Re-stringing lines in Boom

[Rex Delay]

I have a new to me boat and just getting to know it. Lines from deck to boom cross on the way up to the boom and then again inside the boom. This is not good. Any ideas on how to re-align this ropes inside the boom without taking the boom apart?

[JPA Cate]

Rex Delay,

What are those lines for? your reefing lines, and you're limited to 2 reefs? What all doe you have exiting the forward end of your boom? outhaul?

If you use a boom + a bit length of small diameter, springy 7x7 wire, or an electrician's fiche, you can use it to pull new line through the boom, and keep them from crossing.

Just take off the boom end, and have a narrow screwdriver to fish out the wire at the sheave end, if the lines exit over a sheave. You could also have another sheave in there for each line, for the line to go around on its way up to the reef. The boom may have attachment points for the terminations of the reef line, although some terminate by being tied around the boom. The end that's tied off should be directly underneath the reef cringle on the sail. If you hoist the main, you'll probably be able to figure out which is which, and which one you want over which sheave.

I can't help wondering if the PO had some reason I haven't thought of for crossing them that way......something to do with the deck hardware or the layout relative to the reefing winch(es).

If you can provide photos, it might help.

Good luck with it.

Ann

[ryon]

Originally Posted by Rex Delay

I have a new to me boat and just getting to know it. Lines from deck to boom cross on the way up to the boom and then again inside the boom. This is not good. Any ideas on how to re-align this ropes inside the boom without taking the boom apart?

Bend on a light messenger line, pull out, fish the messenger through the correct way, re-attach, then pull back through.

[Rex Delay]

Thanks all for the input. Will have a closer look in the morning. The outhaul and the second reef are crossed on the way up and also inside the boom. Silly but has to be fixed.

[Terra Nova]

Anne--you really are a good shipmate with amazing know-how. And you would always be welcome to crew on Terra Nova. You could bring Jim along, too.

[UNCIVILIZED]

I'm not sure what you mean by taking the boom apart. However, your problem should be fairly easy to fix, knock on wood. And for most of it, it's easiest to accomplish, for first timers, with the boom resting on a couple of saw horses on land.

One note of caution, & you'll see why, below. - Prior to withdrawing any line from the boom, make sure that you can pull on both ends of it & that they run freely (aside from friction due to crossing other lines inside of the boom).

- First, put a Reeving Splice into one end or the other of each line in the boom, as seen here, about 1/3 of the way down the page APS: Rigging and Splicing Services They're simple to do, & eminently handy.

- Then tie a piece of 1/8" - 3/16" cord, about 1.5 times the length of the boom to each line running through it via the reeving splices. And pull the full sized lines out of the boom.
Which will simultaneously pull the thin, leader lines above, into the same snarled up positions that your reefing lines & such, occupied moments ago.

- With only the thin leader lines now running through the boom, you should be able to sort out what you want where (sans having crossing lines), using at most a curved piece of wire coat hanger or two & perhaps some needle nose pliers/vise grips.
Oh, & a good flashlight so that you can see the lines inside of the boom, & ensure that they're no longer crossing when you're done manipulating them.

*** Just don't let go of any of the lines such that their ends disappear up inside of the boom. Or you'll be standing it on end, with washers & fishing weights on a thin piece of line hanging down the boom's insides, & a wire hook, re-leading the line that got away from you. ***

- Re-attach your reefing lines/lines that run through the boom, to the leader lines, & pull them into their proper positions in the boom. Making sure to put good stopper knots on the clew ends of the lines.

- Put the boom back onto the mast, & run your lines to your preference, through your deck hardware & such.


Of course, I also strongly recommend the following:
- Labeling the various line clutches, exit/entry slots, sheaves, & hardware on the boom, as well as on deck, with what each line is.

- Color coding your reefs & various other lines. Particularly making sure that the reefing lines for each reef, match color wise at both the tack & the clew of each.

- Also, when you have the full sized lines out of the boom it is a good time tor run your fingers; in, around, & over any entry, & exit holes in the boom, as well as the sheaves & sheave boxes too, feeling for burrs or sharp edges. And when/if you find any, do the obvious to them.
Many times, on older boats, there are a plethora of these to get rid of, as one or several of the previous owners may have used rigging wire, as part of a wire to rope spliced system for reefing, or other boom ended controls.


NOTE/WARNING: You may see/have a line which exits the boom's underside, or port or starboard side, & is connected to a multipart purchase inside of the boom.
It's most likely the outhaul. And if you're at all uncertain about either what it is, or how to rig it, DON'T MESS WITH IT - Go find someone with a bit more experience to tune, or re-lead/re-rig it.
As, it's a multi-part tackle, which at some point dead ends inside of the boom, as well as the rest of it's parts residing in there. And if you lose the tail of it, or any of it's associated lines, then yep, you'll DEFINITELY be taking apart the boom in order to sort it out.

Said system (the Outhaul) may also consist of a hydraulic cylinder affixed at one end to a pin inside of the boom, up near the gooseneck. With a line running aft from there, the length of the boom. Then, over a sheave at the boom's tail end, & led to a track/car on top of the boom at the boom's clew end, or just to a shackle which attaches to the mainsail's clew.

Regardless of the hardware which may, or may not be involved with one of these, again. DON'T MONKEY WITH IT IF YOU'RE UNSURE. As if you goof, it could be messy (VERY Much So - thanks to the hydraulics), & or a situation again, where if you screw it up, you'll be disassembling the boom in order to re-rig it.

Heaven help you if you ever blow or detach a hydraulic line & have it discharge onto the deck. Particularly if you're sailing at the time. THAT is one of those events which you recall FOREVER.


EDIT: And as usual Ann T. Cate seems to have typed up & posted the simplified (Normal) way to accomplish this task, while I was creating the complex, Tome like, explanation for things. Ah well: What will be, will be.

[Terra Nova]

UN--excellent post.

Just want to mention that, unless there is major corrosion around the fasteners, it is simple enough to partially remove the end fitting in order to thoroughly inspect and overhaul its internals. Take this inspection seriously. And use this opportunity to locate and correct every issue.

And a reminder to use Tef-Gel on all threads.

[Jim Cate]

A final note:
If your boom does have a tackle inside for tensioning the outhaul, if possible remove it completely with all the lines intact. This is a great time to both inspect the blocks involved and to lubricate them as well. Many such systems have a lot of friction, which makes adjusting the outhaul awkward. Sometimes a huge improvement can be accomplished by replacing the line with smaller diameter Dyneema (or other super fibre) lines. Usually not so much length involved, so the cost is minimal.

As Terra N says, this is a great opportunity to make some useful improvements to your rig.

And hey you guys, don't go luring my Admiral away. She's the only crew I have and likely the only one in the world who would put up with me!

Jim

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

A final note:
If your boom does have a tackle inside for tensioning the outhaul, if possible remove it completely with all the lines intact. This is a great time to both inspect the blocks involved and to lubricate them as well. Many such systems have a lot of friction, which makes adjusting the outhaul awkward. Sometimes a huge improvement can be accomplished by replacing the line with smaller diameter Dyneema (or other super fibre) lines. Usually not so much length involved, so the cost is minimal.

As Terra N says, this is a great opportunity to make some useful improvements to your rig.

And hey you guys, don't go luring my Admiral away. She's the only crew I have and likely the only one in the world who would put up with me!

Jim

I couldn't help but be tempted to comment to the same effect on an outhaul, particularly after Terra Nova's quip about Tef-Gel made me recall doing a serendipitious overhaul of a mate's one. But the connection between my brain & fingers was fried at that point.

And on that other note, the one about luring away your Admiral. No Sir, not my style. Though she's definitely good at explaining things in layman's terms, while I'm trying to turn PhD into grade 6 text.

[Rex Delay]

Thank you all. Just had a better look and it will not be too difficult. The mast end of the boom is riveted but the other end is screwed so I can take it off to ensure a fair run for the new lines. I just removed the wire running backs so I can use them as a fish. Should have all in proper order today.

[AussieCat]

We have Allyacht (Australia) mast & boom which has Shuttle blocks inside the boom for the reefing lines. Recently replaced all the reef lines and had to drill out the 4 rivets and remove the end cap to access the Shuttle blocks as the lines forward and aft terminate at the Shuttle blocks. Pretty simple once we got in there and gave us a chance to check out the 4 small roller wheels on each of the blocks. Word of caution on our setup the 4 wheels are not fixed in the blocks and we were a bit lucky when we removed the first one they only dropped out onto the old rug we had placed on the roof to protect it. Would have been messy had they gone over the side as it will not work without them! As advised by more experienced than I do not put any sort of grease etc inside the boom. We spent a full day on this project but time well spent as we now know what goes on inside the boom if something goes pear-shaped. Cheers

[Rex Delay]

There are bird nests inside my boom!!

[JPA Cate]

RexDelay,

Yes, that happens when there is no cover over the aft end of the boom. They do add friction. Undo the boom vang if present, use the main halyard for a boom topping lift, and lower the aft end down onto something you don't mind getting wet. Take the hose and flush those babies out. Or, wait till they fledge, first, if you prefer.

Ann

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by Rex Delay

Thank you all. Just had a better look and it will not be too difficult. The mast end of the boom is riveted but the other end is screwed so I can take it off to ensure a fair run for the new lines. I just removed the wire running backs so I can use them as a fish. Should have all in proper order today.

Good to hear, & I hope that the nest came out easily... & Ann, um, wrong season for eggs/baby birds up here. It's the time of year when white stuff comes out of the sky.


As a semi-safety/anti-headache tip. It doesn't hurt things at all to put those fasteners back in with Blue Loctite... NOT; Red, Black, or anything which requires as much torque as a Caterpillar D-9 has, to get'em loose.
And me, at times, I go so far as to epoxy those kinds of things in place, as flying booms suck (Carbon Fiber or not)! A little heat'll help you break them loose later, needs be.

Though prior to "gluing" them in, clean off the fasteners with a Dremel or clean wire brush. And then scrubbed them, & the holes, with Acetone (on Q-tips or pipe cleaners).
- Seriously, on fasteners, the Loctite also acts as something of a galvanic isolator (in place of Tef-Gel) so that they don't get frozen in place by corrosion.

[CLady]

Is your new boat an older C & C 41? If so--nice fast boat!
Do these lines have any block on them inside the boom for purchase? In my boom on my C & C 40, (the boom is 13.5 feet long), I have three lines--one is the outhaul and the other two are reefing lines. I have a block on the outhaul line inside the boom for 'purchase'. The reefing lines go straight out to the sheave at the aft end of the boom from the sheave at the gooseneck end of the boom. These had been crossed--I used a long length of small SS rod I borrowed from my custom stainless fabricator friend to pull them to be uncrossed. It worked great. I had bent the very tip of it to hook into the line to pull it and then thread through the correct sheave.

Congratulations on your new boat!