Boom/mast attachment - please help w/ pics

dnthewind

Member
I recently inherited a 14.2 from my ill step father and we rigged it up in the driveway today, but something just doesn't seem right... Please pardon my ignorance for the proper terminology here... The bracket where the boom attaches to the mast was initially set up VERY low on my new mast (as well as the old bent one that I replaced) - only 3-4 inches from the bottom of the mast. It clearly goes higher up, I think just under the groove where the sail begins heading up the mast, and between the 2 movable "stops" that are there. MY questions are:

a) are the stops supposed to be the only thing holding the bracket into that location (assuming the sail and sail rigging itself holds the weight of the boom).

b) should those stops be set to give that bracket maximum play (up and down) or shoudld they be set to hold the bracket stiffly into a single spot.

c) this bracket was initially set up very low on the mast where there are 2 threaded screw holes that line up with the back of the bracket (inside the mast). That's the only place where this sliding bracket can really be secured in a stationary position. What's the purpose of this?

Pictures of a proper rigging here might be all I need to confirm that I have set things up correctly (or woefully wrong). My step dad is very ill and in a wheelchair but tried his best to remember how it goes.... Thanks in advance for any help.
 
With the mast up, slide the boom goose neck in the mast track where the mast track is cut out. Slide the Main sail bullet and bolt rope in the boom track. Attach the out haul to the clew (aft end of the boom) of the sail. Attach the tack to the boom (bent looking bolt on the mast end of the boom). Attach the main halyard to the head board on the main, feed the bolt rope starting at the head board of the main sail intothe mast track. raise the sail slowly with the bow of the boat facing into the wind. Raise the sail until the head board is at the top of the mast (actually within about 4" of the top). The boom will rise with the sail as long as the main sheet and the boom vang are loose, eased off. I don't have pictures but I hope this will help.
Richard
 
that helps somewhat

Thanks Richard, that definitley helps. I used to raise the sails as a kid, so I think I am all set there - but the boom/mast hardware was always in place for me already. I guess the main thing I still need to know is what specifically the "boom goose neck" you were talking about is to make sure I am using the right piece. Is it the bullet shaped part that fits in the mast groove and has an eyelet on it. Then the eyelet is used for the u-shaped thingy which in turn attaches to the boom?

Or is the u-shaped gadget for the boom vang and should be mounted much lower. If so, what part, specifically, attaches the boom to the mast? Just the tack (bent looking bolt) and the grommet at the corner of the sail?

-Dustin
 
heres a drawing that may help.
 

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Thanks Richard

Thanks, that helps a LOT. Now you have me second-guessing whether or not the boom even has the gooseneck on it, which might be what got me off on the wrong track. I'll need to get it reassembled and have another look around in the hardware bags to see if its in there. Is the goose neck permanently attached to the boom or is a hardware piece that could be removed/replaced/lost (gasp)?

The top "stop" on my old mast was missing, meaning if the gooseneck was there, it may have slipped right off...

Still, if anyone can produce a picture the next time you visit your boat, I'd love to see one.

-Dustin
 
I'll try to take a pict tonight. It can be detached from the boom with its pin and ring ding. If lost, CAtalina still sells the part.
 
Found what I need

Thanks for your drawings, Richard. They totally jogged my memory into remembering what the part looked like.

After contacting http://www.catalinadirect.com I was able to order the stuff I needed (actually I got half of it from them, but the other stuff wasn't in stock so I called the catalina factory and ordered the rest). Here's a picture of the part I am missing. I have the casting on the boom (on the the left), but was missing the gooseneck slide, clip, and pin.

https://www.catalinadirect.com/store/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=10939

-Dustin
 
Incorrect Picture

Dustin,

I believe the gooseneck slide in your picture is upside down. In my owners manual the hole is shown up and inline with the tack pin. A rope with a stopper knot goes through the gooseneck slide hole then throught the sail cunningham grommet and back down to a jam cleat on the starboard side of the mast.

Ed
 
cool...

Thanks, Ed.

I'm working from home today and the gooseneck was just delivered about an hour ago. I saw the hole in it and immediately came back here to see if Richard had included that detail (kudos to him for being so specific).... I was thinking that "hole up" would be a stronger fitting - since the hole end of the goose neck is longer and would better distribute the downward (damn gravity) weight of the mast.

Is the cunningham grommet the 2nd one thats about 6 inches above the grommet the tack pin goes through. I take it this is just a failsafe to keep the sail from blowing away if I were to do somehting foolish while taking the sail down? I don't recall ever having that part rigged when I sailed the boat as a kid.
 
Cunningham

Dustin,

You are correct, the cunningham grommet is the grommet that is about six inches above the tack. The cunningham is used to tension the luff (the front edge of the mainsail) when the wind increases and causes wrinkles in the luff. This takes the wrinkles out and also decreases the size of the pocket in the lower part of the sail. The end result is the the mainsail is then more aerodynamicly shaped for the increased wind speed. This causes the boat to sail faster and heel less.

Happy Sailing,

Ed
 
Two more boom position questions

I have two related boom position questions that came up while setting up my boomkicker.

1. How high should the boom, or more specifically the gooseneck, be from the base of the mast? I have not seen any specific dimensions on drawings in the manual.

2. Should the gooseneck and boom be allowed to float up or should there be a clamp on the top and the bottom to keep it firmly in place? My boat had two clamps, both below the gooseneck. Only the cunningham keeps the sail and mast in place.
 
Boom Height

Larry,

The bottom of my boom is 28 inches from the base of my mast. The Boomkicker shackle stop is against the bottom of the gooseneck and another stop is against the top of the gooseneck. I arrived at this height by raising the main sail as high as it would go and applying light tension by pulling the gooseneck downward. This allows maximum clearance between the boom and my head. I use the cunningham to futher tension the luff when the wind increases.

Ed
 

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