DaySailer.org Forum

One of my winter projects is making a factory scissor style boom crutch for my DS II. I have my ash stock and a pattern for the sculpted top and bottom. Can someone confirm the length should be 50"? Also, can someone confirm the through bolt that creates the scissor effect should be drilled through the middle of the width, so when closed the boards are stacked evenly? I assumed so, but the diagram I have shows the hole in a location that would make the boards offset when closed-I assume the diagram I have is wrong in that regard.

Ideally I'd take some measurements with the mast and boom installed, but my boat is in winter storage inaccessible until mid April.

Thanks.

You need your measurements for a DSII, because of the double hull, the height above the cockpit floor is different. However, I think there is some variation in the height of the gooseneck between boats, but 24" above the cuddy deck is he maximum allowed under class rules. In any case, you either should build it a bit long and trim it to fit your boat, or wait until you can take exact measurements - if you care about, say, getting the boom to be horizontal - or at any other specific angle.

Have you thought about a topping lift rather than a boom crutch to hold your boom up? I use a topping lift on my boat for use when not under sail to hold the boom up.

John

The boom crutch will mostly if not exclusively be used when the boat is dry moored. The past two years, I used the halyard as a topping lift, and had a tarp over the boom and cockpit, bungeed to the trailer. I figured it would be better for the boom to be supported with a crutch than relying on the topping lift all summer.

Sounds like a good reason to have a crutch.