Do Vang...Indeed
Adding a vang to your boom gives you one more point of control, especially sailing off the wind. It is a relatively easy piece of hardware to make up yourself, and install. No need to buy expensive ready-made vangs. You may already have the necessary blocks in your parts bin, many salors do. If you do not have the necessary bails on the mast or the boom, these can be bought from West marine, and attached using aluminum rivets or screws. Learning when to apply the vang, and tensioning the vang will reduce sail draft by reducing the lift of the boom when sailing off the wind, something you have already noticed.It is also a safety device to prevent wild thrashing of the boom when falling off waves, and rolling with following seas. Don
