| Does your small sailboat have a boom vang? If not, | | | | boat. That way, your mainsail will have good |
| you won't be able to put the right sail shape into your | | | | downward pull to keep your mainsail leech sail shape |
| mainsail on reaching points of sail. Use this easy 1-2-3 | | | | just right. |
| step guide to install and use a boom vang on any small | | | | Add the power of a vang |
| cruising boat. | | | | Most vangs attach about 1/3 of the way aft on the |
| Whether you call it a boom vang or kicking strap, you | | | | boom. The vang attaches to a bail on the boom and |
| need one on your small cruising sailboat or racing | | | | runs forward to a bail at the base of the mast. Vangs |
| sailboat to give you peak performance. This simple | | | | may be made up with a three to four part block and |
| sailing gear ranks right alongside the mainsheet in | | | | tackle or--on larger racing sailboats--a rigid hydraulic |
| importance. Imagine that your mainsheet and vang | | | | tube. |
| operate just like runners in a baton race... | | | | If you choose a block and tackle vang, make sure that |
| One runner (the mainsheet) starts the race and | | | | it has a quick-release cam or clam cleat on the lower |
| dashes toward the other runner (the vang). The baton | | | | block. In heavy sailing weather, you want to be able to |
| is handed off and the second runner dashes | | | | release the vang in case the boom dips into the water |
| homeward. That's just how a mainsheet and boom | | | | to prevent sailboat boom damage. |
| vang work together. Unless you have that second | | | | Three steps to boost your mainsail's performance |
| runner (the vang) waiting to help out, the first runner | | | | 1. Check with your manufacturer or in your owner's |
| (the mainsheet) will suffer from fatigue and poor | | | | manual before you install a vang. The angle that the |
| performance on the second half of the race (reaching | | | | vang makes with the boom can be critical to prevent |
| points of sail)! | | | | boom damage or distortion when under heavy load. Or |
| Pass the baton from mainsheet to vang | | | | call a reputable company that manufactures vangs (i.e. |
| On close hauled courses or close reaches, the sailboat | | | | Schaeffer, Harken). They will be happy to help you. |
| boom remains over the boat. The mainsheet does the | | | | 2. Tension the vang as soon as the end of the boom |
| work of keeping the boom down and the mainsail | | | | leaves the edge of your small sailboat. Keep the |
| leech trimmed. But what happens when the end of the | | | | sailboat boom horizontal and the leech trimmed and |
| boom leaves the edge of the boat? | | | | your mainsail will deliver lots of power and drive. |
| On beam reaches, broad reaches, or runs, the boom | | | | 3. Use caution not to over tension the vang. This could |
| end hangs out over the water. The mainsheet loses its | | | | lead to permanent boom distortion or damage. On a |
| ability to pull down on the boom to keep the leech | | | | block and tackle vang, allow about 1" to 2" of play to |
| trimmed. Without some means of downward pull, the | | | | solve this problem. |
| boom rises and the sail billows out like a pregnant | | | | ******************** |
| whale. This destroys the leech shape and moves the | | | | Use this guide to boost the power of your mainsail on |
| draft of the sail aft. The result? Your boat becomes a | | | | reaches and runs with a boom vang. You will learn |
| chore instead of a joy to steer. | | | | how to sail a boat better than ever before with peak |
| Use a boom vang to take over that "baton" from the | | | | performance, speed, and drive. |
| mainsheet once the boom end leaves the edge of the | | | | |