Rigid Boom Vang

[william24424]

New England Boat show, got me thinking, rigid boom vang? Remove topping lift on my cruiser/racer sailboat. I have lazy jacks for emergency use, are the rigid vangs prone to break? How well do these work? Can I make adjustments with same ease? Advice appreciated.

 

[Rick Sylvester]

Yes, no, great, yes and get a big Garhauer

 

[Doug_Meyer]

Not really rigid

The rigid vang in your photo is really a spring inside a tube, and uses a block and tackle setup to tighten it. It will hold up the boom, but I wouldn't recommend it. I have a rigid vang setup on my Beneteau 323, and still use the topping lift to take the load of the boom off the vang when docked. The rigid boom setup restricts the amount the boom can rise, and that could be either a good thing or a bad thing depending on circumstances. If you get into a broach, and blow the vang, the boom isn't going to release very far.

 

[jimq26]

Get a Boomkicker.

Many of us prefer to use the Boomkicker as a rigid vang. Check it out here on the Chandlery site - it explains everything. They work just as promised, and last forever.

 

[Al]

I second the Garhauer

The Garhauer rigid boom vang costs about the same (or less) than a Boomkicker and will hold up the boom and a small building without the topping lift. I've had them on two different boats and love them.

 

[Dave from Mi.]

Garhauer!

I have had the Garhauer for about 3 years now and I just love it. Very powerful purchase and it is one of the best pieces of equipment I have on the boat in regards to workmanship. I remember when I opened the package, remarking to my wife, "I have not seen this level of quality on anything else I have ever purchased!" I can only speak to my individual vang, but it has some of the best welding I have ever seen.fair windsDave

 

[Stu Jackson]

Garhauer is 10 yr warranty

It's the $ of advertising a big named international company and a smaller, but high quality, mom-and-pop operation that sells direct.

 

[Alice A.]

Garhauer vang is great

We installed a beefy Garhauer solid vang on our 37.5 a number of years ago. Then we removed the topping lift because we have lazy jacks. When we dock the boat, we hook the main halyard on the end of the boom to get it out of the way and to prevent halyard noise. The vang is an excellent piece of equipment, very high quality and strong. As you know, the main on a 37.5 is very large and the vang handles it with ease. We are very pleased with it. Alice A.