BOOM VANG- Is there enough room on a Typhoon?

[JB]

I was out sailing in about 18-20 knots of wind on Lake St. Clair last week, and I noticed that the end of the boom was floating up quite high. Perhaps 8-10 feet off the cockpit floor. I figured that I probably needed to add a boom vang. I measured between the bottom of the boom and the tabernacle maststep, and came up with a meager 16.5 inches. This certainly did not seem like anywhere near enough room to install a vang. What else can be rigged to solve this problem? Perhaps a traveler? If anyone else had this same problem I would like to hear how you solved it.

Thanks

Jay B



Bonahooms@excite.com

[Marino Curati]

I just rigged one on my Ty. Buy the small vang kit from Scheafer. They also sell a 1-1/2" x 3"(I think) bail for the boom; they offer two, get the longer one. The base can be attached by getting a small strap eye and two small machine screws. I don't remember the exact parts for this so you'll have to compare parts and see what looks good. Go to boat US. I think the screws are 8/32 thread and about 1/2" long.

The way I assembled mine at the base is to fasten the screws and nuts through the holes in the top and bottom of the strap eye. You then tap the shafts of the screws into the slot below the sheave box. You should have enough tension on the nuts inside to gently tighten the screws until you have a solid connection.

The only caveat to adding a vang is that you'll then need to convert to jiffy-reefing because you can no longer rotate the boom. It's a good trade off though, you can't shape the leech of your main without it.

Marino Curati
Ty #74 Snug
Cleveland



mcurati@vision-design-inc.com

[Serge Zimberoff]

Totally agree this is the way to go. One trick to fasten the eye to the mast is to bend two ss washers to fit the inside curve of the slot. It takes fiddling to get them in but they add surface and the curve keeps the nuts from turning once they are started.
Also the angle from there to the boom can be picked to give the best point of attachment to the boom. 45 degrees doesn't leave much room for the vang blocks so ours is somewhat further out. You'll really feel the difference sailing.



serge@srtrop.com

[Chip]

There was quite a discussion and lots of helpful information about TY vangs recently on this message board, including diagrams and ordering information. I'd suggest using the message board search function to locate and review that previous and very informative exchange.
- Chip



chipgavin@alum.colby.edu

[sloopjohnl]

the original equipment version is a strap on the forward side of the mast near the base. a 5/16 line runs through this and is knotted on the forward side at the strap with some slack to the resulting loop. running on this line is a small block on the aft side of the mast to which attaches one end of the vang. the other end of the vang is cable with a ball on the end which fits into a slotted fitting on the bottom of the shaefer boom. it is 4:1 purchase and is very similar to the vang you will find on a Laser.

I was out sailing in about 18-20 knots of wind on Lake St. Clair last week, and I noticed that the end of the boom was floating up quite high. Perhaps 8-10 feet off the cockpit floor. I figured that I probably needed to add a boom vang. I measured between the bottom of the boom and the tabernacle maststep, and came up with a meager 16.5 inches. This certainly did not seem like anywhere near enough room to install a vang. What else can be rigged to solve this problem? Perhaps a traveler? If anyone else had this same problem I would like to hear how you solved it.

Thanks

Jay B

[Richard Stephens]

Jay,

You can attach the vang to the boom with a 1/4" quick pin through the boom. That allows you to remove it leaving a smooth surface for roller reefing.

The stresses in the boom vang are high. The sliding gooseneck suffered some abuse when I fitted a vang. I later fitted a fixed gooseneck (with reefing hooks), which is much stronger.

What else can be rigged to solve this problem?

When sailing close to the wind, a mainsheet traveler will give you control of the leech of the sail.

Off the wind, a preventer (rigged from the end of the boom, through the cleat on the foredeck and back to the cockpit) does the same job as a vang. In addition, it will stop the boom coming across if you jibe accidentally.

Regards,
Richard.



richard@memory-map.com