Boom height wrt boom gallows

[CAM]

Originally Posted by Russ L

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.