SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Need advice for boom end fittings.

5K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  jephotog 
#1 ·
A partner in my Ericson 32 broke the end of the boom. I am pretty sure he had the topping lift tight and the mainsail sheeted in. There was a loop that held the topping lift and the outhaul block.

I talked to a rigging shop and they suggested talking to a welder across the street. The welder said it would be $150-250 if i brought in the boom. I am instead considering adding a bale. to catch the topping lift and adding a cheek block to control the outhaul.

Attached is a photo of the broken piece, then the current temporary repair and then the bale I got to fit around the boom.

My plan is to drill and tap the boom to hold the single screw on each side to mount the bail. Should I use some lanolin or tefgel to insulate the machine screws or should I try some loc-tite to ensure the bolts stay in place? Any other suggestions of where to terminate the topping lift?





 
See less See more
3
#3 ·
The tang rotates on that bolt causing the mast to rotate, it is sloppy and side loads the topping lift cheek block. I would really like the topping lift to keep the boom oriented vertically.

One thing I did consider is drilling a hole through that tang and into the mast end, tap threads into the mast end and put a machine screw through the tang locking it into a vertical orientation.

When I made the temporary repairs on the boom I only had my 12V drill on me. Getting through the mast was easy but not so easy through the area where the boom end was. I plan on bringing my corded drill this next time. I am thinking drilling two holes for the bale in the center of the mast will be easier than one into through the SS and into the mast end fitting.
 
#4 ·
Is the other side of the tang your mainsheet attachment ? If so it looks like an old roller reefing boom.

Can you fix the gooseneck so the boom doesn't roll so easily?

Can you describe exactly how your TL is rigged?
 
#7 ·
Is the other side of the tang your mainsheet attachment ? If so it looks like an old roller reefing boom.

Can you fix the gooseneck so the boom doesn't roll so easily?

Can you describe exactly how your TL is rigged?
Makes sense a roller boom. I will have to check on securing the gooseneck. I live about an hour from the boat. I was going to work on the boat after dropping my wife off at the airport (right next to the boat). I would rather have a route canal than spend more time working on the boat. I literally have a route canal tomorrow, so I can get in a brief visit to the boat but not work on it much. I try to get photos and get ideas on how to go about the repairs so I can knock it out when I get down to the boat.

Here is how the boat was rigged:

When the sail ripped a little over a year ago I located and rigged this used sail, so it may not have been right before, but it was the best I could do.

There is a wire coming aft from the top of the mast to a block that terminates about 3 feet above the end of the boom. There was a loop built into the end of the boom fitting on the top. A brass hook seen in these pictures was attached to this loop and the line from it ran up through the topping lift block on the wire coming from the mast top, back down to a cheek block on the port side of the boom and forward to a cleat near the gooseneck. This end boom loop also held a block used for as the outhaul.

Attached is the photos of what the sail rigging looked like. The photos from post #3 are what it looks like now.



 
#6 ·
I would pay to have the boom end fitting fixed properly or find an identical replacement. After securing the topping lift there, I'd shackle/seize a small block to the boom end so you can turn the outhaul through it. With the outhaul leading to the block on the side of the boom you can't be getting a stretch on the foot of the main.
 
#9 ·
1. Get a SS ring for that outhaul block.

2. What SF said; a clewstrap will clean that up quite a bit.

3. Get a smaller block and line for the outhaul (is it internal? doesn't look like it) looks like you have an old wire sheave there for the original outhaul.

4. You will need something more than that end-boom tang for the outhaul fitting, however you decide to run it. It would be nice to find a replacement fitting but.....

If it's an old roller reefing boom there should be some kind of gear works in your gooseneck (and a handle to turn it hidden deep in the bilge somewhere ;)) Maybe try to find a way to limit that roll there.
 
#12 ·
1. Get a SS ring for that outhaul block.

3. Get a smaller block and line for the outhaul (is it internal? doesn't look like it) looks like you have an old wire sheave there for the original outhaul.
I found a photo of the wire sheave you have deduced correctly. If I can figure out how to remove this and replace with this Harken
or something like this. This would free up the padeye on the Stbd side of the boom. I can then put the hook side of the topping lift on Stbd side up through upper wire block and back down through the port side cheek block.

Here is the picture of the upper aft end of the boom. What can I replace this block with to accommodate an outhaul?

 
#11 ·
I will try to find a clew strap to fit this narrow clew or fabricate something.

Upgrade the topping lift to have a proper shackle.

Up until the old setup broke the topping lift was there only to keep the boom from falling onto the crews heads when the main halyard was dropped. The halyard was brought back and attached to the tang that is now holding the end of the topping lift. If I can free up that tang the halyard can return to it's home.

Attached is a picture of the gooseneck. I am pretty sure there is not a hidden mechanism hidden controlling the rolling action in the bilge.

 
#13 ·
Looks like a longer-footed sail that what was original (based on the old outhaul block location) and the fact that you can stretch the foot beyond it by hand (unless the tack fitting is loose when that was taken - or that wasn't an outhaul block after all). The sail is past the original black band...

If that's the normal clew position you'll need some sort of padeye at the end casting where the original was, I suppose.

Can you identify the boom section? try to find a used end fitting?
 
#14 ·
I used this picture only because it showed the top part of the boom end well. The sail in the picture was a first attempt at finding a used replacement for the old sail. Minney's had screwed up the foot measurement, as you can see it was too long in the foot.

I took it back and went to the sail loft next door and found the sail that is now on the boat. It was fortunate because it is a much nicer sail all around. The foot is a bit shorter but this sail is very close to being too long. The smaller the block and the further aft I can put an outhaul the better.

I had asked the guy who broke it to find a replacement end cap but he has not done it. I have made a few queries from the Ericson forum, they told me it would be easier to improvise a repair.
 
#15 ·
Hi Jephotog,

It appears to me (if you're looking for yet another opinion...) that your topping lift should go, as it does, through the port cheek block, through the wire-mounted pulley, then be tied off to the eye strap on the starboard side of the boom, which your "outhaul block" is attached to in your first picture.

Your outhaul, as Faster mentioned, was apparently a wire running through the small cheek block at the end of the boom, and your clew should be attached to a "car" which runs on the track at the end of the boom. Alternately, you could use a clew strap as others have suggested, but personally I would not use velcro; a yard of 1/4" line twice around the boom and through the clew grommet would make me happy.

If you do go back to the original outhaul setup, I'd use one of the super ropes that now exist, like Dyneema, or Spectra, which are both stronger than SST wire and much nicer to handle. I have heard that it requires special knots though; you might look online for more on that.
My guess is that the other end of the original outhaul either ran to a pulley setup inside the boom, or was dead-ended to a loose block. A line would run aft from an eye strap near the front of the boom, through the floating block, and back forward to a cleat on the side of the boom, giving you a 2:1 purchase but keeping most of the hardware near the gooseneck, where it would not flop around a lot.
By adding a second floating block onto the free end of the line through floating block #1, you could repeat the setup and get a 4:1 outhaul, etc.

See the Harken website for pictures of various setups. <http://www.apsltd.com/hardware/sail-control-hardware/pre-spec-d-main-and-jib-control-systems/harken-outhaul-and-cunningham-systems.html>
Note that their "4:1 Cascading Outhaul System" is only 4:1 if the outhaul line runs through the clew and back to the end of the boom. It looks to me as though your outhaul block is positioned so the outhaul line will line up with the center of the boom, implying that the outhaul terminates at the clew of the sail. This will only give you a 2:1 purchase with the otherwise identical setup.

And DO replace that rusty dammit ring with SST...
 

Attachments

#16 ·
If you need to gain 2 or 3 inches to put the outhaul far enough from the mast, can you knock the forward-end fitting from the boom to get at the eyebolt-type part which attaches to the gooseneck, and replace it with something a bit longer?
It would look odd, but it might work. And maybe you could fix that boom so it stays upright while you're at it.

I actually built an 8" extension for my boom from aluminum plate, sawed the old fitting off flat, and bolted the extension on, to accommodate a used mainsail I ran across.
 
#19 ·
Probably right but since i always find a surprise after he sails the boat and did not repair what broke while he was sailing, he is guilty of being a bad partner.

Here is how he tied off the halyards last time he went sailing. Notice the halyards are pulled towards the mast. I could also share photos of cleat hitches that weren't.

 
#20 ·
I had to drop my wife at the airport this morning and had a few hours to work before a dentist appointment. Here is my temporary fix of the boom end. It was still dark so no shops were open, so I worked with what I had. I think this should last for a while until I figure out a better configuration. I have been suggested using the wire cheek block and creating a wire and rope to recreate the original outhaul.

My other option is to put this cheek block Harken 40mm Carbo Cheek | APS in place of the wire block.

Here is what it looks like until I can can make a permanent repair.



 
#21 ·
Indeed, your partner does sound a bit frustrating. Perhaps you should register him a for sailing class for his birthday...
I like your extensive use of all the pretty blue line in your repair; it looks like it should hold for the life of the sail. I used the same setup on my clew for a couple of decades, but not with such nice line.
One thing I'd still do though, is get rid of that brass (bronze?) snaphook at the end of your topping lift. You shouldn't ever have to undo it, so why put an extra piece of hardware in there? Just another point of failure. I'd put the line through that eye strap and around the boom, then tie it off to itself. The eye strap should keep it in place, without taking any of the actual load.
Also, I'd look for a jib-block car to hold the clew down to that track; no better than that blue line you've used, but it would look a little neater. (I finally did that on my boat as well.)
One more thought; if you want to replicate the original configuration on the boom-end, you might be able to hacksaw the remains of the cast-in eye off, drill & tap two holes for 5/16 or 3/8 bolts, and bolt a forged SST eyestrap on where the original eye was...
 
#22 ·
I think your clew lashing doesn't need to be that tight. Seems like it would bind if you're trying to adjust the outhaul.

An un-covered dyneema lashing would be 'slipperier' as would a conventional velcro clewstrap.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Dammit I worked really hard to get the lashing that tight.

These were all temporary fixes with what I had on hand just to get the boat sailing until I can get my mechanic onboard to fix it, professionally.

I sailed with it rigged like this yesterday and realize it does blow over 12 knots in San Diego on a very rare occasion and I could really use some advantage on the outhaul and a way to reef.

 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top