"Leoma" spars

[JD-MDR]

My booms always get full of rainwater. Is this normal? I was wondering if is OK to drill a drain hole . When I lower the main boom most of the water will drain out of a hole in the center of the end cap but not all. I had the club boom serviced last year I noticed it was also full of water. I attached a photo of my reaching strut. I tried to use it and broke it. I'll take it down to Forespar .They'll probably fix it. I got the hang of using a whisker pole on my previous boat and it was so nice. I have to figure out how to use this strut. Can I use it on my Genoa as well as the spinaker? Also how does the twist lock work? It seems like you only need to twist 1/4 turn either way to open and lock. I cleaned the surfaces with a fine emery cloth. It also is really wet inside. Please advise or comment.

[JD-MDR]

hoping for some comments. Mainly my question was about the water in the boom, though its rain water it can't be a good thing. also are the reaching struts good. It seems like a pain and I can see myself falling overboard when struggling to pull the extensions out. My previous boat had a telescoping pole with a line to pull to extend and retract. Thanks

[lyonsfin]

Perhaps moving to the discussion board will yield better results.

[JD-MDR]

I'm trying . I saw that note in the other post

[Frenchy]

J.D. - the only comment I can make is that it's unusual to have water in your spars. The boom is usually a sealed extrusion
with holes in the sides and bottom for boom bails, lazy jack terminals, reefing hardware and such. I would try to figure out where the water is entering and caulk those spots if possible. As an alternative, you could drill a couple of holes in the bottom -
I don't think that would weaken it.

[Carl Thunberg]

This looks exactly like my spinnaker pole. If so, there is no twist-lock. Open the jaw by pulling on the wire. Insert the open jaw into the spinnaker clew, and release to lock. Lock the other end into the spinnaker bail on the front of the mast. I'm curious how the tip broke.

For what it's worth, I seldom fly my symmetrical spinnaker unless I have very competent crew on board. I fly my asymmetrical a LOT more.

[JD-MDR]

I reposted on the other catagory with this issue. but I want to respond to you guys. I'm sure its called a reaching strut and it extends out to 17', twist lock. This photo show the outboard end it has a hook and a sheeve that rolls along the sheet or fore guy. I've been watching utubes. I noticed one guy gets it all set up before he raises the sail. Mine broke cuz I didn't know what I was doing. It just got twisted and snapped. It had been sitting for 10 years in the weather. Mine is a asymetrical. they say its for the asymetrical when running DDW or Broad reach. 2" tubing seems to light for the genoa. Thats why I was asking. Maybe I shouldn't bother restoring it. Like Jim said the line driven whisker pole is so nice. My dodger and my windvane are both on order and should be in sometime in March. I still have to replace the four aft chain backing plates., which are easy compared the the main and fore. So I'm getting into the running rigging little by little. I gave myself 5 years to get ready . It's been 2-1/2 . I think I'm doing good. I still need to learn how to sail. That's the easy part.

[Carl Thunberg]

I'm so glad you showed the other end. This is nothing like my spinnaker pole, which looks like your first photo on both ends and is obviously a solid pole. Twist-lock poles are inherently problematic with water. The best way to avoid the water issue is to store it in the cabin when not in use.

[JD-MDR]

Yea that would help. I think water inside actually makes a suction and harder to adjust in or out. I think I bought my forespar line driven telescoping pole on craigs list for $350, maybe $650. I hope to hear some advantage for this reaching strut and reason for restoring it. Otherwise I might get another line driven type

[JD-MDR]

I got ahold of the buyer of my previous boat and he sold me the line driver forespar pole. I had it restored at he factory and he never used it. He is taking sailing lessons and hurt his back. He figured it will be years before he is able to use it. . I'm wonder ing what to do with this broken pole. I hate to just dump it. It extends to 17' twist lock. It's been on C-list for a long time .No one seems to want it

[John Stone]

JD
A reaching strut is used to keep the spinnaker guy off the shrouds when reaching. It’s almost never extended more than half your beam width plus maybe a foot. The guy fits in the end with the sheeve. The jaw end of the pole fits on a padeye on the mast. Usually on the side of the mast so everything is in compression. Usually you use a separate line to secure it to one of the shrouds so it’s held just right to keep the guy from chafing on the cap shroud. As soon as you pull the spin pole aft for deeper downwind sailing you remove the reaching strut. So, it’s only used when the guy comes into contact with the shrouds. I have not raced in years and most cruising boats don’t carry them. I don’t carry one either.

If I had one I’d convert it into a light duty whisker pole for my stays’l so I could drop the main and run downwind with twin headsails out wing and wing. Heavy spin pole on the jib...light duty pole on the stays’l.

Crude (uh poorly executed ) drawing attached.

Yes, you can drill holes in your boom and in the end of the spin poles that sits lowest on the deck. I drilled holes in all of mine.

[Maine_Buzzard]

Honest answer. Take this pole to the edge of the boat, and heave it in the water.

I hated this version of a broom handle and how it rubbed against the shrouds. It was intended for the yankee on my 30, and with a genoa, it never set correctly. Stow a boathook in the mount and never look back.