ISOMAT BOOM

[Tim Leighton]

During an especially rough downwind "sleighride" on the Chesapeake Bay last weekend (30 knots/6-8' seas...yea, what the heck were we doing out there?!!!) the goosneck fitting on my Isomat boom failed. Made for a few interesting moments until we were able to sort things out. Of course, now I have to find a new goosneck fitting for the boom/mast. Does anyone know what model boom Hunter put on the 1985 31'? Looking at the Rigrite web site, there appears to have been at least 2 manufactured before Isomat went out of business. I can make the drive to the boat if I have to and measure, but if anyone out there happens to have the data, that would be helpful. By the way, for those of you who (like me) use your boom vang as a rail preventer...be careful! I suspect that part of the reason for the failure is the downward force of the preventer near the goosneck. For now on, my vang will be used only as a vang and I'll use a separate preventer further aft on the boom. I have a feeling this is going to be an expensive "mistake." Tim (S/V "TIDE")

 

[Jim]

Gooseneck

Try SECO Inc. at 727-536-1924. Awhile back I lost the "C" clips for my gooseneck which they still had in stock. We discussed the "gooseneck". They have the adapter repacment for it. I think it was around $150.

 

[Bill Ebling]

Tim: I think its an NB-26

that I have on my 85 h31'. Mine has the old style gooseneck which I believe are out of production. You may need to replace the boom fitting and the gooseneck with the new style.I was thinking of going out last weekend but the breakers rolling down into our jetty from the Chester river kept us in. Wind too crazy for me.I use my vang as a toe rail preventer down wind. How does this stress the gooseneck? Did you gybe and get back winded? Bill Ebling Yesterday's Dream (1985 h31)(Kent Island MD.)

 

[Steve Dion]

after you are fixed............

Tim:After you have fixed your boom. Take a look at the Dutchman Boom Brake. I don't have one but thought that they looked like a good thing to have.

 

[Tim Leighton]

GOOD IDEA!

Steve, et.al.: Good idea about the boom brake. At the very least I'm going to get a separate preventer and leave the vang in place. My sailmaker told me today that a preventer should really be placed at least 1/2 way down the boom from the goosneck to provide proper force to the sail/boom but not give such a large downward force to the goosneck fitting....that's partly why mine failed. By the way, for all of us with the "old" NB-26 fittings, they are no longer available and only a very few of the "new" fittings are out there either. Luckily for me the boom "pelican beak" fitting was OK and only the mast fitting was broken. Charleston Spars has developed a new mast fitting which allows continued use of the older boom fitting. FYI, if you are ordering any spar parts, you may want to use SECO in Tampa since Charleston Spars still doesn't accept credit cards for payment! I'm just not willing to pay the COD fee, even though they were very helpful. If I ever get a digital camera and once the repair is complete, I'll post photos of it here. Smooth sailing!Tim (S/V "TIDE")