need help locating a boom vang fitting

ChrisandTammy · #1 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008

I've posted a message on the Pearson forum but the fitting I am looking for may apply to other types of boats as well, and maybe someone else can help me. Boom vang pulley connects to the boom via a fitting thats suppost to fit into a keyhole type slotted plate riveted to the underside of the boom. Discovered the fitting was missing upon rigging the sails for the first time and the previous owner couldn't even describe it so makes me think he never had the fitting or never did connect the boom vang.
Anyone seen this type of connection before or know who/where to get the fitting?
Chris

brak · #2 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008

My boat had one of these (and the fitting that goes into it - it was basically a metal ball crimped onto a piece of metal cable). It seemed like this was meaningful back when boom rolled furling was used (i.e. you had to disconnect this before rolling the sail and then live without a vang). I was pretty worried about using it - what if while boom moves side to side, ball jumps out of the grove? Just does not seem all that secure.

I had it removed and installed a regular eye to connect boom vang with a shackle. Worked out great and was not all that expensive (compared to other things)

Rabnet · #3 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008

Try Rig Rite in Warwick RI

sailingfool · #4 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008

The easy way to solve this problem is to find a stainless steel eyebolt , tighten two nuts together on its end and viola. Size the bolt shaft and nuts per your fitting.

jimmalkin · #5 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008

C&T - suggest you call Chuck Poindexter at Sound Rigging in Essex Ct. 860 767 2131 or soundr@snet.net. He's seen most of this kind of thing and has a large inventory of bits and pieces as well.

sailingdog · #6 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008

That could be for t-ball swaged fittings. Most good rigging shops will be able to help you.

knothead · #7 (**permalink**) 06-24-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisandTammy

I've posted a message on the Pearson forum but the fitting I am looking for may apply to other types of boats as well, and maybe someone else can help me. Boom vang pulley connects to the boom via a fitting thats suppost to fit into a keyhole type slotted plate riveted to the underside of the boom. Discovered the fitting was missing upon rigging the sails for the first time and the previous owner couldn't even describe it so makes me think he never had the fitting or never did connect the boom vang.
Anyone seen this type of connection before or know who/where to get the fitting?
Chris

You may be looking for a ball shank fitting. Loos and Co. carry them. Any rigger with the proper Kearny dies can swage them.

Single Shank Balls

MS20664 Series

The MS20664 Series single shank balls are manufactured from Military Specification Stainless Steel to the strict standards of the MS20664, and are certified to that standard. Loos Cableware® Division offers a full line of sizes.

Diagram

MS Part Number	Cable Dia.	A Dia.	As Dia.	B Dia.	Bs Spher -ical Dia.	Cs Ref	D Ref	E Rad Ref	L	N Dia.	Rad Ref	Lbs. Per Piece
MS20664C2*	1/16	.132	.112	.212	.190	.156	.114	.0825	.2685	.073	.014	.0019
MS20664C3*	3/32	.168	.143	.282	.253	.234	.152	.110	.384	.104	.019	.005
MS20664C4*	1/8	.223	.190	.350	.315	.313	.1895	.137	.500	.139	.023	.0075
MS20664C5*	5/32	.259	.222	.424	.379	.391	.2275	.165	.616	.169	.028	.01
MS20664C6*	3/16	.298	.255	.492	.442	.469	.2645	.192	.730	.201	.033	.015
MS20664C7*	7/32	.352	.302	.560	.505	.547	.3025	.220	.846	.233	.038	.025
MS20664C8*	1/4	.406	.348	.629	.567	.625	.3395	.247	.962	.264	.042	.03
MS20664C9*	9/32	.444	.382	.699	.632	.750	.3775	.275	1.078	.297	.046	.05
MS20664C10*	5/16	.480	.413	.768	.694	.813	.4145	.302	1.193	.328	.046	.066

ChrisandTammy · #8 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008

Thanks to all for the help. I did manage to gerry rig a temp fitting the other day with an oval ring that had a threaded locking ring and a washer. Just left from Rig-Pro in Melville boat basin and the gentleman there mentioned the same thing as Steve above. He even let me take 2 different sizes with me to see which one would fit. He also suggested using a piece of line vice wire rope cause he was saying that the piece he gave me is actually stronger then wire and that a lot of people are switching to it for many things. Don't recall what he called the type of line tho. He also gave me a piece of it to try out, so we'll see. More to follow after a trial . . .

sailingdog · #9 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008

ChrisandTammy-

The line is probably either Dyneema or Spectra-based. They're considerably stronger than steel wire, with about the same stretch. For example, 6 mm Endura 12 single braid, made of Dyneema, has a breaking strength of 8500 lbs. 6 mm 316 1x19 stainless steel rigging wire has a breaking strength of about 2900 lbs.

ChrisandTammy · #10 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008

Not sure which are the exact fittings I was given to try (or if they are the same manufacturer as Steve listed above) - measuring with a vernier caliper with 1/64" increments, looks like maybe a C4 and either a C5 or C6. On a drill guage sizing chart, the line he gave me just slides into the hole marked as 4.3 mm so i'm going to guess its probably actually about a 4 mm. He felt confident it would hold the stresses typically on a boomvang with no problem. Do you know what a 4mm size correlates to in difference between line ratings compared to wire ratings for strength?