Roller boom again

EASLOOP

EASLOOP

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Thanks very much for all your interest in this issue. It seems to have stirred up some passion. I will persevere with the rolling boom and see if I can fabricate or obtain a low profile device mounted on the boom and able to take that end of the kicker when not reefed.

thanks again
 
Re: Roller boom again ..... to fit boom attachment

Before anyone laughs ....

There are a few different ways to fit the top part of the kicking strap arrangment to the boom - and have it so it can be taken off easily.

a) A ring or pad-eye screwed to underside of boom to take spring-clip or shackle from tackle.
Disadvantage is the proud eye that may rub on sail cloth. Also if shackled - you may lose pin or have difficulty removing when needed.
b) Marine Keyhole slot set into boom with matching "slug" to fit ...
This is best as it is flush with boom underside and easy to slide "slug" out to disengage ... problem is I think to find one still for sale ? You would also have to rout out a slot for it into the boom material.
c) Stainless steel "door chain" ... it has same system of keyhole slot as b) but doesn't need setting into the boom. It is long and and can carry weight on the fixings ..... Remove "slug" from chain and fit to kicking strap top and it will provide quick release.
It lies reasonably flat and will chafe less than a pad-eye.

Just a few suggestions ..... and I assume you have wooden boom like many EA ....

(Above also works with ally booms .... b) just requires a doubler plate to replace strength ....)
 
John

I was faced with the same problem - round boom and any fitting would cause problem with the wrap of the sail - and my warap was worryingly tight. So before I changed to slab reefing, I made myself a strap with two eyes, one at either end. I insert that between boom and sail and drop the eyes down either side where the kicking strap shackles up - this could be a quick release shackle but since I have slab reefing now (but the roller's still there if I wanted to use it) I don't remove it. The strap does try to move forward and comes up against one of the sail foot hanks but the pressure does not seem excessive.

I think you need to be careful about anything screwed into the underside of the boom for fear that it will pull out - there's quite a pull on it at times.

Regards
 
Re: Roller boom again .... underside ...

"I think you need to be careful about anything screwed into the underside of the boom for fear that it will pull out - there's quite a pull on it at times."

That is true ... but for many years booms had simple pad eyes screwed to them for this purpose ... or the "keyhole slot" as I described........

eg - My Snapdragon, Sunrider, Alacrity .... just 3 boats I have had that had simple attachments.

The load bearing is only exceeded really if the item is not used properly ... if left slack when boom is liable to sudden rise and vfall - it will "shock" load any fitting with possible failure .... the trick is to stop it starting that rise !
 
Look at similar boats and measure .....

Here you can see my kicking strap angle to mast / boom and also the hard-eye boom fitting with doubling plate surround .... >

SOLENT3.jpg



and while on my photo site .... thinking back to your genoa lead / sheets / set - here's an example of a genny with cut away foot to allow sheet angle etc. to set sail ..... ok - mine is cut away too high for my liking - but its from previous owner .... >

s-anne.jpg


This the Bristows page on the boat .... note the huge Penalty Genoa ....... now that is some size for a boat like that ..... >

sunrider25.jpg
 
Ideally the distance along the boom should be less than the distance from the gooseneck to the lower attachment point of the strap so that the majority of the force is donwards. The further along the boom the less the effort is down. Nigel has the same problem as me in that there isn't much vertical distance available so the geometry isn't ideal but it still works. BTW I have an old Holt keyhole plate that I can't find a replacement fitting for but a 6mm coach bolt head is a perfect fit and a simple eye nut on it provides an attachment point. Works perfectly well.
 
The strap described by Tillergirl is the same idea as I described in the earlier thread.

Frankly, I would not worry too much about kicking straps. On an East Anglian, a decently heavy long keeled boat with a relatively small mainsail, the kicking strap is far less important than it is on a fin keeler; there is less need to flatten the mainsail, and the mainsheet will do it for you, half the time.
 
I think I agree with you. Would be worth John trying it and seeing. I have the problem of a large (relatively) mainsail, a mast that's been moved forward 18" giving a poor mainsheet angle which does nothing at all to flatten the sail.
 
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