boom gallows

[lilianroyle]

I'm thinking of putting a gallows on the boat. I have a couple of questions. Firstly the most convienient location would be at the VERY extreme end of the boom meaning the boom would rest on the gallows with almost no overhang (maybe 1 inch) would this be ok, I can't see why not but maybe I've missed something, theres no lateral play at the gooseneck so I can't see how it would slip off. Second, my boat is a gaff rigged smack, I am worried that the boom might accidentally drop below the gallows at some point, does the gallows need to be adjustable to enable it to be lowered, would this be normal practice?
thanks

 

[Tranona]

Gallows can be either fixed, removable or lowered, at the end (ie near the transom) or over the rear end of the coachroof - depends on what you want to use them for and the layout of your boat. If they are just to stow the boom when not in use then they can be removable, or the top part slide down (two tubes, one inside the other). If you want them to hold the boom while you reef, they need to be below the normal swing of the boom and you lower it in using the topping lift.

Hope this helps

 

[cliffordpope]

Another consideration is do you want to use the boom to support an awning? If so, then the lower height Tranona highlights as necessary for reefing may be too low for an awning of reasonable clearance.

 

[Salty John]

The overhang needs to be enough so that any hardware on the end of the boom clears the gallows, obviously.
A fixed location, fixed height gallows is best in my opinion but getting the height correct is important. Easy enough to work out with the main at full hoist but check that a reefed main doesn't allow enough boom droop to allow it to hit the gallows.
Beware those movable crucifix type boom crutches - they'll take your fingers off if you're not careful.

 

[Poignard]

Another thing to think about is the position of the sheet attachment point on the boom in relation to the position of the gallows. For example, if your sheet is attached to the end of the boom and the gallows is just ahead of it, when the boom is well out to one side the sheet may bear on the gallows leg.

One of these days, I want to fit gallows to my boat but I will bolt the legs to the after end of the coachroof sides. That way I will have something substantial to grab hold of when leaving the cockpit, and a good anchorage point for some wist high lifelines. And, when I want to lower the boom onto the gallows using the topping lift, I won't have to return to the cockpit to pass a temporary lashing around the boom and gallows.

One thing puzzles me about the suggestion of lowering the boom onto the gallows for reefing is that I was taught to raise the boom with the topping lift when reefing, so lowering it onto a gallows goes against that idea. How do people who have a gallows actually use it when reefing?

 

[pyrojames]

Is the varnishing getting to you that badly? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Salty John]

As long as you don't secure the boom in the gallows the reefing lines will lift the boom as you haul in the reef. At least it did with my reefing system.
Trying to reef with the boom hauled down into the gallows with the mainsheet doesn't work at all for me.

 

[cliffordpope]

It depends on the angle between the boom and the mast. As long as it remains less than a right angle even with the boom lowered then the sail will fold along the boom without strain, the hoops or whatever simply descending the mast as necessary. But if the angle exceeds 90 degrees then the sail is strained between boom end and mast.

Yet another consideration is the consequence of suddenly dropping the boom onto the crutch by accident. If the crutch is too far forward, eg at the edge of the coach roof, that could impose a severe shock, and snap the boom half way along.

Tip - lead the topping lift back to the cockpit, then you can drop the boom neatly onto the gallows while guiding it with your other hand.

 

[AndrewF]

Do you mean a boom gallows or a boom crutch. Most east coast smacks use a removable crutch that is fitted offset either side of the centre line, assume this is to keep boom out of the way of the helmsman. Its usually just a wooden post with crutch on the top that fits into a socket cut in the thwart that some smacks have near the tiller or in the top of the bulwark on the counter stern. Also don't think the height is that critical as its normally only used to stow the boom when the mainsail is down and to take weight of the topping lift.