boom vang?

[crosseyeddreamer]

I need to buy a boom vang for my sailboat .Supposedly it came with one but somehow its seems to be missing in action. Problem is I don't know what size to get. The sailboat is a 30 foot C&C mega with an approx. 36 or 38 foot mast.Would a 4 to 1 max strength 1000 lb boom vang be sufficient? Please advise as I am clueless. Thanks

[Leland]

I recently had the same question about my oday 23. I'm thinking you would need to go up in load. Check out garhauer marines website. I would go with the 30 series which is rated at 2000 pounds. For a little extra money it's better to be safe and not have to worry. I have a 25 series on mine. Great bang for the buck. Email them. They respond quick and know about a thousand times more than me.

[sailingdog]

I'd second Garhauer. They're now stock equipment on Catalina and several other brands... They make a 4:1 boom vang with cam cleat for about $100 and it comes with line and everything. The one problem I saw with it was that the pins in the shackles weren't drilled for seizing wire. On a boom vang this might not be super critical, but I'm using the one I bought as a back stay adjuster...and it is a bit more critical to have a backstay stay in place.

[lbdavis]

I'll throw in another vote for Garhauer and for 2000lb load.

[Jeff_H]

I like Garhauer as well. A couple quick thoughts, the Mega has a proportionately high aspect ratio mainsail and so produces high leech loads. A working load of 2000 lbs is probably about right but I would go to a cascade with a single block on the boom and wire or spectra line through it to the working end of a 4:1 or even 6:1 purchase which should get you to the ability to adjust it under loads up to around 600 lbs.

I would not get a rigid vang if you plan to trailer your Mega as they get in the way when striking the rig.

Jeff

[Faster]

I'll second Jeff's recommendation for a higher powered tackle on that vang.. a doubled 6:1 will be easier to use/adjust under all conditions.

Just remember that if you're "vang sheeting" in a breeze one day, don't forget to ease the vang before rounding and easing the main out - the loads can be tremendous and you could break something...