Solid Vang ?

[Uricanejack]

I am just getting used to my new boat; it’s quite a bit bigger than my old boat having gone from a 24ft to a 35ft. It’s also a decade younger with some fancier gear I’ve never used before.
It has a solid boom vang, still trying to figure it out. From what I can see all it does is stop the boom hitting the deck when I let the halliard go. Instead of having a topping lift. The boom sits very low when stowed.
When the sail is up and sheeted in for going to windward the sheet holds the boom down, when eased to go off on a reach the is still a line to the vang which I used to pull the boom down. It’s a very light line but it worked.
Somehow this doesn’t seem right. Sort of what was the point? It ends up I am doing just the same as I did with a regular vang on my 24.
I must be missing something.

 

[[3889]]

The advantages are that you can forego a topping lift and the boom is supported in light airs to keep the leach open. Some are adjustable, my last boat had a tired spring which caused sagging - if there is no compression adjustment this may be your problem.

 

[daveyw]

Our vang just has a bottle screw to set the length at installation and that's it. No more adjusting, the boom stays at the same level what ever the point of sail. We have in boom reefing so it's important to keep the boom angle exactly right.

 

[lw395]

Depends what you want from it.
On a full-on racing boat, it mostly just means you can dump the halyard while reefing, without the boom hitting the deck or whatever.
One less string to pull.
Topping lifts are a menace when too loose or too tight, 99% of the time.

 

[Brightwork]

For many reasons I would choose this over a topping lift any day of the week - see also 'Boom gallows'.

 

[trapezeartist]

In its simplest form, a rod kicker is just a way of stopping the boom falling on the deck/sprayhood/crew when it's not supported by the sail. The two halves of the kicker bottom-out on each other.

Most rod kickers also contain a gas strut so the boom will be pushed up as high as the kicker and/or mainsheet will allow. This makes the topping lift redundant.

Note, the rod kicker is always pushing the boom up. You still need the conventional kicker to pull it down.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Should be rigged with a tackle which pulls down against the compression spring or gas strut which pushes up. Very useful device as long as you know how and when to use it to control the mainsail shape

 

[Uricanejack]

Thanks for the info. My vang does not appear to have a spring or gas strut. It does slide out when I raise the main and as I easy the boom out to reach. The tackle allows me to add tension and pull boom down after sail is raised.
As you can no doubt tell it’s a new concept to me. Having only sailed boats with a conventional topping lift and vang or kicker. Perhaps the spring is knackered.
It does work for holding boom up when reefing and lowering main, just at a fixed rather low height.
If there is a means of adjusting, I haven’t figured it out.

 

[charles_reed]

Thanks for the info. My vang does not appear to have a spring or gas strut. It does slide out when I raise the main and as I easy the boom out to reach. The tackle allows me to add tension and pull boom down after sail is raised.
As you can no doubt tell it’s a new concept to me. Having only sailed boats with a conventional topping lift and vang or kicker. Perhaps the spring is knackered.
It does work for holding boom up when reefing and lowering main, just at a fixed rather low height.
If there is a means of adjusting, I haven’t figured it out.

As you have not specified the maker of the strut and the problem appears to be that the boom is too low, one cannot hazard a guess as to whether the internal gas-damper has expired or if there was one ever fitted.
On most spars there are at least two positions in which the strut can be fitted, I'd suggest re-locating the mast end of the strut in the highest position and, if that doesn't solve your problem, replacing the internal gas strut, using the old one as the template. Replacements are available from specialist tool-suppliers as these are used in a number of applications.

 

[savageseadog]

You'll have to strip it and find out if gas springs were fitted and rusted away (I've had that) or worn out. It's well worth replacing them, get stainless ones.

 

[dunedin]

Rod kicker with gas strut is great - eliminates topping lift and avoids risk of boom faling on heads
Depending on make adding gas strut should be easy

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

does have the downside of being unable to scandalise the main though.... not that I ever see anyone do that nowadays!

 

[capnsensible]

does have the downside of being unable to scandalise the main though.... not that I ever see anyone do that nowadays!

There are, I think, advantages to both types and I don't reckon I could declare an outright 'winner'.

My personal preference is a soft kicker to, indeed, scandalise the main. I use this technique a lot when sailing on to the anchor every week and occasionally when sailing alongside.

 

[dunedin]

does have the downside of being unable to scandalise the main though.... not that I ever see anyone do that nowadays!

Yes we used to do that a lot in the smaller Fulmar, sailing off anchor. But at 35 foot plus most of us use electric anchor winches these days, so typically need the iron topsail on anyway.
Occasionally miss this with rod kicker, but if already got that constraint from a rod kicker adding a gas strut is generally all upside (except the price!!)

 

[Uricanejack]

I have to admit it is kind of dumb not to know the make. Just a little bit of savvy and I could have looked to see a name and model. Unfortunately I am away at work just now so can get to the boat. Looking on line I think it might be a selden. Gas or no gas I’ve no idea. But at least I now have an idea what to look for.

Scandalising the main. Got me there. No idea what that trick is. I expect if I knew it would come in handy.
Best guess it would be lifting the boom to dump wind and de-power the main which might be helpful if wind is abaft the beam and you can’t ease it out far enough to luff the main. Or I could be showing even more ignorance.

I often stow the main and sail onto a dock or buoy with the jib only. A furler is handy

 

[lotusman]

I fitted a solid kicker after the crew, carefully briefed and experienced, let go the correctly and obviously labelled topping lift instead of the main halliard in preparation for hoisting. The boom crashed downwards into the cockpit, fortunately no injuries. It only happened once, but that was enough. I considered putting a stopper knot in the topping lift to prevent a recurrence.

I still retained the topping lift after fitting the solid kicker mainly because it made the boom far more solid to lean on when furling the mainsail. Supported by the solid kicker alone it had a tendency to bounce.

This was on a 32ft boat.

 

[capnsensible]

Scandalising the main. Got me there. No idea what that trick is. I expect if I knew it would come in handy.
Best guess it would be lifting the boom to dump wind and de-power the main which might be helpful if wind is abaft the beam and you can’t ease it out far enough to luff the main.

Spot on!