Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Yachts and Sail => Topic started by: tigertiger on January 21, 2009, 12:27:42 pm

Title: Reducing boom swing tendancy
Post by: tigertiger on January 21, 2009, 12:27:42 pm

If I am sailing in choppy waters the boat rolls. When it does the boom swings across the deck, due to gravity. The booms are wood and so are relatively heavy.

The booms end up on the wrong side of the boat, i.e. windward and not leeward.
This lets all the wind out of the sails and the boat 'stalls'.

Is there any way to mitigate or reduce this boom swing?

Title: Re: Reducing boom swing tendancy
Post by: malcolmfrary on January 21, 2009, 03:51:08 pm

This sounds like one of those situations when you need to adjust the sailing to the conditions - just sail a bit further off the wind, or even a lot further off the wind.  This will maintain boat speed, and allow you to have enough inertia to tack across the wind.  The important thing is that the boom should be free enough to swing across easily.  Pulling the sail in while turning usually helps maintain drive until the last moment until it starts to stall and inertia becomes needed.