attaching boom while under sail

N

newtosail

New Member
Is it possible to re-attach the boom while still under sail? I must not have tighted the boom vang or the outhaul enough and it came crashing down into the cockpit after a couple hours of sailing. When I couldn't coordinate controling the tiller and reattaching the boom at the same time, I let out the main sheet enough so that it folded in half infront of the mast and tried best I could to "run" back to shore. The stratagy was working until the rudder lost it's effectiveness ten feet from shore, where I thought it was shallow enough to get out and pull it in. I was wrong & learned why you always stay with your boat.

Anyway, what should I have done?
 
This is pure guess work as I haven't had it happen..but I reckon you would need to luff head to wind, then, cleat the main off maybe with 18" - 2 feet between blocks, let off the out haul and vang, then try to re attach the gooseneck. If it was blowing hard you'd probably need to capsize the boat to do it, especially if your vang tang had come out of the boom as well.
 
Happened to me twice when outhaul hook failed, had to jury rig clew to end of boom then reattach boom to gooseneck.
Jam the rudder hard over and wedge it in place with the extension inside the cockpit. Sit over the centreboard, pull the boom in which should make the boat move forward and round up into the wind, fit the boom onto the gooseneck, when this doesnt work dont panic, the boat will begin to sail backwards out of head to wind position and you get to have another go at it.
I've done it twice, once in 15 to 20 knots with 4 foot waves. It is difficult.
 
happened to me once i just luffed head to wind took out the vang put it back in then went block 2 block with the mainsheet and reattached the vang.
 
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