Boom Jib

[Casey]

Among the original (1967) sails which came with the boat was a Boom Jib by Cranfield. With it was a tapered spar with a ring with an eye at ninety degrees to the spar length at the thick end and a simple metal ring with an eye coming from the centre of the spar at the other. The spar is not as long as the foot of the sail although it obviously fits on the foot. I rigged it last year but it was not particularly satisfactory and I am sure that I had got it wrong.

Has anyone any ideas or can point me in the right direction to read it up?

Any help would, as usual, be gratefully received.



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[Mirelle]

Guessing, wildly...

I speculate that the boom was intended to be mounted on a fitting on the foredeck, aft of the tack. Quite often, they are mounted on the top of the windlass.

However, the presence of a ring normal to the line of the spar suggests another type of fitting. In this, the ring fits round a metal bar which is fixed at each end along the centreline of the foredeck, just aft of the tack.

The idea, in both cases, is that when close hauled the spar stretches the foot out, but when reaching and running the difference in length allows the sail to become more full. The fore and aft bar further allows the boom to slide forward as the sail is lowered, allowing the sail to drop completely.

(I hope this makes sense?)

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Casey]

Re: Guessing, wildly...

Many thanks for that Mirelle; your post has extended my thinking. It was suggested last year that a hole in a cleat at the top of the windlass was for such a fitting so I put an eye bolt into it. It proved not to allow fitting directly to the spar but I had a thought last night that perhaps a swr pennant led from the right angle eye bolt on the thick end of the spar to the eye bolt on the windlass may secure the boom effectively. I shall try it over the next few days after grandparental duties are done and let you know.

It was proposed that the other end should have a block and tackle fitted to it so that adjustments could be made from the cockpit.

We shall see!

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