harken boom sleeve/clew hook or clew strap

lasereng

Member
Now the new harken sleeve has been out for a while I was just wondering how people with it compare it to the clew strap. I still just use a clew strap and elastic but as they have both worn recently i'm looking at the harken thingy is it worth it?
 
It's pricey for what it accomplishes. If you don't apply a good coating of lubricant to the end of the boom, it will jam. I like it as it's permanently mounted, and is very quick to attach and remove from the sail. Don't know if I'd buy one again though, as the clew strap works just as well and they give them away when you buy an Intensity sail.
 
I bought one when it first came out. I spent a lot of time adjust the lines, sleeves and inhaul shock cord. I could get it working real smooth ashore. When I took the boat out on the water, it would always bind. I've gone back to the clew strap and am quite happy with it. I find I don't even need an inhaul.

One nice thing about the sleeve is it makes rigging/de-rigging very fast. You can leave everything attached to the boom, and just hook the clue on when rigging. I know some people have had problems with the clue sliding off the hook. I never had this problem as long as I had the clue on the hook. You kind of have to slide the clue and flip the hook at the same time.
 
A while back I bought a laser with the new sleeve fitted.
It kept sticking so in the end I replaced it with my tried and tested clew strap.
The sleeve was actually harder to undo than my normal clew hook.
Needless to say I am not a fan of the sleeve.
 
My Laser came with one of the Harken Boom sleeves already fitted and I really like mine - it's true that it is a bit prone to jamming when under tension but it's fine if you loosen off the controls before you adjust it. I find it more convenient than the strap and for that reason alone I think it's a good bit of kit
 
While I haven't used the Harken fitting, my observations of others is that it does damage the anodised layer on the boom. Personally I'm very happy with the strap and it's light and convenient to use.

FWIW: Of the 800 boats I measured at the Open Standard, Womens, Men, Youth Radial and Masters Worlds last year, only about 2 or 3 boats were using the Harken fitting. I doesn't appear to be being accepted at the top end of the fleet.
 
FWIW: Of the 800 boats I measured at the Open Standard, Womens, Men, Youth Radial and Masters Worlds last year, only about 2 or 3 boats were using the Harken fitting. I doesn't appear to be being accepted at the top end of the fleet.

If ever reach that standard (unlikely) I'll try to remember to swap mine back to a clew strap:D


Nigel
 
I tried both of them and I'm using the strap becasue i think the strap just works fine and smooth.If it gets older you can change it in a low price.But the metal one is stronger but looks a bit risky about being stuck(i mean you cant lloose or pull it anymore).If some extraordinary situation occurs the metal one has more risk i think because me strap is basic.I tried the metal one but every time when i tighten the outhaul it got stuck i wasnt able to ease it anymore.So i prefer the strapit takes 1 more minute to rig/derig it.I think keeping it simpe is the best way

Enes
 
We have a few boats with the Harken sleeve but most people use the strap and some still swear by tying the damn thing down.

Personally I like the strap because I dont reckon the sleeve would fit on the clew of my 8.1 sail.

Having said that the strap runs just fine along my boom so I will stick with it.
 
I used to have my strap wrapped around a 3" long piece of PVC, which did the same job as the sleeve, however not in a legal fashion. While I haven't tried the sleeve, I never had any binding issues with the PVC...

To me that is one of those things that should be legal in spirit, but isnt by the letter....
 
Personally I like the strap because I dont reckon the sleeve would fit on the clew of my 8.1 sail.

Having said that the strap runs just fine along my boom so I will stick with it.

The sleeve has a hook that fits on the clew, but by all means, stick with what you are happy with.
 
The sleeve has a hook that fits on the clew, but by all means, stick with what you are happy with.

Hi Merrily,

Indeed it does but the cringle in the clew of the Rooster 8.1 is much thicker than the one in the standard and it does not fit (neither do any of the standard hook blocks) so I hook my outhaul to the clew strap. it works fine but will probably damage the strap in time (has been ok for a year now).

I go back to the more conventional way when i chuck the standard sail up though just in case this is outside of class rules).

Paul
 
i'm very happy with my clew strap and am going to stick with it... so far here in singapore, I haven't seen the metal sleeve/clew hook yet... and actually i like my clew strap so much i dont think i'll try the metal sleeve :)
 
I use a modified clew strap like the old Dorsal Outhaul, i.e. a clew strap with a clew hook sewn in where the "D" ring is located. I always like the idea, but unfortunately, Dorsal went out of business before I could get one. A member of this forum was nice enough to send me pics of his, and I took my strap and hook to a local sail maker and for a whopping $5 I had one of my own. It works great and stays on the boom like the new (and expensive) Sleeve.
 
I modified my clew strap, also. I attached the Harken clew hook to the s/s loop in the clew strap (by prying open and bending closed the loop part of the clew hook.)

I haven't sailed with it yet, but it looks like it will work great.:cool:
 
I modified my clew strap, also. I attached the Harken clew hook to the s/s loop in the clew strap (by prying open and bending closed the loop part of the clew hook.)

I haven't sailed with it yet, but it looks like it will work great.:cool:

Sounds like a good set-up, but that means the clew is now slightly further away from the boom. That fraction of a mm just might cost you the gold medal!
 
Yeah, that fraction of a millimeter is what is going to cost me the gold. :p

Let's not talk about my boat handling (or lack thereof!)
 
As an aside, have any of you noticed that the Volvo Open 70's have essentially a giant clew strap going around the carbon fiber, 1-foot-tall boom. Pretty simple idea if it works at that level with those kinds of forces.
 
Yes i noticed it and i was suprised i think it is used to spread the the force to a wider area rather than using two screws or so but I wonder the material of the clew strap
 

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