DaySailer.org Forum

Bob,

Mike helped me out on a vang set up, as well. Use a Thistle 360° swivel cam cleat. You can get them from APS. Scroll to the bottom of this page http://www.apsltd.com/c-2021-thistlehar ... tings.aspx . Mount it on the centerboard trunk just in front of the main sheet swivel. A cheek block on the keelson below the through deck block just behind the mast, take that back to another cheek block under the swivel cleat and everything’s nice and neat.

A couple of visual aids from Mike, this is how he set his up.

Bob,
20:1 Boomvang on a 360 Cleat nearby the Mainsheet Cleat is a fantastic means of working the largest sail in the sailplan with only a couple of feet of tail.
My Boomvang Control Lines have always been Red as its the "Panic Button" especially on the Thistle as 99% of the time our impending disasters are usually Boomvang related and over time one, two or sometimes all three of us are grabbing for the "Panic Button" to make the problem go away!
Most of the time when we're sailing upwind both the Mainsheet and Boomvang are draped across one of my legs allowing me easy and quick access to both.
When I'm sitting on the windward rail with the Main properly trimmed and I see a puff coming at us we'll start hiking and as I'm dropping into my strap I'm also cranking on the Boomvang to flatten the lower 1/3 of the Main while also twisting open the leech to depower the Main and push the boat forward.
As the puff dies away and I'm coming in from my hiked position I'm also easing the Boomvang to power back up the lower 1/3 of the Main and closing down the leech. The Main also usually gets eased about the same time as the backside of most puffs have less wind in them than the previaling wind before the puff.
The 1:1 Bridle Mainsheet stolen from the Snipe Class allows for quick and easy Mainsheet adjustment while leaving only several feet of Mainsheet in the bottom of the boat also decreasing the clutter of the conventional Mid-boom Traveler or multiple purchase Mainsheets commonly seen on most DS.
Vangsheeting of the Main upwind using the 20:1 Boomvang helps keep the Boom at a constant height allowing the skipper to power/depower the Day Sailer easier and quicker than the skipper and crew can adjust their hiking positions in or outboard making the boat faster.
As far as lateral structural considerations we have several Day Sailers in the Northern California region with struts from chainplate to chainplate or chainplate/centerline/chainplate to keep the shrouds from squeezing the boat side to side but the "Tree" on BUBBA does the same thing vertically while creating a platform for Halyard and Trim cleats while still keeping the interior on both sides accessible.
My two cents worth!

Mike,

Nice little tutorial! Thanks.

Thanks Mike on this page too!

I'll certainly provide some updates as the new boat gets some repairs.