Hi Tom A vang is a definate advantage for sail trim on any size boat. When the boom is swung out the pressure on the sail causes the boom to rise at the back. This reduces the area of sail presented to the wind.The vang lets you pull the boom down flattening the sail. If the boom is allowed to rise you lose a small percentage of your sail area - result less power. Allowing the boom to rise is a technique used to de-power a boat, if this is desirable, the boom vang is simply loosened. You can test this the next time you'r out on your boat. Sailing without a vang on any point of sail,reach up and grab your boom with your hand and pull it down, you will immediately feel a small surge of speed, release it and speed drops. Didn't mean to write a book on the subject, hope this helps. Fair seas
Wayne ----- Original Message ----- From: "Smith, Tom" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 10:35 AM Subject: RE: M_Boats: RE: Boom Bale/Vang for M17 To add a question to Giles last comment, do any of you M17 sailors use a boom vang? I understand that with the main sheeted mid-boom as it does, most are satisfied a vang is unnecessary. Comments? t Tom Smith Electric Systems Itron Inc. 509-891-3674 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.itron.com -----Original Message----- From: Morris, Giles [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 8:31 AM To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Subject: RE: M_Boats: RE: Boom Bale >At the risk of betraying myself to the group as a hopeless neophyte Nothing wrong with not knowing. We were all born neophytes, and I hope that there's always something for me to be a neophyte at. A boom bail is a metal strap in a U or V shape whose ends are attached to the sides of the boom (through-bolt, drill/tap/machine screw/Pop-rivet -- you name it). The idea is that something is attached to it -- probably the mainsheet block or the boom vang. In other words it's just a convenient way to attach a line to the boom. If I remember correctly the M-15 boom has a cast aluminum fitting at the end with a hole in it for attaching the mainsheet block, so you would only need one for attaching a boom vang. Just in case: A vang is a line that runs between the base of the mast and somewhere along the boom whose function is to pull the boom down -- keeps the sail flatter when the mainsheet is out. Giles Morris Arlington VA Montgomery 15 "Umiaq" Vancouver 25 "Dolphin" Miscellaneous small craft _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats This message was scanned for viruses. _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
