boomkicker on the rotating mast

richardop · Post by **richardop** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:06 pm

The device is pushing out on the boom and forward on the mast. Seems to me that it will try to force the rotation to stay once rotated and try to prevent the mast from rotating to the next tack. Is this true? Does it work on the 26M. I think i would like one since the boat has no topping lift.

tangentair · Post by **tangentair** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:12 pm

If the mast and boom are in the same plane, the boom kicker will probably have no effect - but the mast raises and lowers very easily so why not install a topping lift instead? Cheap to do, has many uses when not holding up the boom, and if you decide to use the boom to haul something onboard, gives good vertical support.

Matt19020 · Post by **Matt19020** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 3:09 pm

I have it on my M and it DOES NOT keep the mast from rotating at all. I still keep my topping lift on in case some one was to lean on the boom, however this year I believe I will be disconnecting the topping lift becuse I purchased the new musclehead sail and I do not believe you can use the topping lift with that sail.

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 3:57 pm

Yep - no problem with the boomkicker and mast rotation. The gooseneck for the boom and the knuckle on the boomkicker (where it connects to the mast), are one-right-over-the-other. IOW- they swivel together, in the same line. The BK doesn't push the boom to the sides - only up, and it doesn't push the mast either, since it's not fastened anywhere else. (Remember that the vang is pulling just as hard is as the BK is pushing).

Cheers,

~Bob

Post by **NiceAft** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:35 pm

The Boomkicker is sold for M owners also. It must not be a problem, because there are many satisfied M users of the Boomkicker. I would not fret for another reason. There are many M owners who's mast's rotate very poorly. I am one. You may be also. After many attempts at solutions, I gave up

I just don't care anymore. During my Spring clean-up I will lubricate the washers, but if they work or not, I won't be phased. There is just too little sailing time to worry about it.

Matt,
According to Art, just leave your topping lift very loose. That's what I intend to do, but I can tell you that when I see you on Sunday.

Ray

Matt19020 · Post by **Matt19020** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:14 pm

For the Mast rotation Issue I used this bearing http://www.mcmaster.com/# Enter part # 6681K12 and used locktite on the mast bolt and worked perfectly! Grease it good because it is not stainless never had a issue after installing it...

TAW02 · Post by **TAW02** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:29 pm

I bought my M in July 07 and installed a boomkicker very soon thereafter. The boomkicker is anchored to the base of the mast which will then follow the mast through all points of rotational travel. Forces therefore never change.

I will add that I have had the mast rigging set loose because of the rotation feature. On both the upper and lower shrouds, the tension is loose enough to allow about 3 inches of of forced travel in both directions.

Under sail at above 10kts, the shrouds on the leeside will actually sag a bit.

Big T

Bill Earnhardt · Post by **Bill Earnhardt** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:58 pm

One of the best add on's, and all works well

Compromise · Post by **Compromise** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 1:25 pm

I just completed my install today and followed recommended placement per factory/store.

My question for those of you who have already installed is, did you have to retune your rigging?
I noticed the inside shrouds were looser after putting some tension on the boom vang and main sheet. My rig was previously tuned for a topping lift, putting some prseeure on the mast top.

How much pressure or tension do you place on the main sheet? In other words. In non sailing mode, does your boom sway from side to side or do you keep the main sheet tight? And if so how much tension do you apply to inhibit that movement?

thanks in advance

TAW02 · Post by **TAW02** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:14 pm

Compromise wrote:How much pressure or tension do you place on the main sheet? In other words. In non sailing mode, does your boom sway from side to side or do you keep the main sheet tight? And if so how much tension do you apply to inhibit that movement?

thanks in advance

Interesting thread ... but I am not going to answer this question because ... HEY, I don't have an answer

Reason is, I don't understand why the shroud tension that is applied to standard sailboats should be consciously or unconsciously applied to a sloop that has catamaran type rigging. Especially when this vessel (a 26M) is really classified as previously mentioned ... a 'sloop'. Yeah, just a sloop.

(insert thoughts here).

Well, okay ... bear with me. The 26M has a rotating mast and like all other masts with stays that hold the mast erect, we have all but one standard stay missing. The backstay. But then, when one considers that the backstay could be omitted due to the side-stay spreader bars being 'swept back', one could not only see this but at the same time 'marvel' at the engineering genious that went into that design.

However THAT very design opened the door to the 'pivoting mast' which makes everything all that worthwhile when it comes to design. Study the way this is done and suddenly you want to put a 'cold one' in Roger Macgregor's hand

Now then. From reading from the archives on the subject of side-stay tension, one finds that what is good for standard rigging MAY be too tight for Macgregor 26M

rigging. Why?

Because the more sidestay tension that is brought down on the mast the more pressure the mast places on the top deck area. On the 26M, this can be seen as extra thrust on the mast pivot bearing or 'thrust washer' that acts as a mast pivoting bearing. The more pressure, the more load. The more load the more pressure it will take to 'counter' that pressure that is needed to rotate the mast. That is the pressure applied to the boom. Or Mainsail.

So ... believe it or not, getting the right side-stay tension will require a goodly amount of 'test sailing' to get it right. I have found the

side-stays to be uncommonly loose if you are attaining the best performance.

But then yu be the judge.

Big T

c130king · Post by **c130king** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:07 am

Compromise wrote:... My rig was previously tuned for a topping lift, putting some prseeure on the mast top.

How much pressure or tension do you place on the main sheet? In other words. In non sailing mode, does your boom sway from side to side or do you keep the main sheet tight? And if so how much tension do you apply to inhibit that movement?

I really didn't think the tuning had anything to do with (or without) a topping lift. Especially when sailing since the topping lift is completely slack...at least on my rig. Even when static I didn't think the tightening down the main sheet, thus tightening up the topping lift had much effect.

To be honest I secure my boom to one side or the other by bungeeing it to a stanchion.

From what I have read in several other threads on this topic the purpose of getting the side stays tight was to help (somewhat) the tension of the furler. Which had a side-effect of too much pressure on the rotational functionality of the mast.

I guess mine is not "too tight" as my mast rotates okay.

Interesting topic. But I think I will live with my topping lift and soft vang for now. And the topping lift is only really needed when rigging and derigging as my Lazy Jack system holds up the boom when I lower the sails.

Cheers,
Jim

MacGregorSailors.com

MacGregorSailors.com

boomkicker on the rotating mast

boomkicker on the rotating mast

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