Vang/Boom kicker advice

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mikehibb

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I am thinking about getting one of the above but not sure which type to go for.
The telescopic sprung Vang type or the bendy rod Boomkicker type.
Looking for advice either way. This for a 33 footer so still within the size range for the bendy rod type. Usage is easy Med cruising, not severe off shore or racing.

I will be in UK early new year for one week so would like to pick one up then.

I have been looking at the Sparcraft range on their website and they have emailed me back offering 15% discount for December orders, is this a sign of more discounts to come in the boating accessories market in general as the purse strings tighten.

As always thanks in advance for your help.

Mike
 
I think the bendy rod type are probably as good as any, and should be completely reliable. It is important to get the amount of force right to counterbalance the weight of the boom and the sail. If you have a traditional sail, particularly a fully battened main, you need more force than if you have in mast furling.

My 45 footer has a gas spring vang. On taking it apart when the mast was down for re-rig I found out why the topping lift required so much effort. Both of the gas springs had lost all of their gas, and had no spring left. They should have totalled 2300 newtons (about 235KG) force to start compressing them, with a load factor of about 1.5 at full compression. I am replacing them with a single 2300 newton strut.
 
Had a Barton bendy for 2 years.
Works fine and saves messing with topping lift.
Only problem may be reefing at mast in a good blow----you obvious can't lean on it heavilly. But you'll be keeping topping lift as a spare main halyard and it is easily clipped back on if necessary.
I found that their recommended size too rigid & changed to a smaller one. This they are quite happy to do, but don't cut anything to size 'till your sure!!
 
I made my own for my 26 foot quarter tonner. Used an old fibreglass game stick blank. Had to experiment to get the length and bend correct. Welded up some SS ends and glued then on to the end of the blank. where it meets the bottom of the mast I used an old dinghy SS gooseneck fitting. Works really well. Next yacht if it does not have one already, I would make one from scratch using epoxy and layers of carbon and fibreglass cloth to make a flat one.
 
Have experience with Sparcraft vangs and spars...generally very reliable and look the part. Also very good after sales service back up from Eurospars in Plymouth who I believe are the importers of Sparcraft into UK.
 
Mine is a Sparcraft vang from the performance range, and needs the gas struts replacing, it also squeaks unless the boom is lashed to prevent movement at night.
 
No, you need the kicker to flatten the sail. With a good powerful vang the boom will rise up if left to itself. The mainsheet will pull it down if you are sheeted in really tightly, but you need to be able to control how full or how flat the sail is, and the kicker does that.
 
i've got a bendy barton type and it works fine - I find the kicking strap itself won't give me enough purchase to bend the rods (I know use some blocks and get a better ratio) so I use the main sheet to tension the rods, cach the kicking strap in the clutch and let go the main sheet.......
 
One of the outstandingly good things about Bavarias

(watch Tranona leap at this) is their mainsheet lead, which comes down parallel with the vang.

About 4 years ago I set up my mainsheet copying this and have, since, found it almost unnecessary to tighten the tackle of the gas-strut.
 
Re: One of the outstandingly good things about Bavarias

What that arrangement does is to flatten the sail more as you sheet it in. The sail will be quite full when let out to sail on a broad reach as the sprung vang will then push the boom up. My own mainsheet is close to parallel with the vang and has much the same effect, but the vang tackle allows me to flatten the sail more, which is the first stage in de-powering it, before putting a reef in.

One reason Bavaria and others run the mainsheet to a block under the boom and thence to the mast foot almost parallel with the vang has nothing to do with sail control, but is to allow a deck hatch to be opened without fouling the mainsheet.
 
Re: One of the outstandingly good things about Bavarias

Thanks all for help,

Just getting some prices from various suppliers at the moment.
 
Re: One of the outstandingly good things about Bavarias

Asked one company that supplies both versions, rigid type and bendy type for a price for the bendy one too. I already and a price off them for a rigid type.
Got an email back very quickly asking me what a bendy fibreglass strut type boomlicker was. I replied with a link to their own website.
What type of people do they employ. Does not give one much confidence if they do not know their own products. Even worse they are the OEM supplier of mast and boom for my boat.
Also looked at a few other sites and it appears that the bendy struts all look like they are manufactured by one company anyway.
Think I will do more searching for best price on a sprung rigid type.

Thanks again all.
 
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