Boom bale re-attachment?

[Seagreen]

Now it comes to pass that the bale on the end of the boom (solid pine) has come loose. It transpires that the bale was fixed on with epoxy which has now perished.

The Bale is one of those galvanised efforts with no screw holes which has to be hammered on, and the end of the boom is too small in diameter for the bale to grip it.

So, my idea is to spline in strips of oak and hammer in other oak wedges so as to grip the bale, all wood being smeared in epoxy so when set, the bale will be part of the boom. Are there other ways of doing this?

 

[Peterduck]

Depending upon how much distance there is between the bale and the clew of the mainsail, and assuming that the bale is also the anchor point for the clew, can you simply move the bale forward to a point on the boom where there is sufficient diameter to support the bale properly? Failing that, I agree that your only recourse is to fit graving pieces to the end of the boom.
Peter.

 

[RobinBirch]

Hi

I had a similar problem with the bale on Hanser's boom. I built up the boom end with a couple of layers of veneer (check out E bay for oddments) I glued it on with waterproof glue, let it dry out thoroughly, sanded it to the required tight dimension, then hammered the bale in place. For further security I drilled horizontally through the bale and secured it with s/s 5mm threaded rod, washers and domed nuts.

 

[Peterduck]

On second thoughts, you might also consider wrapping a layer of leather around the boom and replacing the bale over that. Obviously, you'd select a strip of leather with a thickness to suit the gap that you want to make up.
Peter.

 

[Seagreen]

Actually I'm thinking that both approaches may work well. I'm not too enamoured of the fact that the bale is just hammered on, so I may well drill a couple of holes in it. I ought to say that its one of those bales which has a single ring running round the bottom from side to side, 3 to 9 o'clock (180 deg) while the top just has a single eye at the 12. hence access for holes at 10 and 2 o'clock.

I'm not sure about the leathering option. This would hold the bale but the leather shrinks over time, thought this looks good as a temp solution. Nor do I want (or have the space) to move the bale forward.

So, I think I'll build up the end of the boom and secure the bale with screws. I'll have to re-galvanise or use cold galv paint, most like. This is a job for the winter. I'll add it to the list.

 

[oldfrank]

One of the neatest designs for attaching a mainsheet was on a Broads River Cruiser - alas now lost during spar replacement. The top mainsheet block was secured to a long (9") pin that slotted into a hole of appropriate size down the middle of the boom.There were three brass bands countersunk into the boom to stop it splitting.

The weight of the mainsheet always held the fitting in place but the real value became apparent when another competitor got it's bowsprit inside the mainsheet. The whole thing just came out of the boom and fell on the deck - as a result of sideways pressure. We then luffed head to and refitted the mainsheet by sliding the pin back into the boom. Much better than pulling down the entire rig! OF

 

[Seagreen]

Just an update.
I've found that 2 thin strips of old leather work a treat. Soaked for 10 mins, they become supple enough so when the bale is hammered on, they take all the space, and then some. Far less hassle that any alternative. Fast, and as it turned out, free.