Boom vang recommendation

[philocat]

Originally Posted by cal40john

9. Topping lift doesn't use up sheave that could be spare halyard.
Mine doesn't use up a sheave. Fixed at top it's adjustment is in the boom.

Old Thread but great lateral thinking. Never come across it before and I suspect its rarely done.

Reduces complexity and weight at the top of mast for no reduction in functionality that I can see. So why so uncommon?

On a similar vein I have also wondered why halyard locks (reasonably failsafe ones) are not more often used - needing only lighter line to haul up (plus in case of foresail a tensioning device vicinity of deck level). Halves the halyard mast compression load -a win win.

This sort of tidbit idea would be great if all collected together on some sort of (moderated?) dedicated thread.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by otya

Old Thread but great lateral thinking. Never come across it before and I suspect its rarely done.

Reduces complexity and weight at the top of mast for no reduction in functionality that I can see. So why so uncommon?

On a similar vein I have also wondered why halyard locks (reasonably failsafe ones) are not more often used - needing only lighter line to haul up (plus in case of foresail a tensioning device vicinity of deck level). Halves the halyard mast compression load -a win win.

This sort of tidbit idea would be great if all collected together on some sort of (moderated?) dedicated thread.

Hmmm.... my experience is that the opposite is more rare.... most all my big boats had the fixed top style with two part adjustment at the boom. In fact 2 out of 4 were actually wire topping lifts from the top to near the boom...maybe it's a small boat/big boat thing?
Lighter line on a halyard would just be harder on the hands IMO. I guess I dont understand "halyard Lock"... you mean a stopper on the mast..? Trying to figure how the compression on the mast is less....? If the mast is used to haul the sail up... there's compression on it....

[daddle]

I prefer twin main halyards. One can be used for a topping lift. Had the sanding wire topper on one boat. Didn't like it slapping on the sail.

Standing dedicated toppers are good if there is not a rigid vang.

Halyard locks are found on fancy race boats. They tend to be unreliable. Or they simply (?) hoist a foredeck guy up to spike it open.

The halyard lock halves the load because there is no halyard pulling down on the masthead. Just the sail's head load. But mast loading is not a typical problem for cruisers.

[philocat]

Well i stand corrected, not that I've ever really looked specifically on other boats but both my Adams40 and previously a Dunk 35' had the topping lift turning sheave on the top of mast not fixed at top.

0ne advantage of the t lift on the mast type is it can replace the main halyard should you lose the primary one, all other potential halyards awkwardly face forwards. So not really swayed either way - a bit like the anchor debates.


Getting off topic now but any normal halyard load doubles its load as compression on mast as both the up and down portions are under same tension . A Halyard lock or stopper system only has the down tension with sail in use and usually lighter load when hauling. Admittedly halyards have much less tension than standing rigging so perhaps of limited benefit anyway and certainly not for a retrofit.

[Brezent]

Considered Vang Master till I realized their tech support was not going to call me back after two months. Now considering a Garhauer.

[Patrigo]

I have a Barton Boom Strut with a regular vang and cannot see that any other system would be better. Total easy control, compared to previous, gas struts, topping lifts etc.