Kicker and Vang

[bbg]

I have always used one of these terms - but a lot of people seem to use the other term to mean the same thing. Am I missing something or is there a technical distinction?

Assuming they are the same, which term do you use? If they are not the same the poll question is a bit misconceived!

 

[graham]

Could be wrong but I think "Boom Vang" is American for "Kicking Strap"

 

[Lakesailor]

Answers.com tells us that a vang is " A rope running from the peak of a gaff to a ship's rail or mast, used to steady the gaff."
So it's not really a kicking strop.
But as we are being reminded, language is evolving.

 

[ghost]

bit of an americana - the vang,
if you're english then its a kicker, hydraulic or not

 

[woody001]

rod kicker?

 

[StephenSails]

I tend to call it a Vang on a keel boat and kicker on a dinghy.

 

[woody001]

I call vang as well, kicker always confuses people for some reason

 

[mhouse]

Its always called a Vang on a Laser

 

[ghost]

no it aint.......it never has been, the person who taught you has taught you wrong, I dont care what ya come back with, things like this really get to me, its a bloody kicking strap, whether its got blocks , oil, tubes, just 'cos some numbnuts in a firm puts a daft name to it, does'nt make it so. its a kicker.

 

[ghost]

I will not apologise and you are free to attempt to shoot me down, but this is like , my heritage.
you wouldnt tell an asian he can no longer use his 'mother tongue', well I am deftly proud of our little nations' sea fairing history, what's been acheived, the route it's taken and I am proud to be a part of it. No, no way am I am going to stand by and witness the dissolving of our nautical heritage, I am duty bound to take a stand on this.
While I'm at it, thinking of cringers... If you are British, the word is pronounced boy (bouy) not booey.

 

[dulcibella]

Isn't it fun when the grumpy old nationalists get a head of steam up?

 

[DeeGee]

[ QUOTE ]
Its always called a Vang on a Laser

[/ QUOTE ]Vang is a municipality in the county of Oppland, Norwayand in Norway it should stay!! The yanks call it thus, for same reasons they call a bonnet a hood which is clearly a neerdowell...

 

[Cornishman]

As a bit of an old gaffer myself as well as the boats I have sailed over half a century I have always known "vang" to be the rope controlling the gaff. It is usually attached at the peak and led to the deck and prevents the gaff from sagging away to leeward. I understand that Thames bargemen pronounced the word as "wang".
The term boom vang has several meanings, some UK and some US. Generally speaking a boom vang in this country describes a temporary tayckle (that is how we westcountrymen pronounce it, anyway) attached to the boom and led to the toe rail or maybe the headsail sheet track to keep the boom both down and to one side, whereas a kicker or kicking strap pulls the boom down towards the centre line near to the mast or to the mast itself and stops the boom from lifting when off the wind.
While I do not guarantee these to be hard and fast definitions several of my books confirm them. I hope that this is of some help.

 

[charles_reed]

It also helps

if they can spell thier mother-tongue.

Meeouw

 

[DeeGee]

[ QUOTE ]
As a bit of an old gaffer myself as well as the boats I have sailed over half a century I have always known "vang" to be the rope controlling the gaff. It is usually attached at the peak and led to the deck and prevents the gaff from sagging away to leeward. I understand that Thames bargemen pronounced the word as "wang".
The term boom vang has several meanings, some UK and some US. Generally speaking a boom vang in this country describes a temporary tayckle (that is how we westcountrymen pronounce it, anyway) attached to the boom and led to the toe rail or maybe the headsail sheet track to keep the boom both down and to one side, whereas a kicker or kicking strap pulls the boom down towards the centre line near to the mast or to the mast itself and stops the boom from lifting when off the wind.
While I do not guarantee these to be hard and fast definitions several of my books confirm them. I hope that this is of some help.

[/ QUOTE ]I see that in my book too (The Lore of Ships). It seems to be first mentioned on a steamer c1890, rigged as a 3-masted topsail schooner. Question: I always thought the kicking strap as used today was intro'd in UK on racing dinghies, but can't google a ref. Incidentially, google tells me that Brian VANG invented DropStop, those little circles of foil which render wine-pouring an innocent pursuit.

 

[Cornishman]

Re: It also helps

Careful...
the word is THEIR in my mother tongue

 

[charles_reed]

Vang = generic, any restraining tackle between mast and a boom. It's in fact the older term and was specifically used for the tackle on the gaff.

Kicker = boom/mast restraint, term brought in during the last 50 years with the development of the bermudan rig and referring to the boom which holds the foot.

 

[Cornishman]

You are probably right, the boom on any decently sized yacht would be heavy enough to hold itself down. Incidentally, some Yanks also use the word Kicker for the auxiliary engine.

 

[ghost]

wheres the info sourced from?

 

[bbg]

I did not expect this topic to be so controversial or emotive. For what it's worth:

The class rules of the J24 (Rule 3.5.4(d)) refer to a "kicking strap (vang)"

http://www2.j24class.org/



The class rules of the Laser refer to a "Kicking strap (boom vang)" in the diagram of a Laser,

http://www.laserinternational.org/rules/parts.htm

but Rule 3(a) notes that "The Cunningham, outhaul, vang, traveller and mainsheet are the control line systems. " and Rule 3(d) identifies the 10 rules relating to the vang system.

http://www.laserinternational.org/rules/bylaw1.htm



The class rules of the Sigma 38 refer to a "rod kicker" (rule 9.7)

http://www.sigma38.co.uk/index.html