Internal outhaul on a roller boom question

[Ujin]

I've a roller boom on my 1970 Cal.
The outhaul runs inside the boom.

The outhaul comes out to connect to a car where the clew of the main is attached.

The problem is that I can not get the outhaul to loosen.

There is a hex cap bolt at the front of the boom to tension the outhaul.

This bolt only turns clockwise and tightens the outhaul. Sounds like there is a ratchet mechanism in the boom.

Does the boom have to be taken apart to get slack in the outhaul to adjust the car?

That doesn't make sense to me, but appears to be the way it functions.

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts dealing with an outhaul like this?

Pictures attached are of the car where the clew of the main is attached and the bolt at the front of the boom. A handle fits into the bolt to turn it.

Thanks.

[Cat36Mahalo]

Is the hole to the right of the hex bole a release for the ratchet pawl?.

[Ujin]

The whole to the right is a slot machine screw. It could be a release. Never thought about that. I'll see what happens when I loosen it.

Thanks.

[Cat36Mahalo]

You may have to tighten the outhaul a touch to relieve pressure on the pawl.

[Ujin]

Conclusion.

Thanks everyone for the excellent advice.

Here is the conclusion to the original post.

On this 1970 roller boom there is a button located on the underside of the boom.
The button is the big silver circle located bottom right of image.

When this button is pressed and the crank slightly tightened to clockwise the button will travel into the boom and allow the crank to turn counterclockwise thus giving slack to the outhaul.

Note, the crank must rotate slightly to clockwise when pressing on the button.
If not the button does not travel far enough into the boom to release the tension on the pawl allowing the crank to rotate counterclockwise.