Answers?
Hi James, Glad you're loving the new 170. I've had mine for almost 2 years now and just love it! Regarding your vang question, a figure-8 in the tail of the vang line probably makes sense (although the line shouldn't ever come that unraveled during a daysail-- weirder things have happened though). Of course, figure eights in the end of the mainsheet and the jib sheets are mandatory (yes, I forgot to tie an eight in my starbd. jib sheet once and it let loose, springing completely out of the clamcleat/fairlead in a 15-20 knot blast and needless to say it was loud and very scary!--- not to mention I was nearly flogged senseless by the whipping tail) Regarding lashing the tail of the vang line to the mast, I don't think you need to do that, unless you really want to tidy up your cockpit sole ;0) -- it's usually nice to have the tail daggling aft so it can be easily reached for last-minute adjustments while still holding the tiller extension--- lashing it to the mast might make it alot harder to reach when you need to. Of course, where the vang line exits the vang mechanism (the lower portion of the vang 'pulley' system-- attached to bail on lower mast), just make the line fast (tight) in the tapered exit plate. The plate has a V shape in it and by pulling the line up into that V and jamming the line in place there, this will set the vang's tension where you want it. Hope I'm being clear, if not brief ;o) As far as sail storage goes, I always roll the jib into four large sections and bind it together into a large sail bag. Four or so pretzel-like folds in the sail and its internal forestay cable don't seem to hurt anything. As for the main, I generally completely remove it from the boom before stowing the boom. I run the 'slug' from the stern end of the sail forward up the track in the boom and out the front by the gooseneck, fold the sail and stow it in the sailbag and just tear down the boom as normal, sail-less. I leave the boom on the boat/trailer, stowed under the mast when trailering, as the trailering post at the stern (which fits on where the rudder normally goes) has slots for mast and boom. I use my boom's aft reefing line AND a tied-on securing line on the trailering post to be SURE both mast and boom aren't going anywhere when I hit the road! Best, Mike G.
