What is this?
- Thread starter Manureva
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Looks like a 'reefing claw' to me. In the days before all the new and fancy devices for reefing a mainsail, it was common to have the boom simply slipped over a square pin at the goose neck. Reefing was done by pulling the boom off the square pin and rolling it round and round whilst letting the main halyard down at the same time. This resulted in the sail being rolled around the boom. When enough sail had been rolled round the boom it was put back on the square pin and the halyard tensioned.
This left the sail without a vang so the boom could sky.
This claw was slid along the boom over the sail before the boom was put back on the pin. It was set about a third of the way back from the mast and a line attached to it and the other end to the boom end.
Now the vang could be attached to the claw and tightened.
Actually it all worked rather well.
This left the sail without a vang so the boom could sky.
This claw was slid along the boom over the sail before the boom was put back on the pin. It was set about a third of the way back from the mast and a line attached to it and the other end to the boom end.
Now the vang could be attached to the claw and tightened.
Actually it all worked rather well.
Tim is right on. It is a bail for a roller furling boom. Main sheet block goes in the hole away from the rollers.. The boom can rotate to shorten sail and the mainsheet block remains stationary. Not used much any more.
EDIT Donalex beat me to it !
EDIT Donalex beat me to it !
Sorry guys, some good theories but, alas, no.
This piece is an early style of downhaul for the main boom. The round portions of the horseshoe shaped part rests on the radius at the top of the boom and is shackled to a pad eye at the base of the mast. I sailed a Westerly 22 that was equipped this way and it is actually quite efficient.
Best Regards, Darrell
This piece is an early style of downhaul for the main boom. The round portions of the horseshoe shaped part rests on the radius at the top of the boom and is shackled to a pad eye at the base of the mast. I sailed a Westerly 22 that was equipped this way and it is actually quite efficient.
Best Regards, Darrell
Lot's of roller booms on old boats. Not many being used because they left terrible sail shape when reefed and it was a PITA to stow the sail that way vs. flaking. I'm on my 4th roller boom boat and trying it once was enough.
Might find an ebay buyer for it. "fancy new style wheeled horseshoe" might work.
Might find an ebay buyer for it. "fancy new style wheeled horseshoe" might work.
when I bought my 68 bristol 22 it was given to me and explained to me that I could use it as a vang or preventer on the roller boom I always expected it to go overboard but it never did
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