Boom Crutch On Dodger/Spary Hood

[Delancey]

Anybody put a boom crutch on their dodger/spray hood to be able to use it as gallows?

I've been looking around but can't find much but don't understand why since, well, why not? I did find a picture of one incorporated into an FRP hard top but that's all I got

The best I can come up with for a nice way to attach it to the tubing is some kind of lashing or maybe hose clamps since I don't want to put screws or bolts through the main arch. Any thoughts?

[Davidhoy]

My hard-top Bimini is quite high, and close to the boom - it might be hard to fit a crutch that would not get in the way of the boom when the main is up. I'll be interested in seeing the other responses, thanks for starting this thread!

Regards,
David


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[Delancey]

Had a dinghy once that had a little crotch that was on hinge so that it could fold down and out of the way.

[sailful]

Check out Custom Dodgers Built by Iverson's Designs They are very good and I believe that they have a photo of a gallows that is part of a tubular framed cockpit enclosure on their web site.

[Delancey]

I found the Iverson's one. Cool. It's a Y-shape that fits over a tubing spur welded to the frame. Requires welding though, I got the skills but don't have access to the gear.

[Delancey]

The spur.

[Davidhoy]

Did some digging online. I believe the more nautically correct term is "gallows". Here a google image search with lots of interesting options - https://www.google.com/search?q=boom...w=1024&bih=672




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[Delancey]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Anybody put a boom crutch on their dodger/spray hood to be able to use it as gallows?

Do you think I missused nautical terms? What I said. "Anybody put a crutch on their dodger to be able to use it as a gallows?"

A crutch is usually a single or sometimes pair of pieces of wood which supports a boom. Gallows refers to the frame itself, not the notches in it. I am asking if anyone has added a crutch to their dodger to make the doger frame function as a gallows.

I don't see in your google search for a boom gallows on a bimini where a crutch is attached to the dodger frame. Yes, lot's of interesting options but none that apply to my question.

Since what I am talking about isn't a notch cut into the frame but rather a separate piece with a notch in it I think a crutch is the appropriate term.

[Delancey]

The folding crutch on the dinghy looked basically like this one but had a hinge on the bottom so that it could fold down.

[FSMike]

My ex had a crutch on her 35' yawl, went down through the Sunbrella dodger through a hole made for that purpose and slid into a bracket on the back of the cabin trunk. The dodger hole had a Sunbrella sleeve sewn on which laced tightly around the boom crutch when in use. Quite leak proof the vast majority of the time, just tucked part way in when sailing.
Varnished mahogany with bronze fittings, looked good and worked.

[Jim Cate]

If you are thinking to take all the load on a dodger bow, do be careful about heaving down on the mainsheet when the boom is in the crutch. Those bows are not all that strong, and the combination of boom and sail weight plus sheet tension can easily overwhelm one.

Jim

[Oceandeep]

I built a small boom gallows into my dodger to support the main boom. It is supported separately by two 1.5" upright tubes and then attached to the dodger frame. For the gallows I used a solid piece of teak that is a scaled down version of the boom gallows on the transom . I can provide more pictures if you are interested

[Delancey]

Thanks for the feedback. Gives me a few things to think about. Like maybe trying to get a rigid boom vang...

[jamhass]

On our boat we use a boom crutch that fits into an aluminum socket welded to the front of our traveller bridge just in front of the dodger. Quick, easy, looks good and stows in the lazarette. Does a great job of keeping the boom quiet in rolly anchorages. Sorry, no photos handy and we are away from the boat.

[Scaramanga F25]

I had boom gallows on only one of my sailboats.

The lopping lift was used to keep the boom high before releasing the main halyard and the gallows used only when we were at anchor and the topping lift released. Then the boom stayed put.

Other than supporting the awning we never found it very useful as modern booms are relatively short.

Once you have had a rigid vang you will never see the need.