Kicking Strap

[retsina]

I need to fit a Kicking Strap on my Macwester Wight sloop 32. The boom has an attachement on the underside, but, there is no slide, therefore, unable to attach a block. The boom is a roller reef type.

Does anyone know what type of slide or attachement I need. Also, what type of kicking strap do i need?. I was thinking of making one using two triple blocks. Would i need a jammer on the block ?what do you think?
Many Thanks

 

[graham]

For a cruising boat a pair of double blocks should do,one of them needs a becket to attatch the line to and a cleat to secure it,the other block will be a plain one.

If you want to use the roller reefing as well as the kicking strap you need either a boom claw or attatch the boom block on a canvas strap that can roll up with the sail as you reef.

Neither method is ideal ,not many people still use mainsail boom roller reefing,I still have it on my boat but wouldnt from choice.

 

[VicS]

If you want to use it with the roller reefing you need a claw ring (reefing claw) that fits around the boom (and the rolled sail) The kicking strap tackle attaches to that but you also need a line(an ouhaul or guy or what ever) from the ring to the mainsheet swivel on the boom end.

Did away with mine years ago and had reefing points fitted to the mains'l and use a fixed kicking strap now.

Slab reffing better than the old roller system. Kicking strap better too.

Id say triple blocks would be adequate, mine are only doubles but it's a much smaller boat. Yes you'll need a jammer on the bottom one. attatch the top one with a length of wire so that you dont have quite so much rope involved.

The blocks you need are those where the sheaves are beside each other. There is apecial way of thereading them so that the tackle does not twist.

This photo (not very good as it's scanned from an old PBO shows how it's done with double blocks also found a diagram for using a claw ring (It shows a cleat being used rather than a jammer it also shows a keyhole plate for a fixed kicker) and a picture of my old claw ring (Click on them)

 

[retsina]

Thanks very much for the info. But how to i attach the block to the boom?

 

[simonfraser]

the claw ring fits round the boom, the kicking strap fits on the bottom of the claw . . . like in the drawing . . .

 

[damo]

Not sure what "attachment" you are referring to - do you mean there is nothing to attach a kicking strap to? You could rivet/screw on something like Part No 3044 or 3455 from the Z Spars Booms catalogue http://www.zsparsuk.com/Z%20Brochure%2028-30.pdf

It is important that it can swivel IMO, otherwise the bulge in the rolled sail is a PITA. Far better to convert to slab reefing, as I did last year

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
But how to i attach the block to the boom

[/ QUOTE ] It depends on the boom. I have the key hole plate riveted on as in the diagram, The bit that slots into that is attached to the top block with a length of flexible rigging wire. I'd suggest you would want something more substantial though but perhaps there are heavier versions.
Some booms have a slot that runs along the underside and take a fitting that slides in and then locks in place with a bolt. I am sure there are countless variations.

Have walk round the yard or the marina and look at how other people do it.


If you want to use it with a rolled sail you've got to use the ring OR you could try rolling a in webbing strap.

 

[BAtoo]

If you have a kicker its worth making it effective & so needs to be 6:1 at least; preferably more. This give you 8:1 http://www.harkencompuspec.com/cgi-bin/cs303.exe

You can attach the boom block to the claw. Better still convert to slab reefing - thats two jobs for you now!!!

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
needs to be 6:1 at least

[/ QUOTE ] Rather depends on the type and size of boat i would have thought. Anyway the propsed triple blocks will give 6:1.

Your link does not link to anything useful.

 

[pcatterall]

I had a roller boom with claw. It was a real pain and chewd up the sail.
I abandoned it altogether. When the main got too baggy I would pull the boom down with the claw system at the back of the boom and attached to port or starboard fittings. As long as I was prepared to free and refit the attacment before and after tacking it seemed to work and could be done from the wheelhouse.

 

[William_H]

My experience is that a Boom Vang (kicking Strap) is not always very much use. If you have a wide mainsheet traveler you can get much the same effect by allowing the traveler to go to the extent of the the track so you can have the sail out as far as you want when reaching or running but with still plenty of down pull of the main sheet.
When beating the mainsheet should be able to provide plenty of boom down force. (in lieu of a kicker)

The times a vang is usefull is when you are running very square with main sheet right out. The boom can tend to lift and precipitate a jibe.
Or worse a chinese jibe. The kind where the top of the sail is on a different tack to the bottom. This can be averted if you are willing to sacrifice some speed by keeping the mainsheet on fairly tight when running.
I would suggest you have an easily detached 4 purchase vang and simply do without a vang when you reef.

if you are on a long run then a preventer from the boom end may help to hold the boom down. ie a rope from the end of the boom to the stern quarter (transom) pulled down fairly tight.

As suggested those claws to go around the rolled sail are horrible.

If you anticipate reefing a lot consider slab reefing.
good luck olewill