and wrestle it into the boom. It seems to bunch up and jamb at the base of the mast. I have been told by fellow sailors that the boom must be at 87 degrees to the mast (3 degrees above horizontal) for it to furl properly. The rigid boom vang will not hold it that high and actually allows it to drop to about 5-10 degrees below horizontal. I find no adjustments on the boom vang and it is sealed with revits. Does anyone have experience with this system, know of a stateside or english speaking distributor, or have knowledge of how to get this system working properly. Someone has suggested I drill out the rivets and remove and stretch the spring (I don't want to tear it up). Alternatively I could reposition the vang on the boom closer to the mast, but will it eventually sag and the spring need to be stretched anyway. I would appreciate any help/input on this matter. I am mechanical and can fix it myself if I just have some proper understanding/input/instructions (If anyone out there has the installation/instruction manuals for this system I could probably figure it out). Thanks - Capn Santiago
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topping lift
try rigging a topping lift to make sure your problem is raising the boom to the desired height rather than a mechanical malfunction. Look at other boats in the marina to get some rigging ideas for a topping lift. If that's the problem, you can use the topping lift until you resolve a solution on the vang. You might consider replacing the vang with the very fine Garhaurer model for less than you'd probably spend repairing the existing one. http://garhauermarine.com/index.cfm
try rigging a topping lift to make sure your problem is raising the boom to the desired height rather than a mechanical malfunction. Look at other boats in the marina to get some rigging ideas for a topping lift. If that's the problem, you can use the topping lift until you resolve a solution on the vang. You might consider replacing the vang with the very fine Garhaurer model for less than you'd probably spend repairing the existing one. http://garhauermarine.com/index.cfm
John Mast Vang
Hi Capn. I have a brand new John Mast vang that I purchased but was to small for my boat. What length do you need. Later Ill dig this one out and take a measurement.
Hi Capn. I have a brand new John Mast vang that I purchased but was to small for my boat. What length do you need. Later Ill dig this one out and take a measurement.
"Stretching"
A spring is just temporary as well, unles you get it re-heat-treated with a programmable oven, know the makup of the steel, etc etc. The idea is that spring material is not supposed to yield, if it does it has lost it's temper.
A spring is just temporary as well, unles you get it re-heat-treated with a programmable oven, know the makup of the steel, etc etc. The idea is that spring material is not supposed to yield, if it does it has lost it's temper.
Vang Size
Ray - My vang measures 51 3/4" from pin to pin in the approximate position it needsw to be in for the furler to work. The inner plunger shaft is 2" diameter and the outer shaft is 38 1/4" from pin (at the mast) to end of the outer sleeve. What size is the vang you have? Does it have any instructions or indications of adjustability (I can't find any on mine)? Is there a zurks (SP?) fitting anywhere for refilling with gas? Any information you could provide would be appreciated. Thanks - CapnSantiago
Ray - My vang measures 51 3/4" from pin to pin in the approximate position it needsw to be in for the furler to work. The inner plunger shaft is 2" diameter and the outer shaft is 38 1/4" from pin (at the mast) to end of the outer sleeve. What size is the vang you have? Does it have any instructions or indications of adjustability (I can't find any on mine)? Is there a zurks (SP?) fitting anywhere for refilling with gas? Any information you could provide would be appreciated. Thanks - CapnSantiago
What's missing here?
I'll confess ignorance when it comes to a rigid vang, but aren't they supposed to work in both push and pull direction to adjust the trim of the mainsail by raising or lowering the clew end of the boom? How is it able to adjust the twist of a mainsail as it is supposed to do when it can only adjust the height of the boom to a maximum of 5 to 10 degrees BELOW horizontal? When the mainsail is raised, does the boom hang horizontally or is the vang pulling the boom down below horizontal? You make it sound like the vang isn't able to even adjust the twist of the mainsail as it is supposed to do (pull the boom down to flatten the leach or push the boom up to induce twist). I realize that I am not any help with your problem, but it seems like you have a vang that isn't functioning and that may be the cause of your problem. If the clew end of the boom is going to drop 5 to 10 degrees below horizontal as you are dropping the main, of course the main is going to bunch up at the tack in the process (it seems to me).
I'll confess ignorance when it comes to a rigid vang, but aren't they supposed to work in both push and pull direction to adjust the trim of the mainsail by raising or lowering the clew end of the boom? How is it able to adjust the twist of a mainsail as it is supposed to do when it can only adjust the height of the boom to a maximum of 5 to 10 degrees BELOW horizontal? When the mainsail is raised, does the boom hang horizontally or is the vang pulling the boom down below horizontal? You make it sound like the vang isn't able to even adjust the twist of the mainsail as it is supposed to do (pull the boom down to flatten the leach or push the boom up to induce twist). I realize that I am not any help with your problem, but it seems like you have a vang that isn't functioning and that may be the cause of your problem. If the clew end of the boom is going to drop 5 to 10 degrees below horizontal as you are dropping the main, of course the main is going to bunch up at the tack in the process (it seems to me).
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