Sliding gooseneck

[onenyala]

Anybody had any experience with this beast. I sail single handed and find it hard work reefing especially with regard to clamping up the boom while I put on the cringle and taking up the slack in the luff before I can haul the luff tackle down.

 

[Aeolus_IV]

Yes, have sliding goose neck on Aeolus. It is also difficult getting the boom back up to the right level for reefing - although the sail should be pulling up, if there is any tension on the kicker it tends to jam. Even if kicker is off, it doesn't always work smoothly. Will be looking at this when the boat is out of the water (with an eye to improve, not replace). On the whole I like this system - seems better to me than simply grinding up the sail with the halyard (especially as I don't have a self-tailing winch on the mast), and means I get a 6:1 cunningham control.

Jeff.

 

[yoda]

Years of experience with one and it doesn't get any easier! Do you realy need the boom to slide up and down or could you just fix it. Modern sails and a half reasonable halyard winch combined with the sensible use of a cunningham make it unnecessary to have a sliding gooseneck. Mine was removed last year when I had to have a new boom and main and I wish I'd fixed it years ago now. If you do need to keep it then a pelican hook on the gooseneck is useful for reefing as the sail cringle can't fall off as it can with a hook.

Yoda

 

[yoda]

Do away with it unless absolutely necessary, you won't regret it.

Yoda

 

[schilde]

I have a sliding gooseneck, but no cunningham on my Invader 22. Instead of a hook on the boom I attached a hook on a lanyard around the mast, below some cleats that happen to be in the right place. So to reef I slack the kicker and pull up the topping lift a little, then raise the boom to the mark and then lower the sail, attach the hook and tension again on the halyard only. Then I reef down the rest of the foot of the sail. This works for me and I end up with the boom about 18 inches higher than normal, which I think makes it a little safer for heads in reefing conditions.

Your rig might be much bigger than mine but I think avoiding using the boom to tension the sail is a good idea. In light weather with full sail I pull the sail up to the headboard and tension the halyard, then just pull the boom down to tension the sail. It is at a convenient height to lean on!

Steve

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[salamicollie]

Got one on my Cobra. I have lead the kicker and downhaul back to the cockpit where they are cam cleated - easy to release when you need to reef (just make sure they are not the ones with the built in fairlead as they self jam!)

The reefs are modified with reefing spectacles - short strops with rings at each through the eyes which you hook onto the horns - the weight of the boom keeps them on. For Belt and braces you can have a witchard hook welded to the horns.

If yoiur sail area is not too massive these sail mods are DIY - just make sure the strops are not too long other wise the sail wont set properly

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[onenyala]

Thank you all for your responses

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