Rigid Vang for the H216 My Christmas and Birthday present was a Garhauer Rigid Vang. This was the first one Garhauer made for the H216 and their first attempt resulted in a vang that was far too big for the boat. They were delightful people to deal with and sent me the reworked parts I needed. Cost is only 2.5 boat dollars and it remains to be seen if it will be worth it...but the sail shape on the first outing was flawless. I have read many comments on rigid vangs and the top comment seems to be "it eliminates the topping lift". Well, I can live for a long time with a topping lift instead of blowing 2.5 boat dollars! I purchased it because 1) the standard equipment rope vang seems a little wimpy for the boat, 2) I don't want to install a traveler (especially the ugly, "let's mess up the cockpit" one being offered by Hunter) and 3) I want better control on the sail shape. So far so good. I was really pleased with the sail shape on all points of sail on the first outing. Course it is wintertime and I'm only sailing once a month or so and it may take time for me to decide if it was worth the boat dollars. From the Tim Allen standpoint, it is an awesome looking device with SS, Chrome, neato ball bearing blocks, gorgeous line splices, etc.!!! The Garhauer folks do a nice job. My one concern is that the extra leverage might possibly bend the boom...not a good thing. I have seen boom bend with the stock rope traveler which has far more power than the Garhauer. I'll just have to keep an eye on it. The boom bend may simply be due to wind pressure and the difference between the power of the Garhauer and the stock rope vang may be moot point. I'll keep everyone plugged in as time goes on.
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Vangs in general
I'm a bit confused --- which is fairly easy to do in my old age but: The 216 is my first boat with a loose footed main. On my footed main boats, I have always tighten down on the vang to flatten the sail moving the draft forward. However, on the 216, as you tighten down the vang you put bend in the boom and I hardly see any change in the flattening of the sail and very little change in the draft if any at all. I agree that the light air setting of the topping lift is a real pain when racing and I'll be very interested in how your rigid vang works out for you. I am also considering putting a more flexible upper batten on our sail as it is so stiff it is tough to get any twist in the upper part of the sail at all in higher winds. Anyone done this as yet?
I'm a bit confused --- which is fairly easy to do in my old age but: The 216 is my first boat with a loose footed main. On my footed main boats, I have always tighten down on the vang to flatten the sail moving the draft forward. However, on the 216, as you tighten down the vang you put bend in the boom and I hardly see any change in the flattening of the sail and very little change in the draft if any at all. I agree that the light air setting of the topping lift is a real pain when racing and I'll be very interested in how your rigid vang works out for you. I am also considering putting a more flexible upper batten on our sail as it is so stiff it is tough to get any twist in the upper part of the sail at all in higher winds. Anyone done this as yet?
R
Ranger Paul
H216 Flexible Top Batten
Mr. Ernie, I am planning on replacing my top batten also. I saw some really slick tapered battens at the Sail America show (or whatever it is called) last spring. I have been unable to find them on the Internet. This spring I plan on taking my batten with me and getting one of the tapered battens on the spot (they had a bunch of different sizes right at the show). If I find them this year I'll get a business card and post it on this site...provided the batten works out.
Mr. Ernie, I am planning on replacing my top batten also. I saw some really slick tapered battens at the Sail America show (or whatever it is called) last spring. I have been unable to find them on the Internet. This spring I plan on taking my batten with me and getting one of the tapered battens on the spot (they had a bunch of different sizes right at the show). If I find them this year I'll get a business card and post it on this site...provided the batten works out.
H216 Rigid Vang
Mr. Ernie, OK, here's what I know about rigid vangs (which is not a heck of a lot): 1. I have occasionally had problems getting the vang tight enough when reaching to get the sail shape I want (reduce twist). The rope vang that came with the boat just doesn't do it. 2. Don Gillette (the sail shape expert forum dude) runs a rigid vang and says he would not do without it. 3. Occasionally I want to increase the twist without messing with the topping lift (the topping lift being a poor choice for a sail control). I hoping the rigid vang springs will be strong enough to hold up the boom. 4. There are times when I simply do not seem able to get a sail shape that flys all leech telltales the way I would like. 5. Seems to me with the proper vang one can get almost the same performance as a traveler. That is, if the vang is controlling the leech tension instead of the main sheet, easing the sheet will keep the sail shape the same while just changing the angle of attack. I suspect in real life the bowman will have to play the boom vang just like someone plays the traveler. The rope vang is too wimpy to work in this fashion. Specifically, I'm hoping to adjust the vang when sailing close hauled so when the sheet is eased (effectively eliminating vang sheeting or whatever it is called), the vang will maintain the leech tension and the net effect is to change the angle of attack only. Therefore, I purchased the rigid vang. I am not concerned with flattening the sail with the vang...the outhaul and rig tension take care of this. I am also not interested in it to change my draft...I am to the point where I only use the main halyard...the cunningham wrinkles the sail...the main halyard seems to work fine for draft position...I have rigged a modified truckers knot in my main halyard to make adjusting the main halyard (draft position) easier. I forget the name of the knot I use (I know how to tie it). I can get the name of the knot and describe how I rigged it if you like.
Mr. Ernie, OK, here's what I know about rigid vangs (which is not a heck of a lot): 1. I have occasionally had problems getting the vang tight enough when reaching to get the sail shape I want (reduce twist). The rope vang that came with the boat just doesn't do it. 2. Don Gillette (the sail shape expert forum dude) runs a rigid vang and says he would not do without it. 3. Occasionally I want to increase the twist without messing with the topping lift (the topping lift being a poor choice for a sail control). I hoping the rigid vang springs will be strong enough to hold up the boom. 4. There are times when I simply do not seem able to get a sail shape that flys all leech telltales the way I would like. 5. Seems to me with the proper vang one can get almost the same performance as a traveler. That is, if the vang is controlling the leech tension instead of the main sheet, easing the sheet will keep the sail shape the same while just changing the angle of attack. I suspect in real life the bowman will have to play the boom vang just like someone plays the traveler. The rope vang is too wimpy to work in this fashion. Specifically, I'm hoping to adjust the vang when sailing close hauled so when the sheet is eased (effectively eliminating vang sheeting or whatever it is called), the vang will maintain the leech tension and the net effect is to change the angle of attack only. Therefore, I purchased the rigid vang. I am not concerned with flattening the sail with the vang...the outhaul and rig tension take care of this. I am also not interested in it to change my draft...I am to the point where I only use the main halyard...the cunningham wrinkles the sail...the main halyard seems to work fine for draft position...I have rigged a modified truckers knot in my main halyard to make adjusting the main halyard (draft position) easier. I forget the name of the knot I use (I know how to tie it). I can get the name of the knot and describe how I rigged it if you like.
J
Jeff Prideaux
H216 Rigid Vang
Jeff, Yes, I got the $250 (2.5 boat dollars) Garhauer. Don't know the model but they only have one for the H216.
Jeff, Yes, I got the $250 (2.5 boat dollars) Garhauer. Don't know the model but they only have one for the H216.
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