Solid Boom Vangs/Boom Kickers

[calhdl]

Are solid boom vangs better than boom kickers? The latter are much cheaper, but are they as effective as the former?
Thanks

[Snowpetrel]

Yes, they hold the boom up so you dont need to rely on a topping lift. In terms of taking twist out of the sail a non solid type is just as effective, maybe more so because it doesnt have to fight the upwards push of the spring or conpressed gas.

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[calhdl]

Thanks, yes, I know what both do. My goal is to get rid of the topping lift, so the possibility of the boom crashing down is basically eliminated. I think it will also help control the boom when reefing; especially during single, or short handed sailing. I was wondering if a boom kicker would do just as good a job as a solid boom vang.......for a lot less $$$.

[Snowpetrel]

Sorry, yes I see now you are talking about those fibreglass boomkicker systems. I havent used that type so I cant comment. I am interested myself in this. I guess a lot depends on the size and weight of the boom and sail. One plus to the solid ones is that they normally lock up and wont allow the boom to drop anymore beyond a certain point. They also normally get stiffer the lower the boom goes. The boomkicker system might get softer as the boom drops? but this is all guesswork on my part...

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[JPD]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Yes, they hold the boom up so you dont need to rely on a topping lift. In terms of taking twist out of the sail a non solid type is just as effective, maybe more so because it doesnt have to fight the upwards push of the spring or conpressed gas.

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Totally different animals. The solid vang pulls down on the boom exerting a downward force. The boom kicker may induce some bend in the boom in trimming the mainsail as the fiberglass rods exert an upward force on the boom. The upward force is overcome by the downward pull of our aft boom main sheet. I didn't like the amount of bend required to trim in our mainsail against the boom kicker, and scrapped it. Not sure how this would play out on a main sheet trimmed mid span on the boom.

[Only Time]

Full disclosure - we sell rigid vangs.

A rigid boom vang gives you a bit more control and does have a positive stop.

We offer a couple of different rigid vangs for reasonable prices. GarhauerStore.com

Appropriate vang for your boat would be: https://www.garhauerstore.com/mast-b...rv20-1-sl.html

We custom make each vang for every boat. Our rigid vangs include the custom mast and custom boom plates for your boat.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by JPD

Totally different animals. The solid vang pulls down on the boom exerting a downward force. The boom kicker may induce some bend in the boom in trimming the mainsail as the fiberglass rods exert an upward force on the boom. The upward force is overcome by the downward pull of our aft boom main sheet. I didn't like the amount of bend required to trim in our mainsail against the boom kicker, and scrapped it. Not sure how this would play out on a main sheet trimmed mid span on the boom.

Did you not have a rope vang with your Boomkicker? Just like rigid boom vang, the fiberglass Boomkickers are suppose to be paired with a rope vang to act against the upward force. Google for any photos of how they are typically setup.

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[UNCIVILIZED]

With a solid vang, you can pretty much definitively, eliminate the topping lift. Not so much with other styles. Especially when you consider what happens when a crewman unexpectedly lands on a boom supported by a solid vang vs. a kicker.
I know which I'd prefer to have "catch" me.

Plus, when properly done, a solid vang, particularly hydraulic ones, can serve in lieu of a gallows.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Did you not have a rope vang with your Boomkicker? Just like rigid boom vang, the fiberglass Boomkickers are suppose to be paired with a rope vang to act against the upward force. Google for any photos of how they are typically setup.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Yes...we had a rope vang. The problem was upwind, vang off, mainsail sheeted in hard. The force required to set the main properly combined with the upward push of the glass rods, induced bend.

[senormechanico]

The boomkicker company was very helpful in getting it exactly right for my boat.
I highly recommend it.

We have preventers from the aft end of each ama which act as a vang when traveler is eased.

I LOVE not having to deal with a topping lift !
Our boat is folded in this picture.

http://www.boomkicker.com/images/Dragon33.jpg

[autumnbreeze27]

Originally Posted by Only Time

Full disclosure - we sell rigid vangs.

A rigid boom vang gives you a bit more control and does have a positive stop.

We offer a couple of different rigid vangs for reasonable prices. GarhauerStore.com

Appropriate vang for your boat would be: https://www.garhauerstore.com/mast-b...rv20-1-sl.html

We custom make each vang for every boat. Our rigid vangs include the custom mast and custom boom plates for your boat.

We've got a bunch of garhauer gear on our boat, and on our last boat too. We had problems with the garhauer boom vang, you guys should really engineer your boom plate better. Ours pulled out of the boom on our way south on the baja haha. We replaced the 1/4" course thread bolts on ours with 5/16" fine thread bolts (that we had to have custom made down here), and they still started pulling out, so we had a new boom plate made that allowed us to through bolt the vang to the boom. Maybe whoever installed it did it half-ass, but we haven't had any problems since thru-bolting it.

Except for the problems with the vang attaching to the boom, it's good stuff.