No place to attach boom-vang

[MrPlywood]

That was me Alan. Nice to see it in action. Have you tried the hinge/bail arrangement? The main reason I thought of using that combo was that I was planning on installing the hinge as low as possible in order to keep the vang angle as wide as possible.

You have so much room below the hinge that you could just permanently mount the bail to the mast.



That said, I am STILL debating about cutting my mast So far I've been able to avoid it as I've got a semi-permanent home for the boat on a lake and willing crew to help step the mast when trailered.

[DavidF]

Can anyone suggest a source for a bail to attach to the base of the mast?

Thanks,

David.

[Alan]

David,

Dwyer Mast and Duckworks Boat Builders Supply both carry them, and they both sell online.

[dannyb9]

maybe wack but my boom vang and downhaul are connected by a line that passes around an eyestrap on the deck just behind the mast. i noticed that while sailing, if i hauled in on the boom vang, the gooseneck slid down the mast and left slack in the downhaul. now when i vang it the downhaul is also tightened. anybody tried this?

[DavidF]

In looking at the bails from Dwyer, I am guessing that I would want the DH 309 (3" depth) or DH 310 (4" depth). It looks like the widest part of the mast is about 2" from the aft edge.

According to DR Marine, the mast is 2.12" X 2.84". I assume that the bails with a minimum stated width of 2.25" work fine.

Can anyone recommend one size over the other. I realize that the pull of the vang will orient the bail so that it is not in line with the cross section of the mast, that will require some additional depth.

Also, I have seen mention of people using a tube inside of the mast to help support the bail attachment. Can one purchase this piece also, or do you have to just use bulk aluminum tube stock?

Of course, I realize that I will need to paddle out to my boat and make some real measurements before ordering something.

Thanks,

David.

[DavidF]

Also, in the meantime, any suggestions for attaching the vang to the base of the mast. The vang that I have now just has a foot or to of line at the lower end.

I have a tabernacle on my mast. I was thinking that I could either tie the vang around the mast base with a bowline or better yet, girth hitch a spectra webbing sling around the mast and connect the vang to it. I just want to make sure that I don't put too much force on the tabernacle in a bad direction.

I assume that the previous owner must have connected the vang somehow...

David.

[dannyb9]

funny you should ask, i did have my vang attached to a double loop of 1/4" line around the base of my tabernacle before i started experimenting with the downhaul/vang arrangement. no problems. bear in mind, i'm not a 'vang sheeter' and mostly vang to get better shape off the wind so my vang is not loaded with a high power purchase

[K.C. Walker]

I've got what looks like the DH 312 Dwyer ball on my mast for the boom vang attachment. It appears to have been on for a long time with the previous owner. My boat previously had a 5:1 and now I'm using a 20:1 vang with no problems so far.

I just talked to somebody at Dwyer an hour ago and they're really quite nice if you want to give them a call.

Also, what Danny said. Even if you wanted to go to vang sheeting, I would think you could use amsteel to tie it on, or make a soft shackle.

[ctstrick]

Hi everyone - new owner of 1967 DS1 #2683 here trying to figure out the modifications applied by the previous owner. I'm trying to figure out where to attach the boom vang. It looks like there may have been a bail riveted to the mast below the tabernacle, but its broken off. There's also a large SS plate and hinge assembly around the mast. The previous owner didn't know its purpose - it was added by someone earlier. It's solid, with four through-bolts holding it to the deck. I think it may have been used before the tabernacle to guide/stabilize the mast when stepping it single-handed?

Should I add a bail back to the mast? Or try attaching the vang to the hinge/plate? Do any of you have other ideas about the purpose of the plate and hinge assembly?

[Alan]

That's quite a mystery. I can't think of any purpose for the plate (armor against a sea gull attack?). It must have been important to someone, because stainless steel is hard to work.

As far as the vang attachment goes, I like the idea of a loop of stainless wire rope (or maybe Dyneema) around the base of the mast below the lower hinge plate. It's simple and strong, as long as the loop is well made.

On my boat, I used machine screws to mount a padeye on a short length of 1/2-inch diameter aluminum rod, then placed the rod in the sail track below the lower plate of the mast hinge. It's strong, but it was a lot of work. If I had it to do over again, I'd go with the loop around the mast.

[GreenLake]

No mystery at all. It's something that was used at one time to raise a keel-stepped mast. I have a similar contraption on my boat. Makes raising a keel-stepped mast about as easy as using a tabernacle, but preserves all advantages of a keel-stepped mast. (There's supposed to be something attached to the hinge, which now is without function).

To attach a bail for the vang just drill through the support post and attach a U-bail with through bolt.

[K.C. Walker]

+1 for the loop of Amsteel-Dyneema. It's so easy and works great. My vang is 20:1 and I've been using the same loop of Amsteel for years with no sign of wear.

[ctstrick]

Great, thanks all. The loop of Amsteel around the mast below the hinge plate sounds like a great solution.

Greenlake - makes sense that it was something to help guide a keel stepped mast. I started thinking that once I saw your set-up posted on here. Glad you think the same.