Boom bend

[Paul_Garbett]

Mast bend is, of course, expected on a sailing boat.

However, is boom bend normal?

I have just moved from a 29' boat, 25 years old, to a 35' boat 6months old, and notice that I now have a distinct bend in the boom when the kicker is wound down, something I never had on the old boat (both were / are in mast furling so you can see the boom very clearly).

Is an element of boom bend normal?

Thanks all.

 

[Pye_End]

Is it extrusion or wood?

 

[sailorman]

proberbly at a guess, centre take-off for main sheet causing the bend

 

[savageseadog]

The last thing you want is boom bend, any boom bend at all, as gusts come in the main will lose shape and you will tend to overpower, round up and broach.
The only solution I'm afraid is a new boom with larger or more rigid section.

 

[simonfraser]

my boom used to bend, now the old one is in two halves !

Sail spar in brightlingsea build me a fatter/new one, with two fixings on it for the main sheet to spread the load

so, you may want to fit a second fitting before it breaks and possibly save the above hassle . . .

 

[billcowan]

He said he had in mast furling, so presumably a loose footed main.
Therefore boom bend for him is just a curiosity.
Actually a lot of mains that run in the boom are practically slack along the foot, and I suspect the amount of bend is very small, it just looks a lot as he is looking straight along the boom all the time. So unless you have a really tight main and a really bendy boom - it aint a problem

 

[savageseadog]

Nonsense I'm afraid

 

[steve_l]

Definitely not!
But for the boom to bend like that, the clew end must be being held up somehow. Unlikely to be the sail, never saw a leach that strong unless you have something really exotic. Is the topping lift (if fitted) too tight?

-steve-

 

[TigaWave]

Mast bend really depends on the rigging set up, some I would not expect to bend, others are designed to.

Boom bend...some yes, how much is the next question? Does it stay bent? that would be more of a concern.

Probably normal on a more cheaply spec'd boat, they seem to save money on fixings and fittings and some rigging parts. Or have at least downsized from what was used 15 years ago.

 

[ex-Gladys]

There were many fashion trends in the past including bendy masts and booms to try to flattne sail shape particularly in dinghies. With a loose foot main this is unacceptable as it will make the mailn fuller. sounds as said before like attachment probs.

 

[Mirelle]

Well, my boom bends...

...and it is expected to.

Gaff cutter with round the boom roller reefing. The sheet attaches at the outboard end of the boom; as the reef is rolled in the leech comes inboard and the boom bends. The maximum bend occurs when close hauled and close reefed and is about one diameter of the boom.

I've sailed some thousands of miles on boats with this system, and have not yet broken a boom although it is certainly a risk that one is aware of.

I would think that any boat with in mast reefing must be at risk of the boom bending seriously once a deep reef is rolled in, as the point of attachment of the sheet will be fixed, whilst the clew moves inboard.

 

[26ft_bathtub]

Yeah, the only thing I can think that might bend the boom is if your topping lift and vang are too tight.