[cocobean]

Hi, I have a P26 and want to install a soft vang (which I have). The correct boom bail on rig rite is 2.25" ID and costs over $60 with the bolt and shipping.

Can I use a Ronstan Large Boom Bail (2.5" ID; $16) and just bend it to 2.25" ID or perhaps use spacers? Both items appear to be 1/4" SS.

Is there a load problem if the bail attachment is 1/8" outboard of the boom wall? It doesn't seem like that would be a problem but I'm no engineer and don't want to do anything TOO stupid...

Link to rig rite bails (see k-10456): Boom Bails

Link to Ronstan bail: Ronstan Large Boom Bail

Thanks for any help,
Clay

 

[RichH]

Try to arrange so that the bail is 'as close as possible' to the boom. This will prevent any tendency for the through-bolt to move back and forth in the bore holes of the boom which will tend to 'abrade' the bore holes. Leaving the bail 'longer' or 'more open' than the width of the boom section can promote the bolt stub ends to 'flex' under load and not bear the vang load equally across the inner surface of the bore holes. Bend the bail to 'close fit' with boom sides - no space between the bail and the boom.

FWIW - the bore holes should be on the exact 'middle' (with respect to top to bottom) of the boom; and there should be NO compression (from the bolt and bail) TO the cross section of the boom where the bore holes are located; any 'compression' to the walls of the boom at this connection may induce 'buckling failure' of the boom. With little to NO compression on that 'cross bolt' into the boom walls such 'induced buckling failure' will be minimized.

When you tighten the nut on that cross bolt, do so only enough to allow that bail to be able to 'swing back and forth' with minimum friction between the bail and the boom - use an additional lock nut to keep the nut in place; OR, best is to use RED "Locktite" on the threads of a single nut ... even though youll have to use a torch if you ever want to remove that nut later on to remove it. Cut the exposed threads of the bolt off with a hack saw flush with the nut when finished , then 'peen over' any of the bolt end that remains 'proud' at the nut.

Good luck.

 

[bblument]

Thanks for the reply to the original poster, Rich. I have the same boat, same issue, and had the same questions. I ended up buying the Ronstan bail last year thinking that I could just bend it inwards slightly, but it's VERY strong and I couldn't bend it easily. Would bending it weaken it? I never mounted it due to that question, and because I was concerned about the extra 1/8" spacing on either side. I did buy two 1/8" nylon spacer washers that I was going to use to prohibit any side-to-side movement of the slightly oversized bail and to protect the boom from marring. Those spacers would also negate the need to bend and possibly weaken the bail. The only issue left unsolved by the spacer solution would be the possible tendency of the bolt to bend due to the pressure of the vang being placed 1/8" outboard of the load-bearing surface of the boom at the bolt ends. Is that extra distance significant, or do you think it'd be OK?

Thanks!

Barry

 

[RichH]

A 1/8" extra spacing on either side is not going to induce much more bending of the bolt. Just keep an occasional eye on the bore you made through the boom for 'increased play' due to abrasion wear and 'egging' of that bore due to extreme vang loads.

You should be able to close down on that 1/8 + 1/8 gap by simply 'chucking-up' the bail in a large bench vice.

On my old P30 (probably the exact same boom cross section), I did the same thing and eventually had to add 'cheek' pads to the boom to repair the egging of the bores into boom. But Im probably more of a manic-gorilla who routinely overstresses vangs, etc. (because I like to 'sheet-vang' my mainsails, especially when the traveller it at the end of its track and the boom still needs to go further outboard). On that boat I had an 8:1 vang system. Just watch for those bore holes becoming 'larger' over time and you'll be OK.

;-)

 

[Bill-Rangatira]

do you not use bushings in your bail?

 

[socal c25]

I thought that you should never bolt the bail to the boom but you should drill the boom and install a sleeve (tube) through the boom that the bail bolts to, it could stick out the .125 on the sides and still have a nylon or delrin spacer to keep it from sliding from side to side. Well that's how I am going to do it as I just picked up an oversized bail too.

 

[RichH]

Definitely putting a metal ferrule/compression tube through the boom is preferable, but then you need to bore larger holes into the boom ..... a tradeoff IMO.

The 'best' way of course is to add 'cheek' gussets on the boom external surface, a compression ferrule, and then tack weld the whole shebang in place, etc.
.... and still a tradeoff.

 

[cocobean]

Thanks for the replies, I'll try the cheaper bail. I'm not worried about overstressing anything, mainly myself