Boom height wrt boom gallows
 

My boat (Passport 42) has a boom gallows. Before I tore my rig apart for its rebuild, the gooseneck bracket was mounted at a height that resulted in steep downward angle fore to aft when the boom rested in the gallows. This prevents me from mounting solar panels on top of my hard dodger. Since I now have the gooseneck bracket that bolts on (vs being welded) I would like to lower the boom so that is horizontal when resting in the gallows.

When main in up there is significant clearance between the boom and the gallows:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

(not the best picture...)

So I plan on lowering the gooseneck brack down to just below the winches visible in the picture.

Are there any downsides to lowering the boom? Will there be times when I need a lot of clearance between the boom and gallows?

thanks!
-barry

Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to raise the gallows?

Jim Fulton

No, because the gooseneck is on a bracket (see post below this one) and there are no holes in the mast for it yet -- so I can mount anywhere I want.

But if I were to raise the gallows, my question is the same: How do I determine how high I can raise the gallows relative to the the gooseneck height?

Hi Barry,
I like the boom to be as low as practical, guest head room considered.
Better sailing aside, much easier to stow the main right after that great sailing day and handle on the bad days.
You need less than a few inches of clearance with the full main cranked down as tight as you dare, as normally the sheet is loaded less than that.
CAVEAT! A proper main will have the reef points cut to ensure the clew is higher than normal, when reefed.

Cheers, Russ

Coupla observations:
1) Lowering the gooseneck makes your vang less effective.
2) Lowering the gooseneck makes your current main not fit, unless you employ a floating tack of some sort, above the gooseneck.
3) You need to allow room for main halyard and sail stretch in your figuring of the gap to the gallows. A tight mainsheet and a long beat in increasing breeze can effectively lower the boom a lot with average-spec halyards and sailcloth.

1) Lowering the gooseneck makes your vang less effective.

Very good point. I currently have a soft vang, but will be installing a regular vang soon.

2) Lowering the gooseneck makes your current main not fit, unless you employ a floating tack of some sort, above the gooseneck.

I'm also installing a new tides strong track, so I can set the tack to where it needs to be.

3) You need to allow room for main halyard and sail stretch in your figuring of the gap to the gallows. A tight mainsheet and a long beat in increasing breeze can effectively lower the boom a lot with average-spec halyards and sailcloth.

Also a very good point. But even closed hauled in 20+ (no reef) the boom clears the gallows by about a foot. I don't recall the clearance under reef.