Venture 25 wanting to add boom vang.

[offline]

I am wanting to add a boom vang to my Venture 25. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would also love some pictures of one installed on a Venture 25 so I could see the hardware involved.

Thanks,

Chris Edwards

[johnnyonspot]

I made one up for my Mac 25 and it is well worth doing I can assure you. You need two stainless steel D-rings, one for the boom and one for the mast, which I attached just above the mast step bracket for maximum angle. The one on the boom was attached quite a ways out from the mast too, nearly half way iirc. You also need the stainless lock nuts and bolts for attaching the D-rings, as well as two blocks, one with two sheaves and another with one sheave (you could have both with two for more advantage) and a point to secure the line to. One of the blocks also has to have a jam cleat, preferably with adjustable angles. Mine cost about $100 or so including line, though the blocks were on clearance. Here is an example pic:


Another thing you might consider is a boom kicker, which I believe performs the functions of both vang and topping lift, but I am not the one to answer questions about these.

[Sailing Hamlet]

I just order the BWY boomvang kit for about $69. Looks pretty simple to install.

[offline]

I just order the BWY boomvang kit for about $69. Looks pretty simple to install.

http://www.bwyachts.com/web%20catalog%2 ... ng_kit.htm

Have you installed it yet? Just wondering if we can see an after photo.

[offline]

I made one up for my Mac 25 and it is well worth doing I can assure you. You need two stainless steel D-rings, one for the boom and one for the mast, which I attached just above the mast step bracket for maximum angle. The one on the boom was attached quite a ways out from the mast too, nearly half way iirc. You also need the stainless lock nuts and bolts for attaching the D-rings, as well as two blocks, one with two sheaves and another with one sheave (you could have both with two for more advantage) and a point to secure the line to. One of the blocks also has to have a jam cleat, preferably with adjustable angles. Mine cost about $100 or so including line, though the blocks were on clearance. Here is an example pic:

Next time your out can you take a photo of it? I am trying to figure out where it should mount on the mast and boom. I am also wondering if I can leave the pop top up while using it?

Thanks for your help!

[Hamin' X]

I see no problem with the boom vang and poptop, as long as you have a turning block at the base of the mast. You can see in your picture below, that the angle of the front of the poptop, is about 45 degrees and behind the mast. You should mount the boom vang at an angle of 45 degrees anyway, so you should have plenty of clearance. YMMV.


~Rich

[Sailing Hamlet]

I haven't put it on yet. But it will be on tomorrow or Friday and I'll get pics up.

[offline]

I haven't put it on yet. But it will be on tomorrow or Friday and I'll get pics up.

Awesome! I am looking forward to seeing what it looks like and your opinion on how much it helps.

Thanks,

Chris

[johnnyonspot]

offline, I would post a pic if I could but I sold my boat a year ago. Sorry...

I see no problem with the boom vang and poptop, as long as you have a turning block at the base of the mast. You can see in your picture below, that the angle of the front of the poptop, is about 45 degrees and behind the mast. You should mount the boom vang at an angle of 45 degrees anyway, so you should have plenty of clearance. YMMV.


~Rich

Rich, I will have to disagree with you on the 45 degree angle thing. There is not enough space, at least on the Mac 25, from the goose-neck to the lowest point at which you can attach the D-ring to the mast to do a 45 degree angle. I agree that, if there were enough space, 45 degrees would be best, but as it is, using a 45 degree angle will not get your boom D-ring far enough out on the boom to be any good at all. I tried doing it 45 degrees and quickly realized it was not going to work. You need the boom's D-ring far enough out on the boom to make a difference, otherwise, if you have enough purchase to do it you could end up bending the boom imho. I would guess my D-ring was out at least 1/3rd of the length of the boom, and probably more like 2/5ths of the boom's length, probably about a foot from being at the boom's mid-point. When I did mine, like I said I tried the 45 degree angle thing and had to drill a hole in the boom for it, but after deciding this was not optimal I used a hole in the boom that was already there. Don't know if a PO made the hole or if it was a factory-drilled hole. It was perfectly centered through the boom, so maybe factory. So offline, look at your boom for a pre-drilled hole about 2/5ths down the boom from the goose-neck and use it if there. Here is a link to instructions for installing one on a Flying Scott, which is 20 feet iirc and has a pretty long boom probably about the length of the Mac 25's since the step on the Scot is quite a bit forward, and it says to install the boom like 46 inches from the goose neck. Here is another pic I found that clearly shows the length from goose neck to D-ring is longer than from mast D-ring to goose-neck:


My best guess is that the boom D-ring should be about even with, or a bit short of, the cabin's aft bulkhead/companionway. I know for certain that with mine attached using the poptop was a non-starter. Not that I ever used my poptop anyway.

That boom vang kit looks like it will do the job just fine, and may even have directions re where to drill the boom hole. Were I doing it today I would get that vang kit. It is cheaper and more than sufficient.

[Sailing Hamlet]

Okay, so I got the kit put on my V222. Pretty much a piece of cake. As johnnyonspot said, my boom has a pre-drilled hole midway down the boom, but I followed the kit instructions and drilled the hole for the boom bail 30" back from the foward end. The bails are the same size, so it just fits on the mast but is about 1/2" too wide for the boom. Not enough posts to upload, so I've put them on picassa: http://picasaweb.google.com/SailingHaml ... directlink

[goddardw]

It gets very hot at Clear Lake, so we sail with the pop-top up and a flat home-made Bimini extending 4 ft. back over the cockpit. This requires that the M25 boom vang not be used but allows it to be released and bungyed to above the boom base which kkeps it out of the way. We have over 5,000 gps track miles using a Dutchman Boom Brake which can still be used by placing a red about 12" bungy above the boom base and holding the boom brake ropes above the pop-top. The Boom Brake acts like a boom vang but is not as strong in it's downward force. With this set-up one can safely jibe down wind in winds say up to 10 knts. This set-up works very well up to winds about 12 knts then the Bimini starts to slap. At this point it is generally cool enough to put the pop-top down anyway then flatten the sail with the vang to de-power. Works for us and it sure beats being in the sun when the temp is over 100 degF.

[offline]

Okay, so I got the kit put on my V222. Pretty much a piece of cake. As johnnyonspot said, my boom has a pre-drilled hole midway down the boom, but I followed the kit instructions and drilled the hole for the boom bail 30" back from the foward end. The bails are the same size, so it just fits on the mast but is about 1/2" too wide for the boom. Not enough posts to upload, so I've put them on picassa: http://picasaweb.google.com/SailingHaml ... directlink

Those are awesome photo's, I will have to get the same boom-vang and install it. I see that it won't really work with the top up but as "goddardw" said that when really need the boom-vang the wind will be picked up and I can shut the top.

P.S. I noticed in your other photos that you sealed the ole leaky keel bolt. I have been having fun with that myself lately.

Thanks again!!!

Chris Edwards

[Sailing Hamlet]

Lol, Chris-
Sadly no. In fact, those pix are the subject of one of my other posts. Trying to get at the keel bolt because a PO tried to seal it... I'll let you know how it goes once I figure out the best way to grind off the glass.

[offline]

Lol, Chris-
Sadly no. In fact, those pix are the subject of one of my other posts. Trying to get at the keel bolt because a PO tried to seal it... I'll let you know how it goes once I figure out the best way to grind off the glass.

Well mine leaks when the keel is down, I have added about one ton of 5200 around it to see if it quits leaking. I will check it this weekend. It's funny because I have been reading on how to stop keel bolt leaks and fiber glassing it over is one of the solutions.

[offline]

I just order the BWY boomvang kit for about $69. Looks pretty simple to install.

Now that I have seen yours I have been wanting to order one myself. How the heck do you get anyone on the phone at BWY? I have tried all last week. I have emailed 3 times and called 4 different days. I get no reply at all. They must be knee deep in the dough.