How much would a new boom cost?

[Balbas]

I've got some weird roller reefing system on my Longbow ketch, where the boom rotates, rolling the sail up with it. It's got some advantages - it's actually quite good for putting reefs in when sailing solo and all lines are led back to the cockpit.

But it's got lots of disadvantages as well. So I think I'd like to revert to a more conventional system with lazy jacks etc.

My main sail is in decent nick, so doesn't need replacing. Can I assume that it would be possible to replace the current set up with a fixed boom without the need to do any sail alteration? Presumably if I could fix the gooseneck in the same position this would be Ok. And roughly what cost would a new boom and swan neck be? It's not a long bit of aluminium especially, being as it's on a 32ft ketch.

 

[ProDave]

Why replace the boom?

I have seen roller reefing booms where the owner simply does not rotate them to wind the sail on and lets it drop into lazy jacks or similar, and puts conventional reefing in.

You can also attach a fixed point for the kicker etc.

It would leave you free to revert to the roller reefing again if you don't like it.

 

[Seashoreman]

I have a Leisure 23sl which has/had this as original. It now has a stackpack and lazy jacks and a kicker.
The sail and stackpack slide into the 'groove' on the boom. Works very well for me as a single hander.

 

[Graham376]

Barton do a boom external slab reefing kit bit it's easy enough to do much cheaper with readily available parts as I did with a Berwick, no need to change boom.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Barton do a boom external slab reefing kit bit it's easy enough to do much cheaper with readily available parts as I did with a Berwick, no need to change boom.

That's what I did on my first boat, a Vivacity 20 - much better than the original roller reefing, and you can add the Barton Boom strut which is excellent.

 

[Balbas]

Ok, so good point on not having to replace the boom. It looks as though it already has a keyway for a fixed kicker anyway.

It is a round boom, but I guess that wouldn't present too many problems in attaching an external slab reefing system (internal would be nicer, but that would require a new boom I think).

So I would require:-

Lazy jacks
Stack pack (optional, but would be nice to have, suppose I could add it later)
Reefing system (with lines led aft). I think a rams horn would be difficult to fit with my gooseneck, so would running an extra set of reefing lines to the reefing tacks make sense?
And then I would have to have the reefing points put into the sail by a sailmaker.

 

[jwilson]

A new boom would be seriously expensive in relation to the value of the boat. As others have said, no need to change the boom, just add blocks and eyes and lines.

A Longbow ketch ( or is it actually a Pentland ? ) is not a high performance boat so the advantages of slightly better sail shape when slab reefed are fairly trivial. On a pure cruiser there's not actually much wrong with round-boom roller reefing, particularly on a ketch where often the big reef is just dropping the main entirely.

 

[Balbas]

A new boom would be seriously expensive in relation to the value of the boat. As others have said, no need to change the boom, just add blocks and eyes and lines.

A Longbow ketch ( or is it actually a Pentland ? ) is not a high performance boat so the advantages of slightly better sail shape when slab reefed are fairly trivial. On a pure cruiser there's not actually much wrong with round-boom roller reefing, particularly on a ketch where often the big reef is just dropping the main entirely.

It is a longbow. I don't think they made many with a ketch rig. Sadly being rare doesn't make it more valuable!

Other points taken onboard.

Biggest issues for me are that it never seems to roll away nicely and the strop for the kicking strap irritates me.

It's not my largest concern right now, but I would like to make the change at some point.

 

[FlyingGoose]

Ok, so good point on not having to replace the boom. It looks as though it already has a keyway for a fixed kicker anyway.

It is a round boom, but I guess that wouldn't present too many problems in attaching an external slab reefing system (internal would be nicer, but that would require a new boom I think).

So I would require:-

Lazy jacks
Stack pack (optional, but would be nice to have, suppose I could add it later)
Reefing system (with lines led aft). I think a rams horn would be difficult to fit with my gooseneck, so would running an extra set of reefing lines to the reefing tacks make sense?
And then I would have to have the reefing points put into the sail by a sailmaker.

Yes , I also have a roller boom , and had the sailmaker out and rigger to look at the way forward and what you have said is what I was told :encouragement:

 

[Paragon]

Just had a new boom as part of a single line reefing change over and it was about £1200 + VAT [incl reefing stuff) and is I think 4.3m long and is for a 38' ketch

 

[rszemeti]

And then I would have to have the reefing points put into the sail by a sailmaker.

Maybe.

You might find the roller-reefing sail is unsuitable for slab reefing, due to battens, sail shape etc. You almost certainly don't need a new boom, but you may need a new sail.

 

[duncan99210]

I’ve got a Hurley 18 with the same type of mainsail reefing. I chatted to a sailmaker about fitting it with two reefs to convert to slab reefing: for that small sail, he quoted £75 per reef. I decided not to bother as it would have been too expensive to justify on what’s meant to be a cheap toy to mess about on. Perhaps when the main finally needs replacing, I’ll convert to slab reefing, stack pack and lazy jacks but maybe not.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I changed from roller to slab on my Leisure 17. A sail maker fitted two reefing points for about £50 and I fitted jammers and turning blocks for about £40. Great improvement. The main disadvantage of the roller system is fitting the kicker.

 

[[70521]]

I've got some weird roller reefing system on my Longbow ketch, where the boom rotates, rolling the sail up with it. It's got some advantages - it's actually quite good for putting reefs in when sailing solo and all lines are led back to the cockpit.

But it's got lots of disadvantages as well. So I think I'd like to revert to a more conventional system with lazy jacks etc.

My main sail is in decent nick, so doesn't need replacing. Can I assume that it would be possible to replace the current set up with a fixed boom without the need to do any sail alteration? Presumably if I could fix the gooseneck in the same position this would be Ok. And roughly what cost would a new boom and swan neck be? It's not a long bit of aluminium especially, being as it's on a 32ft ketch.

Pop into Allspars in Plymouth and talk the issue over with them. I have found them to be extremely knowledgeable and very honest with their opinions, e.g. have suggested much cheaper alternatives to what I was proposing.