Eye on boom -> replace by fabric?

J

Jaap Schellekens

Member
My laser 1 boom has a steel eye on it between the two blocks to run the sheet through. I know it is user error but about once ever 25 tacks it somehow attaches itself to me and I and up loosing ground in a race of even taking a swim.
I noticed newer booms come with a loop made out of fabric which somehow seems like something less likely to get stuck in...
Anybody know if this is indeed the case and als if it is class legal to replace the eye with a fabric loop?

Example of steel eye:

http://www.cautionwater.com/uploads/RiggingGuides/LaserStandard/step11-04.jpg

The fabric loop:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y135/Pandabonium/seven/IMGP01782.jpg
 
Yes; that's legal.
The main reason I replaced mine is that the metal part once cut me :(

See Rule 18(b) of the Laser Class Rules for restrictions
 
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The stainless steel mainsheet eye strap between the two blocks on the boom may be replaced with asoft strap. The maximum width of the soft strap shall be 26mm. The soft strap shall only be fixed to the boom using the holes drilled by the builder as shown in the diagram below.

http://www.laserinternational.org/rules/classrules/partthree/boom

I have the original stainless strap and haven't thought of replacing it. However, I somehow get stuck on the part of the sheet between the strap and the front boom block, nearly every tack from starboard to port... but never the other way!
 
Thanks for the answers... Feel a bit silly that it is listed specifically... and i did not find it ..

Anyway, i'll have a got at it next weekend. If i still get stuck (which will probably be the case) i know i should do more stretching.... and just generally be less lazy when tacking.
 
Jaap Schellekens said:
i know i should do more stretching.... and just generally be less lazy when tacking.
Click to expand...
Same here... but it's the asymmetry of my tacks that really bugs me. Oh well, I should get some coaching in the coming weeks, so I'll ask her to look at it.
 
Drill out the metal strap rivets, (I use a large drill bit, center it and drill the top till the heads come off, use a nail punch to pop them through) fill the holes with new rivets, drill a hole in the top and install the strap

The old rivet bottoms will be inside the boom, you can live with it or I usually just put a hole in the end cap and they'll drop out. If you're doing a major event you might want to replace the end cap just in case. It's technically a major performance advantage...

that metal strap is lethal! always hooked me when it was freezing cold and really windy!
 
The rivet ends left in the boom can be just shaken out through the gooseneck plug.
 
Wow, great information. I have a job to do coming weekend! The diagrams are very helpfull. Once removing the eye I can use those holes to fix the strap with rivets. Thanks everybody!
 
Finally got to actually doing this. Happy with the result.


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