Modified Outhaul

[Joe DiCianni]

I have a 1990 C30. Has anyone modified their outhaul by eliminating the poor original internal outhaul system & now uses some type of external setup with blocks, etc? I do not want to get a rigid vang, therefore I have to keep my present topping lift which is connected to a tang located on the end of the boom. I need a block & tackle setup that doesn't use the end of the boom at all. I can't use the tang for the topping lift & also as an outhaul attachment point. I don't think I can put two tangs on the end of the boom. Thanks, Joe

 

[Bayard Gross]

I think I can help you

While I do not have specific knowledge of exactly what your boom end looks like, I have a C-22 that is probably similar.I installed a four to one external outhaul onto my boom yet still had to have an eye strap to attach the boom to a pennant off the backstay. So perhaps there are some similarities here.I attached an eye strap to the starboard side on the end of the boom. From here, a line is lead up to a small Harken double air block attached with a long d shape shackle to the main sail clew. The line then backs to a single small harken air block attached with a shackle to an eye strap that lies parallel to the sail grove in the boom. This eye strap is attached to the boom by using two sail stops slid into the boom sail grove. The mounting holes of the eye strap rest onto the screw studs of the sail stops and then are secured in place with some nylon insert locking nuts. The eye strap then does double duty by holding the single block and providing an attachment point for the pennant from the backstay.I cannot say if the same arrangement can be done to your boom since there is a block at the end of your boom for the internal outhaul that may terminate the sail grove too soon to permit attachment of an eye strap in the fashion I described. However, this might provide you with some good ideas.The line then goes from this single block back to the other sheave of the double block at the clew. From here, the line leads back to a cheek block on the port side on the end of the boom. The line then goes down to about midships on the boom where it is secured with a cam cleat. I had to install plastic wedges under the cam cleat to allow it to rest properly against the curve of the boom. I found cutting in half the plastic wedges available to change the angle of cam cleats to work satisfactorily.I happen to use 3/16 spectra line that I think for some people may be annoyingly too small. However, I found 1/4 line to have too much friction when I loosened the outhaul.You may be able to use larger blocks, depending upon just how much room you have. You might use larger line too, but I don't think you'll go beyond 1/4 inch. Further, I do not think a two to one purchase (which would eliminate the single block at the end of the boom and have just a single block attached to the clew) will be sufficient, but that may be all the room you have.The difficulty will be in finding shackles that will fit properly for the clew and its block and the boom end eye strap and its block. You may need to cut down the screw stud of the forward sail stop that holds the eye strap so the shackle and block attached to it will clear properly.It all takes some measuring and planning. Also, make sure the eye strap that lies parallel to the sail grove has mounting holes large enough for the screw studs on the sail stops which I beleive should be number 10 with 24 threads per inch.

 

[Joe DiCianni]

Thanks Bayard

BayardThanks for taking the time to elaborate on your setup. It will give me a good start to fix my problem. Joe

 

[Tom Soko]

Upgrade the nternal blocks

Joe,Rather than adding external blocks, why not upgrade the internal ones? I did that on both my old 30 and on my present 36. Take the boom off and bring it home. Much easier to work on. The hardest part will be getting the eight screws off that hold the end caps. Might have to use impact wrench, heat, etc. I got mine off with heat. If you take off both ends, you can see how it is set up inside the boom. From memory, I think it's a 3:1 purchase inside, with very cheap looking blocks. By changing the blocks to a double and a double with a becket you can increase the purchase to 5:1. If you change to a double with a becket and a triple you can get 6:1. I put small harkens in mine. sorry, can't remember the #'s. You'll also have to replace the line that goes around the blocks because of the greater distance/purchase involved. While I was at it, I also replaced the plastic sheave in the end cap with a ball-bearing sheave, and I increased the size of the coated wire. It is now easy to adjust the outhaul. If I ever put the outhaul on a winch, I could probably rip the main in half! Another idea: Get rid of the car that rides in the slot in the boom. Way too much friction. Have your sailmaker sew an aluminum slug to the clew of the main, and run the outhaul directly to the cringle at the clew. Good Luck,Tom SokoJulandra C36 #659