Westerly 25 kicking strap

[lscart]

I have recently purchased a Westerly 25, on the roller boom you have a kicking strap with a boom claw.
Does anyone know the correct set up for this system?
How can it be posible to use the roller reefing with this?
Regards
Lance

 

[tillergirl]

You should have a handle which inserts in a slot/socket at the gooseneck. Turning this revolves the boom and 'winds' up the sail round the boom (provided, of course, you have eased off on the halliard). The boom claw allows the sail to wind round the boom inside the claw until you have reduced the required amount of sail. Worth practicing while on the mooring to get it neat and tidy - which reduces any risk of anything jamming and is more considerate for the sail. Probably considered distinctly quaint by the owners of modern boats but were once quite common and on many boats worked quite well. Letting out the reef is the opposite procedure.

 

[Peterduck]

As I've never been shipmates with one of these devices, how does one prevent the kicking strap from pulling the claw along the boom to the tack of the mainsail? I would have thought that when the sail is rolled around the boom, it would present a very slippery surface for the claw to grip on.
"Puzzled"
Melbourne

 

[Strathglass]

I have used a piece of 'string' from the claw back to any convienent place near the clew.

For example the mainsheet take off point.

If you don't do this as you say the claw just pulls foreward to the mast and you do not have an effective kicker.

Cheers

Iain

 

[tillergirl]

You correctly identified the weakness in the design but as Iain has said, a bit of string does it. I have to say (now using slab reefing but the mechanism is still there), I didn't like how tight the sail was wound up. It has to be neat, tidy and nicely wound but I found having put one in during a blow that I could see indentations in the end of the wooden boom of the leech rope.

 

[lscart]

Thanks for the information, one more question,is it posible to install a inboard in the outboard space?

 

[bobgosling]

I have a rolling boom on my Seal 28.
The claw has two attachments.
1) The kicking strap attaches to the claw at one end and the mast/hull junction at the other end
2) There is a long metal rod connecting to the claw at one end and to the outer end of the boom at the other end. This is what prevents the claw sliding along the boom as you tighten the kicker.

It's a crap system and if I had the money I would change to slab reefing immediately. Sail shape is lousy when reefed. The sail, and in particular the battens, are always getting jammed when rolling. Best way to do it is a 2 man job. One rotating the handle and one handling the haliard and unjamming the snags in the claw.