Securing boom to mast

[jack59]

I'm still pretty green at all this rigging stuff, but I was looking at the boom of my recently purchased DS1 SN 3455 and it looks like the boom just slips on to a pivot post on the mast. I couldnt find anything else that looks like it holds the boom onto the mast. Am I missing something or is there something missing from my equipment?
Thanks
Jack

[Bob Damon]

Some booms are fixed to the gooseneck (the thing attached to the mast) while others, especially Proctor masts and booms, simply slide over a post from the gooseneck into a hole in the boom. With the sail on this keeps the boom on the mast. Thats about it!

[jack59]

Bob,
It is a Proctor mast and boom and it is how you described it. It just doesnt look very mechanically strong. Thanks for the help.
JA

[Bob Hunkins]

I've had cases where my proctor boom will slide off the gooseneck post when the sail is down which is usually just annoying, but once it did cost me a compass. So I secured some fine - 2-3 mm? line through a fitting on the end of the boom (on the proctor booms this seems to be fairly easy task, but on other booms you may need to drill a small hole) and then tie the line around the mast so that the boom is held in place when the sail and/or boom vang are not able to do that. I also got into the habit of tightening the boom vang down all the way before raising and after lowering the main to keep the boom from slipping off the gooseneck. That'sworked well for me so far, I haven't broken another compass, at least.

[jack59]

Thanks for the tip Bob, sounds like sound advice.

[Donal]

I had a broken gooseneck that slid apart in just this way. Does it happen to look like this:

I pulled mine apart, and added a spring as it was originally designed. I had to tap the end of the gooseneck to allow a screw to be threaded in, with a fender washer to hold the spring in place. I guess I never took pics of the finished product.
You can also get one from D&R Marine. http://www.drmarine.com/proddetail.asp?prod=DR116