Wondering about a boom vang

[Ken Honeycutt]

Just purchased a new Garhauer Mainsheet traveler and mainsheet block with 6:1 purchase at the boat show (couldn't resist the price). The new Mainsheet block has a cam cleat so I won't be running the sheet in the original Hunter configuration, so basically I guess I'm losing the part of the sheet that acts somewhat like a boom vang. Wondering now if I should install a boom vang since I've got the spare clutch. Has anyone done anything like this?

 

[Ken Honeycutt]

Just purchased a new Garhauer Mainsheet traveler and mainsheet block with 6:1 purchase at the boat show (couldn't resist the price). The new Mainsheet block has a cam cleat so I won't be running the sheet in the original Hunter configuration, so basically I guess I'm losing the part of the sheet that acts somewhat like a boom vang. Wondering now if I should install a boom vang since I've got the spare clutch. Has anyone done anything like this?

 

[Alan]

Absolutely.

A vang is a vital control that is greatly underutilized. If you go for a solid vang you can eliminate the topping lift which will reduce windage and weight aloft. Both a plus to boat performance.Both the Garhauer and Boomkicker are good value and get good reviews.

 

[Franklin]

I'm now a vang fan

I've gone a couple of years on this boat without using the vang much, but by getting the same sail shape by a combination of the traveler and mainsheet. However, I have just realized a few days ago that my boat was not designed for the main to be trimmed like that. The mainsheet was pulling up hard on the traveler and that in turn was pulling up on the deck in a place it wasn't designed to be pulled up on. The result has been a crack in the joint calking between the shower bulkhead and the deck and a lot of noise while underway in seas. By using the vang to keep the boom down and letting the sheet out and pulling the traveler up, the noise went away. That's what I get for being lazy. So from now on, the vang is going to be one of my first lines I adjust, where as in the past, I only used it when I really let out the boom.Ok Alan...now you can say "I told you so"