I hope you folks like a good puzzle, because I've got a fun one.
Our
boat came with an "Offshore Vang" by
Offshore Spars. I'm pretty sure it's missing some
parts but I can't find any
documentation for it online, nor did any come with the
boat. I think I'm close to having it figured based on pictures of other similar vangs I've found online, but none are my exact model.
The first picture is how it was assembled when we bought the boat. The purpose of the wire and hook to the right was a mystery to me when we bought the boat as it was stowed in an
interior locker, it wasn't until after looking at other vangs online that I thought maybe this was related, but I'm not positive.
https://imgur.com/jXW8vIv
The next picture is the vang all taken apart, not pictured are the large spring, and two bushings in the large tube. I think I'm missing a pulley that belongs in the top piece of the vang (bottom left in the picture) and a pin, which maybe goes through the eye of that wire, and then around the missing pulley.
https://imgur.com/9YAMBv6
I've mocked up the way I think it goes together in the last picture. The cable/hook/eye assembly would have a pin through it in the bottom left piece, loop through the small pulley in between the nylon slides pictured above it, and then back to the bottom left piece, exiting out via (what I assume is) a missing pulley and through the slot on the outer tube.
https://imgur.com/88xlwpG
My only problem with this theory is that the wire assembly is really short, with the vang adjusted to its smallest position there would barely be enough to come around the pulley and connect to the adjustment blocks/lines (not pictured). It would also make the adjustment holes on the side of the vang useless since you could only use the first one. However, I've read online that the adjustment holes are meant to be used as the internal spring wheres out over time. So, it's possible that the manufacturer expected the owner as part of regular maintenance/adjustment to have a new wire/hook made up when that adjustment was necessary. Or, this wire might not even belong on the vang.
Has anyone seen one of these that can shed some light for this confused new sailor?