yacht boat boom

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Understanding the Boom of a Boat

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on navigating the intricacies of the boom of a boat. This apparatus, though simple in structure, is important in controlling and stabilizing the boat.

Within this guide, we will delve deeper into this piece of equipment. We will introduce you to its multiple parts, highlight its varied functions, and explain its broad significance within the ecosystem of a sailboat.

Key Takeaways

• The boom is the control center for your sailboat's performance. Adjusting its position allows you to fine-tune the mainsail's angle and shape, affecting speed, direction, and stability.
• Beyond controlling the mainsail, the boom serves as an attachment point for other sail controls like the outhaul, reef points, and clew. It's a multi-functional piece of equipment.
• Booms are made from various materials like aluminum, carbon fiber, and wood. Each material has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, such as durability and weight.
• Modern booms come equipped with internal systems like the furling system, outhaul, and reefing lines. These systems enhance performance and safety.
• Depending on wind conditions, you'll need to adjust the boom differently. For example, in light winds going upwind, you'll ease the outhaul and vang, while in gusty conditions going downwind, you'll tighten them.
• Understanding the boom's movement and using safety devices like boom preventers and brakes can significantly reduce the risk of accidents. Always wear safety gear and follow established procedures for a safe sailing experience.
• There are various types of booms each with its own set of advantages and drawbacks. Knowing the type of boom on your sailboat can help you understand its capabilities and limitations, allowing for more informed sailing decisions.

Sailing Terms: What is the Boom of a Boat?

A sailboat boom is a horizontal pole attached to the mast at its one end and running aft (toward the back of the boat) higher up. The purpose is extensive; it carries or bears much weight as part of the rigging system, supporting key parts, namely, the sail’s foot (the lower edge), reefing lines, and control lines.

Think of the boom as the control center of your sail. It's where all key sailing operations converge, creating an efficient system that allows you to sail smoothly and safely.

The Role of the Boom  

The boom serves as a central hub for controlling your sailboat’s performance. By adjusting its position, you can fine-tune the mainsail’s angle (a concept known as the   point of sail ) and shape in response to changing wind conditions. This impacts speed and direction and is an essential attachment point for other sail controls like the outhaul, reef points, and clew.

Just like a rudder steers a boat, the boom angles your mainsail to catch the wind effectively. It's a crucial tool for controlling your sailboat's balance and steering.

Controlling the Boom on a Sailboat and Adjusting the Sail Shape

The boom’s second core function is adjusting the sail’s shape . Why is this important? Well, let’s find out.  

• Efficiency: The shape of your sail can greatly impact the efficiency of your boat, influencing both speed and stability. Through careful adjustments of the boom, you can ensure optimal performance.
• Control: The shape of your sail also affects how much control you have over your boat. A well-adjusted sail allows for smoother and more predictable maneuvers.

Boom Functions and Controls

Boom Function : Control Sail Performance and Stability Description : Adjusting the boom angle and tensioning systems like the vang and outhaul allows you to optimize sail shape and angle to the wind. This impacts your speed, stability, and ability to stay on course.

Quick Scenarios for Boom Adjustment:

• Light Winds, Upwind : Ease the outhaul and vang for a deeper sail shape. Center the boom with the sheet.
• Gusty Conditions, Downwind : Tighten the outhaul and vang to flatten the sail. Use a preventer to stabilize the boom.
• Reaching Across Waves : Apply minimal vang to prevent the boom from bouncing. Let the boom swing outboard for stability.
• Preparing to Jibe : Ease the mainsheet to move the boom across, maintaining controlled motion. Use a boom brake if available.

Mastering Boom Control

• Tuning the Outhaul: Enhancing sail performance starts with tweaking the outhaul. A tight outhaul flattens the sail for higher wind conditions , while a loose one provides a fuller sail optimal for light winds.
• Manipulating the Vang: The Vang permits vertical control of the boom. Tighten the vang to prevent the boom from rising in higher winds or loosen it when sailing downwind .
• Proper Use of the Sheet: The sheet allows lateral control of the boom. To avoid accidental jibing, never let the sheet out too far. Keep the boom at a safe angle to the wind.

A Basic Guide to Boom Angles 

Sail Boat Boom Materials

Typically, boat booms are made utilizing strong, durable materials to withstand the demands of the sailing environment. These materials often include the following: 

• Aluminum: Due to its robust nature and lightweight, aluminum is frequently the material of choice. It’s renowned for its resistance to corrosion, which is crucial for equipment exposed to saltwater.
• Carbon fiber: Although more expensive, carbon fiber offers strength and lightweight qualities similar to aluminum but is stiffer, resulting in less flex.
• Wood: Traditional wooden booms are still found on classic and vintage sailboats. Though not as durable as modern materials, they provide an aesthetic appeal that some sailors prefer. 

Internal Workings of a Boom 

Boat booms are more than just static pieces of hardware. They are equipped with complex internal systems designed to enhance the performance and safety of your sailboat. Some of these systems include: 

• The Furling System : This mechanism allows the sail to be wound around the boom for easy stowage. It simplifies the handling of the sail and may provide a safer way to reduce sail in strong winds.
• The Outhaul : The outhaul is a line used to adjust the shape of the sail. By manipulating the outhaul, sailors can optimize the sail’s performance based on wind conditions.
• The Reefing Lines : These are lines used to reduce sail area in a controlled manner when facing strong winds. Reefing helps maintain balance and controls the power of the boat.

Main Parts of a Sailboat Boom 

Exploring the Different Types of Sailboat Booms 

Troubleshooting Common Boom Issues

Boom Maintenance Made Easy

Maintaining metal parts .

Any boat boom, regardless of the manufacturer, has metal parts needing consistent care. Regular upkeep ensures smooth sail operations and inhibits corrosion and, hence, longevity. 

• Cleaning: Use a gentle, non-abrasive cleaner and a soft cloth to clean the metal parts of the boom. Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive tools that scratch or damage the metal.
• Inspection: Regularly check for any signs of wear, such as cracks or corrosion. Attend to these issues immediately to prevent them from worsening.
• Lubrication: Keep all moving parts well-lubricated to ensure smooth operation and minimize wear and tear.

The Rigging 

This is where it gets a little trickier. The rigging isn’t just one piece of equipment; it’s an interconnected system of lines, pulleys, and cleats. 

• Inspect for Wear: Be vigilant about signs of wear and tear. Extra attention should be paid to the areas where lines pass through blocks or cleats, as these spots will likely wear more quickly.
• Replace Worn Equipment: Don’t be tempted to make do with worn-out rigging. If it’s frayed, replace it. It may seem like a hassle now, but it’s an investment worth making.

Parts of the Boom Prone to Issues 

Boom Safety: Essential Tips for Preventing Accidents

Understand the boom movement .

To ensure boom safety, it’s essential to grasp how the boom moves. It swings across the boat when the sail’s direction shifts in relation to the wind direction. Being aware of its path will help prevent unexpected contact. 

Remember, if the boom swings unexpectedly, it could potentially lead to injuries. Always act with caution when around the boom and during maneuvers.

Boom Preventers and Brakes 

When the wind is hauling or you’re making an unexpected turn, a preventer or brake can make the difference between a smooth sailing and a frightening mishap. 

The Significance 

The importance of both boom preventer and brake cannot been overemphasized, and here’s why: 

• Safety: These devices prevent high-speed crashes between the boom and the mast or any unsuspecting crew member during a jibe.
• Control: They help slow down or stop unwanted boom movement, providing sailors with more control over their boats, especially in rough weather.
• Durability: By limiting abrupt and forceful motion of the boom, they contribute to the longevity of all the gear linked to the boom.

Use of Safety Gear 

Proper use of safety gear cannot be overstated. Ensure everyone on board is wearing a helmet, especially during rough conditions. Protective gear can minimize the risk of serious injury from an accidental boom swing. 

Outline and Follow Safety Procedures 

• Regular checks: Regularly inspect the boom for any signs of weakness or wear, including cracks, corrosion or breakages in the gooseneck (where the boom connects to the mast).
• Proper boom setup: Check your boom’s height to ensure it is high enough to prevent stand-up accidents, without sacrificing the sail’s performance.
• Stay aware of wind direction: Always be aware of changes in wind direction to predict boom movements and avoid incidents.

Final Thoughts

Sailing is as much about understanding your vessel as it is about navigating the sea. One vital component of any sailboat is the boom. While it may appear as a simple bar at first glance, its role in your sailing expeditions is as complex as it is important. 

The boom primarily serves to angle the mainsail to the wind. This on its own is a crucial aspect of sailing, impacting speed, stability, and control of the boat. Aside from this, the boom simplifies a series of other sailing commands through its integral parts. 

A boom on a boat has a twofold purpose: it helps control the sail’s angle and shape and serves as a fulcrum for the mainsail. This control extends to adjusting the sail’s tension and providing essential leverage that promotes the boat’s forward momentum. 

Preventing these primarily involves maintaining awareness of your boat’s positioning relative to the wind and utilizing preventative hardware like a boom brake or preventer. 

The sail attaches to the boom along its foot. This attachment can occur at various points along the boom, but it is typically most secure when attached at the top of the boom near the gooseneck, where the boom and mast meet.

A boat can indeed function without a boom. However, a boom allows the boom to control the fore and aft position of the sail. A sail’s performance may be compromised without a boom, and handling may be considerably more difficult.

To safely handle the boom, one must always be aware of its movement. This includes keeping oneself and others safe by staying clear of its path as it moves from one side of the boat to the other. In addition, one should ensure the boom vangs are correctly fitted to avoid unnecessary movement and possible accidents.

A boom gallows is a frame or a bracket that supports the aft end of the boom, preventing unwanted movement when the boom is not in use. It serves as a storage location for the boom when the boat is docked or anchored.

Yes, apart from its primary function to maintain sail tension, a boom can also serve as a place to attach rigging devices such as lines or blocks. Moreover, when a boat is not in use, the boom can also act as a convenient place to hang and dry wet clothes or equipment.

A furling boom is a type of boom that incorporates a furling system, allowing the sail to be rolled up into the boom itself. This design allows the sailor to quickly manage the sail’s size, aiding in rapid adjustments to different wind conditions.

A halyard is a type of rope or line that is used to hoist a sail. In a boat with a boom, the halyard is attached at the top of the mast, and its function is to raise or lower the sail. It works in conjunction with the boom to keep the sail tensioned and under control.

Yacht vs Boat: What is the Difference?

How to dewinterize your boat, related posts, understanding the importance of boat chines, hull speed calculator, boat transom: a comprehensive guide.

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

How to rig a preventer and boom brake: Our expert guide

• Rachael Sprot
• July 31, 2024

Rigging a preventer or using a boom brake is just good seamanship when sailing downwind, but doing so badly is asking for trouble, says Rachael Sprot

A well-designed preventer system is just as important as any other part of the rigging, but it’s often an afterthought, sometimes little more than an old mooring line tied around the boom.

As the average size of a cruising yacht, and a mainsail, increases, it becomes ever more critical. In the preceding pages, we’ve looked at four cases over the last 20 years in which accidental gybes led to serious injury or death of at least one crew member.

Although these fatalities happened for different reasons, many of them shared similar features, such as strong winds and large seas, helmsperson inexperience, fatigue or distraction and the skipper being away from the cockpit.

Two had preventers rigged that failed. In particular, the Platino report demonstrates the huge loads involved, and the importance of how gybe-prevention equipment is fitted and rigged. It makes for sobering reading and has made me sit back and think about how I do things on my boat and when I am aboard other boats. Hopefully, these two articles will serve to make us better, safer and more aware skippers.

Chastened by the reports’ findings, I spent a day with Iain Horlock, chief rigger at Devon-based rigging company, Jimmy Green Marine, to better understand how to design a preventer for a cruising yacht under 50ft. We used Nimrod , my 36ft Cheoy Lee, to create a traditional preventer system and also tried two alternatives to a preventer: the Walder Boom Brake and the Wichard Gyb’Easy.

A boom brake or preventer can take the force out of an accidental gybe – especially important if your mainsheet crossed the cockpit. Photo: Graham Snook

Rigging a Preventer

What does a proper preventer system look like then? Best practice has always been that it should run from the end of the boom to as far forward as possible, but the Platino report makes this imperative clear. There are several components: a strong point on the boom, the preventer line itself, which might be separated into two parts, and the deck fittings which allow it to route from the bow and back to the cockpit. I asked Iain to help me specify the route and give advice on components.

Strong point on the boom

Fortunately, Nimrod ’s boom has an excellent strong point in the form of a fixed stainless bar in a cutout on the underside. This is used for the mainsheet attachment, but there was plenty of space to attach a preventer to. If you don’t already have a dedicated strong point, ask your rigger for advice.

There are a variety of different boom fittings to consider: additional slugs under the boom, a handle on the end of the boom, or attaching saddles to the boom to run a strop around the boom itself.

Cast boom-end fittings, like this one, are designed for preventers, and shouldn’t be used for anything else

We checked this with mast and spar manufacturer Seldén, and account manager Richard Le Mare told us: ‘We would always recommend setting up a preventer from the aft end of the boom to prevent the boom buckling. If you have a mainsheet in the centre of the boom we would still recommend the end for a preventer as the spar is designed for downward and sideways force not the direct sideways force you get from a preventer working hard to stop the gybe.’

He noted that some older booms have a cast aluminium boom-end fitting with a large eye or handle in it. This was designed for the purpose of rigging a preventer and should not be used for anything else. Attachments should be made with rope or soft shackles – other metals could damage the fitting.

While a deep reefed main may place the clew of the sail, and so the force of the gybe, further forward along the boom, it is worth keeping the preventer rigged to the strong point at the end of the boom. This will still give it the best mechanical advantage and avoid you having to rerig it.

Mainsheets or preventers rigged to the middle of the boom can break in a gybe

Preventer pennant

I have always preferred having a short ‘half’ preventer, or preventer pennant, permanently rigged to the boom. It means that when you need a preventer, half the work is already done, and you’re more likely to do the other half of the work. It also removes the need for someone to attach a line to the end of the boom whilst underway, which isn’t particularly easy or safe if the boom has already been partially eased.

I gave Iain the length between the strong point at the end of the boom, and the kicker fitting. He made up the correct length pennant with two spliced eyes. One end was attached with a soft shackle to the strong point so that it would allow articulation (which might need anti-chafe for long passages), and the other end connected to a bungee on the kicker fitting to keep it out of the way. Iain used Dyneema for this so that it could be a smaller diameter and was less bulky for a line which is permanently rigged.

Article continues below…

It’s worth adding that although we set up just one preventer and pennant on the day of the test, it’s probably worth rigging one on each side, so that you do not need to go forward and swap the preventer every time you put in an (intentional) gybe.

The pennant can be joined to the preventer line when needed, but remember, snap shackles aren’t 100% reliable, and bowlines can weaken a line by up to 70%

Preventer line

For the preventer line itself Iain prepared a 10mm braided polyester line, about 1.5 x the boat length. He put a snap shackle in one end so that it could be connected to the pennant quickly without losing much strength. According to the Platino report, snap shackles are not entirely reliable under dynamic loads, but they are better than using bowlines.

A soft shackle might be better in terms of reliability, but for ease of use we decided to stick to the snap shackle for a boat of Nimrod ’s size.

The preventer line can be pre-rigged through its fairleads on the side deck before departure

An in-depth analysis of the strength of the deck fittings isn’t realistic for most cruising yachts, but an experienced rigger should be able to determine whether they’re fit for purpose on a moderate-sized cruising yacht. Take a look beneath your deck fittings to see whether they’re reinforced with backing plates, or just small washers.

For many boats the bow mooring cleats will be the best position, with the advantage that their backing arrangements can be seen inside the anchor locker, and reinforced relatively easily if needs be.

As you’d expect for a boat designed in the late 1960s, Nimrod has substantial deck fittings. The fairlead on the bow is let into the toe rail, which gives it strength at the preventer apex. With open fairleads, there is a risk the line could jump out so a proper turning block may be better long term.

Coil the line onto the guardwires to keep the preventer line out of the way until needed

The bow cleats and midships cleats made natural turning points for a clear run back to the cockpit, with the addition of two relatively inexpensive low friction rings to achieve the best lead. Using snatch blocks instead would help everything flow, but this is less important for static loads than for one which is in constant play, like a spinnaker sheet.

Pre-rigging

We prepared the preventer alongside in Plymouth’s Sutton Harbour. If you’re setting off on a downwind passage it’s much safer to rig it in port. Clip the end which connects to the pennant to the guardwires amidships, so that it’s easy to access when needed.

Keep it secure using a thumb knot in the block at the cockpit end and coil the line over the guardwires to keep the cockpit clear.

Even without the boom sheeted in, it was easy to attach the pennant to the preventer line

TEST 1: The preventer

We set off into Plymouth Sound with a light westerly breeze. It was ideal test conditions: strong enough to fill the sail but light enough that we could experiment safely. A preventer should always be connected on a safe point of sail, with an experienced person at the helm.

If possible, don’t ease the mainsheet too much before connecting it, so that if there is a crash gybe at this point it won’t have so much travel. If you’re short-handed, it’s better to ask the novice crew to do the deck work whilst you remain on the helm: taking the preventer off the guardwires and reaching up to the boom to connect it to the pennant is easy if it’s already rigged.

Alternatively you could heave-to, which will bring the preventer to the high side, and then gybe out of the heave-to and ease the mainsheet once set on a broad reach. All of these options depend on the conditions, and your sail plan – the more mainsail there is up, the more difficult it is to come up to wind.

The preventer held the boom comfortably out to windward after the gybe, though this position felt a little precarious

On most boats the mainsheet needs to be well-eased for the preventer to clear the forward stanchion posts. Once attached, the preventer needs to be well-tensioned to reduce any dynamic loading in the event of a crash gybe.

We gybed the boat with the preventer on. The mainsheet came slightly slack – there was some stretch in the preventer system, but the boom held. It felt precarious and it wouldn’t have been comfortable to stay that way for any length of time, but it gives an opportunity to either ease the preventer and sheet in the main (but beware, this may risk bending stanchions as the angle to the boom changes), or gybe back again onto the original course.

Wichard Gyb’Easy

TEST 2: Gybing device – Wichard Gyb’Easy

The Gyb’Easy is a ladder-shaped device with three different ‘rungs’ and a pin at the top. It’s a one-size-fits-all solution for boats with mainsails up to 40m², which covers cruising yachts up to about 40ft. It should sit just aft of the vang bracket, although on Nimrod the only option was to attach it to the vang bracket itself.

A loop through one run will give a small amount of friction whereas through both creates more friction when tension is needed

A bight of line is threaded through the rungs and over the pin. The stronger the wind the more friction you need and the more rungs of the ladder you incorporate.

The two ends of the line then run symmetrically from the boom to the base of the shrouds, through a block and back to the cockpit winches. On Nimrod this setup wasn’t possible for a test sail, but low-friction rings on the midships cleats worked well instead. Wichard provides a specific line for the job, called the ‘Gyb’flex’, which is designed to help absorb shock loads. We used a substitute polyester braided line instead for the test sail.

The boom went through too fast with just one loop on the Gyb’Easy

We set it up with two ‘rungs’ of the ladder and eased the mainsail out and tensioned the Gyb’Easy. During the first gybe the boom swung across fast, although not quite full pace. Clearly we needed more tension on the line, or more friction. I was glad we were positioned well forward in the cockpit and hadn’t got in the way of the mainsheet.

An extra loop and a bit more tension and the Gyb’Easy did a good job of controlling the gybe

Iain added an extra ‘rung’ of the ladder and we tightened up the control line. On the second gybe the boom didn’t budge, but by easing the tension on the line we could bring the boom across in a controlled way. After a bit more trial and error we found the sweet spot: the setting with the least resistance but with plenty of tension on the line. The boom swung smoothly through the gybe.

Walder Boom Brake

TEST 3: Gybing device – Walder Boom Brake

The Walder Boom Brake is a drum-shaped device around which a line is passed two or three times depending on the conditions and amount of friction required. The device comes in several different sizes depending on the size of the mainsail, the largest of which can be used on a boat larger than 50ft.

Secure the Boom Brake to a strong point on the boom near the kicking strap attachment

We used the Walder 203 (boats up to 12m or 8 tonnes). It’s recommended that it replaces the kicker, or sits aft of a rigid vang.

Feeding the line onto the Boom Brake takes time, but can be done in advance and left in the locker pre-fed, or rigged prior to departure.

In a similar way to the Gyb’Easy, the Boom Brake needs a strong attachment point at the chainplates or toe rail by the shrouds. On one side, the Boom Brake can be made off, running back to a cockpit winch on the other side for tensioning.

Tension can be adjusted during the gybe to help the boom across if needed

The Boom Brake worked well on our first gybe; perhaps we’d learnt how much tension to apply to the line after testing out the Gyb’Easy. However, since we’d rigged it asymmetrically by tying it off to one side, it worked better on one gybe than the other.

When the control line is running to a winch on the windward side, in light conditions there’s a tendency for it to drag the boom to the centreline as you tension it. This could have been avoided if the line was rigged to a winch on both sides, so that you could tension the leeward control line, or if there had been more pressure in the mainsail.

Overall though the Boom Brake performed well, taking the energy out of the gybe in a controlled way.

Rachael sailed 100 miles to Roscoff on a broad reach to test her new preventer setup mid-Channel

Preventers and boom brakes verdict

All three systems worked well and I’d be happy sailing downwind with any of them.

The advantages of preventers are that they’re simple, cheaper to install, and a pennant permanently attached to the boom is much less obtrusive to leave rigged than the other two devices. However, a traditional preventer adds an extra layer of complication to gybing because they need removing first, then the mainsheet needs sweating in, and then after the gybe it needs re-rigging on the other side. This means someone needs to leave the cockpit every time you gybe.

If you opt for a preventer, I would rig a pennant and line each side so that you can set the new side without going to the foredeck. The downside is that you then have more lines in the cockpit, and additional slack lines hanging down from the boom during a gybe could be a hazard. If you’ve got ingenious ways of mitigating this, YM would love to hear from you.

Three weeks after our test, I sailed from Plymouth to Roscoff on a broad reach. The preventer stabilised the boom in a 2m sea, and I was able to release it and round up behind a couple of ships when I needed to. The line had chafed in the fairlead after just 20 hours, so it does need some protection. I bought some cheap firehose online, which also works well as chafe protection for mooring lines. It would be hard to get a turning block far forward enough, and I like the solidity of using the fairlead.

You don’t want to be going forward in a blow to rig a preventer if you can help it

The friction systems, when they’re properly set up, make gybing effortless. They’re also more versatile, since they don’t require the mainsail to be fully eased, you could use them on other points of sail to prevent the boom from swinging if there’s a rolly sea, which can be very hazardous even in light airs. They don’t hold the boom out to windward after a gybe as a preventer does, which still leaves you in a sticky situation and could give way suddenly. Instead, boom brakes let the boom across gently, which in many ways is preferable to a complete preventer.

However, to work well, we found they need two cockpit winches. If you’ve poled out a headsail and have a guy and downhaul rigged, you might not have enough winches left for this. They also have strong points by the shrouds, which some boats may not have.

The Walder Boom Brake felt like the more substantial piece of kit, but I liked the simplicity of the Gyb’Easy and it was easier to adjust the friction setting than on the Boom Brake. There’s also a lot of slack in the mainsheet when gybing so, although the gybe should happen slowly, you need to brief the crew to keep well clear. We all agreed that you need to know your boat well and become familiar with any system before trusting it in a blow.

I’m not sure I would ever trust them to gybe the boat safely with the mainsheet loose in more than 20 knots, but they’re there as a safety backup, rather than as a replacement for sailing your boat properly through a gybe.

Choose a preventer to suit you

Ultimately the choice will come down to your boat, your crew and how you sail. ‘A preventer system will always be fairly bespoke,’ said Iain at Jimmy Green, ‘because every deck layout is different.’ For occasional inshore use, or offshore passages on the same gybe, a traditional preventer is the simplest option, especially if the boat is a heavy-displacement cruiser which is more likely to sail deeper angles downwind and put in fewer gybes.

If I was sailing a more modern boat with an asymmetric in the sail wardrobe which favours reaching downwind, rather than running, and putting in more gybes, I’d be more inclined to use the Boom Brake or the Gyb’Easy. For tradewind sailing across the Atlantic on a boat over 40ft, I’d seriously consider the Boom Brake, especially if I had any inexperienced crew.

‘I’d be wary about designing a preventer system which is going to hold under any load,’ said Iain. ‘Something has to give eventually.’

None of these systems is guaranteed to eliminate the destructive consequences of a crash gybe. They do, however, move the balance of probability in your favour.

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My Cruiser Life Magazine

Things You Never Thought to Ask About the Boom on Sailboat

Most sailboats have one because they’re awfully handy. But sailboat booms are also one of the most dangerous parts of the boat, and they demand our understanding and respect. 

Here’s a look at sailboat booms, some of their basic parts and terminology, as well as some no-brainer tactics and equipment to make cruising a little safer. If your sailing lingo is a little rusty, you can brush up on your sailing terms and parts of a sailboat before diving in.

Table of Contents

Problems with the boom on a sailboat sailing downwind, gooseneck fitting, topping lift, reefing systems, sail management system, what is a boom gallows help with a heavy sail laden boom, wishbone booms, boom preventer, boom brakes, don’t let your sailboat boom go boom, boom on a sailboat faq.

What is a Sail Boat Boom?

A sailboat boom is a horizontal spar that holds the foot of a sail. They’re most common on the mainsail, although they are also sometimes used on staysails. On a two-masted sailboat , called a ketch, the mizzensail will have a boom. The boom provides support and helps shape the sail. 

As with the mast, usually the sail attaches to the boom with slides. Most booms are made of aluminum, but wood is traditional, and carbon fiber composites are the state-of-the-art option in the cruising world.

Another advantage of the boom is that it allows you to attach more control lines. By connecting several different lines in different areas, sailors can shape the sail to meet the conditions better than a sail with no boom, which can only be controlled with a single line. 

It’s rare to see a fore and aft rigged sailboat without at least one boom. There are a few rare rig types, however, that don’t use them, like the lateen. If a sail is not connected to a boom or is only connected at the clew end, it is said to be “loose-footed.”

Booms also offer options for sail storage. For example, many sailboats store their mainsails in bags built on top of the boom. Some advanced systems include lines that flake the sail into the bag for easy deployment and retrieval. 

The boom is one of the most dangerous parts of a sailboat. The boom will swing across the boat when the boat tacks or jibes. If crew members or passengers are caught unaware, the boom will smash right into their heads and knock them overboard. 

Tacks on upwind points of sail are safer than downwind jibes because the boom is sheeted in and held close to the boat’s centerline when tacking a sailboat . In other words, the boom doesn’t move very far during a tack. 

During a jibe, on the other hand, it moves from one side of the boat to the other. If the jib is accidental or otherwise uncontrolled, the force of the boom slamming across is more than enough to injure someone or damage the boat. Accidental jibes are bad news, and a potential raging boom is deadly.

Parts of a Boom on Sailboat

Here’s a look at the components you might encounter on a typical cruising boat’s boom.

The main control line for any sail is called the sheet. You bring a fore and aft sail closer to the boat’s centerline when you sheet the sail. This is for sailing upwind. 

When you ease out a sheet, you let the sail relax and come perpendicular (or nearly so) to the boat’s centerline. This is the case when sailing downwind.

Since mainsails are usually larger and heavier than headsails, the sheet needs more power. Therefore, main sheet systems are rigged with some amount of purchase in the system to make it mechanically easier to sheet in a loaded sail.

The sheet is usually attached to a block and tackle system that moves from side to side on the deck. This is called the traveler. The traveler can be used to fine-tune the sail trim.

The boom attaches to the mast at the gooseneck fitting. This special attachment allows the boom to swing side to side and angle up and down. This freedom of movement is vital to trim the sail in any wind condition. 

The gooseneck is usually a fairly expensive part and one of the easier things to break. It’s subject to the tremendous force of the mainsail and wears with every little movement. 

The topping lift is simply a line that holds the end of the boom off of the boat when the sail isn’t up. When the sail is flying, the boom is more or less attached and held up by the sail. 

But nothing remains to hold up the boom when the sail is dropped. That’s why the topping lift is so important. If it weren’t there, the whole boom would crash down onto the boat when you released the halyard to lower the sail. Yikes!

The vang is a control line that runs from the base of the mast and up to the boom at an angle. It may look like a second sheet, but it doesn’t control where the boom goes. 

Instead, the vang applies pressure and a downward force on the forward section of the boom. It pulls it, resisting the sail that tries to pull it up. Doing so keeps the sail flatter, which is better for strong wind conditions. 

Larger boats now come with solid boom vangs. These use a hydraulic system to hold the boom in place. Today topping lifts are used as a backup to these hefty “kickers” on some boats.

Reefing is the action of reducing sail when the wind pipes up. 

Booms allow the use of a few different types of reefing systems. The most common is the jiffy or slab reefing system. 

With this system, the sailor releases the halyard to lower the sail slightly. A reefing tack is secured to the boom near the gooseneck. A permanent reefing line is run from the reefing clew, at the back of the sail, through a block at the aft end of the boom and then forward to the base of the mast. 

Pulling this reefing line tight, the sailor can secure the sail’s tack and clew at the mast. In some cases, one or two reef lines can be run together and then led back to the cockpit, allowing a sailor to shorten sail from the helm. 

The boom provides a structure where the sail can be stored when not in use. The most simple example is the sail bag. The sail is lowered, folded nicely (flaked), then sail ties are used to lash it to the boom. Then, a custom-fitted bag holds the sail to the boom and protects them both.

Lazy Jacks and Stack Packs

To help keep the sail on top of the boom when raising or lowering it, small lines can be added. They run from a point high on the mast down to multiple points along the boom. 

When the sail is dropped, the lines keep the sail from spilling down onto the deck. 

An upgraded version of this is the stack pack. A stack pack combines the lazy jacks and the sail bag into one product. Lazy jack lines keep the sail from spilling onto the deck, and the bag is built into the lines around the boom. There’s a zipper on the top, so to tidy away the sail, all one has to do is drop the sail into the bag and pull the zipper closed. 

The Dutchman flaking system is another sail management product like the Lazy Jack. The Dutchman uses vertical lines running from the boom to the topping lift. The sail has a line of grommets that go around these lines, so as the sail comes down, it flakes naturally around the Dutchman line. 

In-Mast Furling

Many boats are equipped with in-mast furling systems. These allow the sail to be rolled up inside the mast when not in use.

The boom on a boat with in-mast furling works like any other, but the outhaul line becomes more important. The outhaul is run from the sail’s clew and then back to the rear end of the boom. It then goes to the mast, where it can be led aft to the cockpit.

Pulling the outhaul is what unrolls the sail. An inhaul line, or furling line, rolls up as the sail comes out. Pulling that line again while easing the outhaul will roll the sail back up inside the mast.

With in-mast furling, there’s no need for reefing lines, sail bags, lazy jacks, stack packs, or any other sail management. Instead, it’s as simple as a furling jib.

Furling Booms

In-mast furling has a lot of problems, however. The sail must be loose-footed to work, and it cannot have horizontal battens. That means that the sail must be smaller than it would otherwise need to be. 

In-boom furling solves this by furling the sail around the boom. This system allows for full-batten sails with a larger, fuller roach. These powerful sails are common on modern cruising boats, especially catamarans. 

The furling boom also has a fail-safe design. An in-mast furling system can get fouled, leaving the sailor with the sail up and a big problem if the wind is high. With the furling boom system, you can always drop the sail in the case of a malfunction or jam.

Many older bluewater boats have boom gallows. It’s a wooden arch that spans the cockpit of the boat. It has notches in it where the boom can sit. 

The purpose of a boom gallows is to provide a hard point where the boom can be sat. Should the topping lift fail or get accidentally released, the boom will come crashing to the deck and could cause damage. The boom gallows provides a place for it to land without anything or anyone getting hurt. 

Of course, the boom gallows is handier than that. The ability to set the boom down and secure it makes operations in rough seas much safer. This is especially true in older designs where sailors had to go up to the mast to reef the sail. This will keep the crew much safer rather than dealing with a madly swaying, dangerous flailing boom that will cause problems in rough sea conditions.

It even makes things better at the dock or anchor. The gallows allows you to release the tight topping lift when not in use and secure the heavily-laden sail boom. This reduces stress on the boat’s rig because things won’t be swinging around with every wind gust and wave. 

The boom gallows is mounted in a strong attachment place and makes an excellent handhold to boot.

An alternative to the standard boom is the wishbone. These are typically found on windsurfing boards, but a few boat designs have also incorporated them. 

One example is the Nonsuch, a catboat-like cruising boat with distinctive wishbone booms. 

Avoiding Trouble – The Importance of Preventers and Brakes, And the Difference Between the Two

The boom is one of the most dangerous parts of a sailboat. Small boats, in particular, seldom have the booms mounted high enough for someone to stand under. 

When the boat comes through the eye of the wind, as when tacking upwind or jibing downwind, the boom will cross from one side of the boat to the other. 

If the skipper is on their game, they’re going to approach both of these situations carefully. They’re not going to let the boat do it without letting everyone on board know what will happen. And they’re not going to do it until everyone is out of the way.

Boats do, of course, accidentally jibe sometimes. When the boom swings around, the chances it could knock someone overboard are extremely high. In strong winds, the boom can easily knock someone unconscious at the same time.

It can also damage the boat. The gooseneck isn’t designed to absorb the loads of a powerful jibe. Jibes need to be controlled, or else it’s pretty easy to break things.

A preventer is a line tied to the boom to ensure it stays on one side of the boat. On cruising boats, preventers are rigged so that if an accidental jibe happens, it won’t hurt anyone or damage anything. 

Preventers are usually rigged from the boom forward to a midship or bow cleat. To jibe intentionally, you must release the preventer first. Once the jibe is complete, it can be resecured on the other side of the boat. 

A brake is not a preventer and will not stop an accidental jibe. Instead, it works just like it sounds like it would–it slows the boom down. 

A brake is a special fitting mounted to the bottom of the boom. A line is run from each side of the boat and through the fitting. As the boom moves, the line travels through the brake fitting, but not easily. The whole point of the brake is that it adds friction and slows the boom down. 

You don’t have to release a boom brake to jibe, but you might have to adjust it a little. This is because the amount of friction it puts on the line is a factor of how it is rigged.

The boom brake reduces stress and loads on the rig during jibes. It also provides a little more reaction time for the crew so that a crash jibe doesn’t happen as fast as it otherwise would.

A boom brake could be used in conjunction with a preventer to be completely effective. 

This video shows how to use various brakes and preventers.

The boom demands respect from all sailors and sailboat passengers. It’s too easy to get hurt, and no helmsperson is completely infallible. Nevertheless, accidents happen, and it makes far more sense to prepare for them with simple rigging and equipment before the fact. 

Can you raise the boom on a sailboat?

It depends a lot on the design of the boat. At the very least, you may have to adjust the sail measurements to suit you since you are effectively reducing your mast height by raising the boom. When in doubt, it’s best to consult with an experienced rigger.

What holds the boom down on a sailboat?

When the sail is flying, the boom is held down by gravity. The sheet is the line that will pull the boom closer to the boat and control its position. The sail holds the boom up. 

When the sail is down, the boom is held up by a line called the topping lift. The tight mainsheet opposing it keeps it from swinging freely.

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

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• Mastering the Sailboat Boom: The Art of Sailing Simplified

Navigating the open waters, a sailboat cuts through the sea, its sails billowing in the wind, guided by the silent workhorse of sailing: the sailboat boom. This horizontal pole, extending from the mast, might seem unassuming at first glance, but its role is pivotal in the dance between wind, wave, and vessel. The sailboat boom is not just a structural component; it is the backbone of sail manipulation, impacting the vessel's speed, direction, and overall handling. Understanding the intricacies of this essential element can transform a novice sailor into a seasoned navigator of the seas.

The Essence and Evolution of Sailboat Booms

At its heart, the sailboat boom serves a crucial function in controlling the sail's angle and tension against the wind's capricious moods. By holding the bottom edge of the sail, it allows sailors to refine the sail's shape, thus affecting the boat's movement. Beyond this primary function, the boom is instrumental in reefing (reducing sail area in stronger winds) and supports various rigging components necessary for the sail's operation. The evolution of sailboat booms over time, from the traditional wooden spars to the modern carbon fibre and aluminium, mirrors the evolution of sailing itself. Each material brings its benefits and drawbacks, influencing the boom's weight, durability, and overall impact on the sailboat's performance.

Sailing Dynamics: Mastering the Boom

The effective use of the boom is akin to mastering an art form. It requires an understanding of the boom's role in sail dynamics, including how it affects balance and efficiency in navigation. Techniques in boom sailing range from managing the sail's angle for optimal wind catchment to executing precise manoeuvres that leverage the boom's position. The size, shape, and material of the boom all play into these dynamics, affecting everything from the sailboat's handling to its speed.

Read our top notch articles on topics such as sailing, sailing tips and destinations in our Magazine .

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Installation, rigging, and maintenance: keeping the boom in prime condition.

The longevity and efficiency of a sailboat boom hinge on proper installation, regular maintenance, and the correct approach to rigging. The process of rigging a sailboat boom, involving the attachment of various hardware components such as the gooseneck and the setup of the mainsail, requires meticulous attention to detail. Regular maintenance is crucial to prevent wear and tear from compromising the boom's integrity. This includes checking for signs of damage, ensuring that moving parts are lubricated, and replacing any worn-out components. The hardware that accompanies the boom, from the clamps that secure it to the ropes that control its movement, must also be chosen with care, as these elements are vital for the boom's operation and, by extension, the sailboat's performance.

Challenges and Solutions in Sailboat Boom Management

Despite the best efforts in maintenance and operation, challenges with sailboat booms are inevitable. Common issues range from wear and malfunction due to exposure to the elements, to operational errors that can lead to damage. Addressing these challenges requires a proactive approach, including regular inspections and a willingness to adapt techniques and equipment as needed. The modern sailing world also presents solutions in the form of innovations in sailboat boom design. Advancements in materials and engineering have led to booms that are not only more efficient and easier to handle but also incorporate technology for enhanced functionality.

Sailing Into the Future: Innovations in Boom Design

The horizon of sailboat boom technology is ever-expanding, with innovations aiming to make sailing both more efficient and accessible. Automated systems for controlling boom position, lightweight materials for enhanced performance, and designs that simplify rigging and adjustment processes are just a few examples of how the world of sailboat booms is evolving. These developments promise to make sailing safer, more enjoyable, and more accessible to sailors of all levels of experience.

In conclusion, the sailboat boom is a testament to the complexity and beauty of sailing. Its design, functionality, and maintenance are central to the sailing experience, influencing the vessel's interaction with the wind and waves. As technology advances, the sailboat boom continues to evolve, promising a future where sailing is more efficient, safer, and even more in harmony with the forces of nature.

So what are you waiting for? Take a look at our range of charter boats and head to some of our favourite  sailing destinations.

I am ready to help you with booking a boat for your dream vacation. Contact me.

Denisa Kliner Nguyenová

Boat booms are located on the side of the yacht and are used while a superyacht is anchored to attach smaller boats and tenders on the yacht. This prevents that the smaller boats or tenders can hit the yacht. Boat booms are fully automatic and can be controlled by means of a push-button-panel or a radio remote control.

The boat booms are usually placed near a tender garage or boarding platform. They are single or double telescopic depending on the requested reach and available storage length. Boat booms can be delivered with a box/trunk for welding in the yacht structure – the box can be delivered watertight, weather-tight or non-classified.

To close the box the boat boom can be equipped with a hatch that is mounted on the end of the boom and has the same shape of the hull in that position. It is also possible to deliver a hatch which can hinge in a preferred direction. Please contact us for more information.

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Working with Cramm over the last 3 years has been a pleasure. Cramm equipment is built to a very high standard, and unlike some bespoke equipment found on yachts, has proven to be very reliable. The installation of Cramm equipment has been carried out by experienced technicians with maintenance in mind for access to serviceable components.

Cramms service engineers are extremely knowledgeable of their systems, routine service visits incorporate thorougher inspections of equipment, often detecting potential problems before they occur. Cramms service engineers are always very careful with keeping clean and not making a mess. Working areas are always very well protected before work commences, and left as found. I would definitely recommend Cramm for hydraulic equipment as one of the leading company’s in the industry.

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For me it is a big advantage that our companies are relatively close to each other. This makes the verbal communication much more efficient. Short lines often work better. So also the follow up of appointments and agreements work well is my experience. What I also notice about Cramm is that in principle everything is negotiable in a good way, as well the somehow bigger challenges. Cramm is a beautiful Dutch company to work together with.

Pieter Smit

Motor yacht castellina.

I would like to take the time to thank you for the recent visit from a Cramm engineer. It was great to get him back onboard after 16 years to see how the system is now functioning. We found him to be extremely helpful and carried out the assessment with great care and was very thorough.

With the system still functioning well after 16 years of hard service we are certainly going to stick with you, for our up and coming major refit next year, you certainly have our trust! With your revolutionary designs, great service, great build quality and dedicated professional engineers, I would be happy to recommend your services to anyone looking for a first class service.

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Over the past years Cramm has done several projects on board M/Y BLADE. No matter how big or small, each project was completed to a high standard. Cramm’s service has always been transparent, friendly, efficient and neat. Their knowledgeable engineers are always willing to go the extra mile and their aftercare never disappoints. All in all we’re extremely happy with the service Cramm has provided us with over the years and we’ll continue to use them.

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• Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear

A Sure Way to Secure the Boom

When the wind really blows, the pleasant chiming of a marina takes on a different character. Above the howling of the wind is the Devils Tattoo, the racket of one hundred poorly-secured halyards hammering against aluminum. Booms creak from side-to-side, and some pound against stays. Workers are distracted and anyone living aboard wishes his neighbors had taken a few small steps to preserve the peace, not to mention their rig.

The damage is largely invisible. Other than telltale marks on the mast and the occasional line chafed on the spreaders, the harm is the slow fatigue-to-rope type and minor wear on goose necks, traveler cars, blocks, masthead pulleys, and dozens of shackles.

Here are some of the more common ways to reduce this wear and tear.

Boom Gallows: Boom gallows are a great solution for offshore boats, but are rare on cruising boats, and don’t suit many coastal craft. The boom crutch, often removable, is the small-boat equivalent

Pendant to Backstay: This limits the movement but does not eliminate it. It also can harm the backstay.

Twin Mainsheets: Creating a perfect triangle, twin mainsheets hold the boom in securely. Its convenient if you have a twin mainsheet system.

Brace Line: Like the twin mainsheet, a triangle is created (see photo). Simply attach a fixed-length line from the boom-end to a fitting near the rail. Then center the traveler and tighten the mainsheet against the topping lift and brace. It can be removed while sailing, or simply clipped up to the boom end.

Securing Halyards

Countless methods work for securing halyards, but there are three principles that must be observed if it is going to stay quiet when the wind is up.

Separation. The halyards must be separated from the mast by at least two feet or the stretch will allow contact in high winds. So long as the load is taken off the head of the sail, the halyard does not need to be detached from the sail to accomplish this-although this is often preferable on the dock. It should not be possible for sail to be lifted by the tension (or wind). The halyard can be led under a reefing hook, under a mast-mounted winch, or the headboard secured with a length of line.

Firm Tension. Only firm tension, at least 50 pounds and preferably light winch tension, can prevent the halyard from oscillating though a very wide arc.

No Bungee Cords. The problem with bungees is that firm tension is impossible to apply because they stretch. They seem fine in 10 knots, but fail utterly in real wind. All lines used to deflect halyards must have low stretch.

Few sailors hang out in marinas when the wind really blows. We do, since theres often gear to be tested in full conditions. Visit your boat during the next blow, see how she moves in the slip, and secure your boom and halyards. Your reward will be reduced wear, more trustworthy rigging and the unspoken gratitude of your neighbors.

Drew Frye is technical editor for Practical Sailor and author of Rigging Modern Anchors (Seaworthy Publications). He also blogs at his website www.blogspot.saildelmarva.com .

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Secure the preventer and lash the halyards as you describe. Every cruising yacht should have a preventer.

I’d love more detail plus photos and diagrams to illustrate how these various halyard quieting options work. I don’t know how many sleepless nights I’ve had, at anchor, when the wind picks up and halyards start slapping the mast. My normal practice is to use a short length of line to pull the halyard away from the mast by tieing it to the related side stay. This causes the halyard to exit the masthead block at a sideways angle and likely doesn’t do it any good either! I will certainly try the halyard tensioning option as this seems like a simple solution. Paul van de Bospoort Pearson 303 Sun Dance II Wiarton Ontario

What is the solution with external halyards on furling sails

Before turning in I lead halyards out to the lifelines, pass them twice around the lifeline, and then clip the shackle around the halyard itself (not the lifeline). If you clip directly to the lifeline, all night long youwill hear ‘click, click click’ as the shackle wobbles back and forth, hitting the stanchion, again and again. ‘But not too much tension, otherwise the lifeline itself gets unhappy. For the main boom, the gallows works great. For the stay sail club boom on a track, move the track stops to lock it to one side, then tension to the opposite side with a short piece of line.

Tayana 37 Sans Souci

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How To Raise the Boom on a Sailboat in 5 Easy Steps

There are a plethora of reasons why you might want to raise the boom on your sailboat, ranging from creating more space to performance adjustments. This article will show you how to do that in five simple steps.

So how to raise the boom on your sailboat?

• Drill new holes for repositioning the gooseneck
• Fill the old holes so that the mast strength is not compromised
• Shorten the sail
• Make sure the boom doesn't interfere with the backstay
• Check the new position's functionality and compatibility with all the other components

Now let's go over these steps in more detail. We will also have a look at some of the reasons for raising a boom on a sailboat. Who knows, maybe we'll inspire you and tomorrow you'll be on your boat with a toolbox by your side.

But I feel it might be quite the opposite - as you'll soon find out, raising a boom is no joke. However, there may be a good alternative.

On this page:

Why would you want to raise your boom, how to in five steps, what if i am now discouraged, in conclusion.

You might ask why even go down this path. After all, sailboats are made by experts who know what they are doing, and a boom is precisely where it is for a good reason.

Well, not so fast. Say your sailboat doesn't have a boom vang because it is more of a leisure cruiser. But you have adventurous blood coursing through your veins, and you want to add that boom vang to your vessel. So you do your research, you do all the measurements, and oops, the boom is too low for a standard vang.

This specifically is why quite a number of 30-foot C&C owners were looking precisely into this topic.

Or say you want to add a bimini to the cockpit for that extra shade and comfort, but the low placed boom doesn't allow for this.

Or what if safety is your concern? Especially on smaller sailboats, the boom can be placed so low and extend so far into the cockpit that chances of somebody's head getting injured when the boom swings are high.

All in all, there are reasons to look into it. As is the case with any other vehicle, although they do come from the store ready to rock'n'roll, there are often ways to tinker your way to improvement in case the product doesn't fit your needs. The car tuning scene could write a book on the topic.

Firstly, let's talk about how to go about raising the boom. Though the oftentimes confusing sailing terminology glossary is a thick book already, we have to introduce yet another new term - gooseneck. It is a bunch of parts that connect the boom to the mast.

1. Drilling New Holes

The gooseneck is attached to the mast with rivets or screws, so it is possible to change its position by simply drilling new holes in the desired height. Do this carefully though. There are incredible forces exerted on a mast when under sail and you don't want to compromise its rigidity.

Easy, right? This main part is not that tricky, and anyone with enough prudence and diligence can do it without the need to even use any specialized equipment. Unfortunately, you're not even halfway done.

2. Filling The Old Holes

Let's get back to the rigidity issue. You have drilled your holes, maybe even repositioned the mast already. Now there are a few extra holes in your mast, which is not good news for its strength. You have to fill them to make sure the mast can still take the load, which is easily done with short rivets or something of that sort.

So again, nothing technically difficult with a bit of love and care. But it is a step you don't want to overlook as if you do, your mast will be more likely to snap in half when the wind hits the sails.

3. Shortening The Sail

Now come the tricky steps. The precise position of a boom is not a standalone matter, rather it is influenced by and influences quite a few other aspects and parts on your boat.

One of these is your sail size. As you might have expected, raising a boom changes the sail area of your mainsail, so you need to resize it. Regardless of if your sail twists inside of your boom, mast or simply rests on the boom, this needs to be done.

Unfortunately, unlike the previous steps, this is not a DIY project for most. You can't simply cut off the extra part, because, for instance, the seams have a specific curvature. If you ignore this, your performance will decrease significantly as you will mess up the sail shape. This won't be that noticeable when you go downwind, but when sailing upwind you will notice the difference. Which means you might need to leave this in the hands of a professional sailmaker.

Also, because you will most likely be cutting the sail at the bottom, you will need to redo the two corner reinforcements too. And since the prudent thing to do here would be cutting the sail from the bottom as well as the back so that the shape is maintained, in case you have battens in your sail, you will need to adjust them and the pockets they sit in.

It sounds like a lot, I know. This is why you might conclude that getting an entirely new mainsail might be less of a hassle and cheaper than redoing your old one, especially if it has been used for a while already.

4. Making Sure The Boom Doesn't Interfere With The Backstay

Another of the parts that might be influenced by your tinkering is the backstay . Since it goes from the back of the boat to the top of the mast, if you put your boom up, its backside might collide with it.

Repositioning the backstay is unrealistic, and so you might find yourself having to shorten the boom too. I know we are getting quite far from the original simple task of just raising the boom, but rigging parts are in a delicate unison and tweaking one tends to require you to tweak the others too.

Gosh, I sure hope you read this whole thing before drilling the holes.

5. Checking The New Position's Functionality And Compatibility

I don't mean to discourage you from raising your booms, but I have yet another bit of news that might make some of you turn back on this project.

As expressed above, many things on a sailboat are intertwined. So even if you successfully raised the boom, reshaped your sail, or ordered a new one and made sure the boom doesn't collide with the backstay, you still gotta check if everything else works as it should.

One such thing might be the boom vang - as it is directly attached to the boom, you might need to swap it for a different sized one and also adjust the line length.

The same goes for all the other lines - if the boom is now set higher, better make sure you have enough ropes to work with. This probably won't be an issue since the change is not that drastic but better safe than sorry.

All in all, make sure you test the rigging properly, simulate various potential situations so that you are sure the new boom position doesn't interfere with stuff it shouldn't interfere with.

Great question. If you expected a reliable how-to guide, but instead this article stabbed your tinkering enthusiasm in the back with a long list of all the inevitable negatives, consider this mighty plan B.

If the goal is to get the boom out of the cockpit (and in most instances, this will be the case), there is a possible alternative that requires little in terms of effort, at least compared to the original plan. And you won't even need a screwdriver.

Here is what you can do - simply raise the end of the boom enough to have it be well above the cockpit area. Yes, that means raising it a lot - enough to require altering the sail shape. But that will be the only demanding thing you will have to do, regardless of whether you want to try to reshape the sail yourself (not recommended) or buy a new one.

Cost of Replacing Sails To get a quick grasp on whether the light is worth the candle, you can check the cost of replacing sails here .

You can try this safely by tightening your topping lift as much as needed to achieve your desired angle, and you will see if it is enough to get you the desired result.

I apologize. I try to encourage sailing-related ideas and figuring out how to realize them, but contrary to what this might seem like at first glance, raising a boom is no simple task since you have to consider the sensitivity of the rigging orchestra. That being said, even though it is not a DIY project and takes more than a weekend of work, it can be done. So if you are up for it, go for it.

Leave a comment

You may also like, sailboat parts explained: illustrated guide (with diagrams).

When you first get into sailing, there are a lot of sailboat parts to learn. Scouting for a good guide to all the parts, I couldn't find any, so I wrote one myself.

How Much Do New Sails Cost?

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Boom Vang Systems

The vang allows vertical adjustment of the boom, and is an extremely important tool to shape the main for speed. Tension the vang to tighten the leech, flatten the sail and bend the mast. Cruisers use the vang to keep the boom from rising when sailing downwind and abraiding the main.

Typical boat length: Small Boat: 22' - 28' (6.7 - 8.5 m) Midrange: 29' - 34' (8.8 - 10.4 m) Big Boat: 35' - 42' (10.7 - 12.8 m)

This simple 4:1 self-cleating vang is used on small dinghies.

The basic 4:1 fiddle block vang is commonly used on dinghies and small keelboats.

8:1 Cascaded Fiddle

A doubling block increases the purchase of the vang to 8:1. The load on the fiddle blocks is halved so they can be used safely on larger boats.

4:1 Cascaded Kicker

This rigid rod vang utilizes a simple 4:1 tackle. The rod also serves as a topping lift for the boom. Used on cruising and racing boats.

6:1 Double-ended Cascaded Kicker

Many racers rig the vang with a double-ended control line led down each side of the boat.

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What is a Sailboat Boom Vang?

A boom vang is a set of blocks and lines or an adjustable pole used to pull the boom down and shape the sail.

The boom vang (or “kicking strap”) is a system used to control the shape of the sail. It counteracts the upward force of the boom jack and the mainsail by pulling the boom downward. This results in the ability to control the shape of the sail.

Table of contents

Boom Vang vs. Mainsheet 

What's the difference between the boom vang and the mainsheet? On many sailboats, the boom vang and the mainsheet look similar, as both use a set of blocks to control the motion of the boom.

The easiest way to tell the difference between the boom vang and the mainsheet is location. The boom vang typically begins close to the base of the mast and connects to the base of the boom at about a 45-degree angle.

The mainsheet is much further back and generally vertically-oriented. Sometimes, the mainsheet is located far at the end of the mast and connected to the stern of the vessel. Just remember boom vang forward, mainsheet aft.

What Does a Boom Vang Do?

A boom vang is a simple device consisting of a pole or a set of blocks and lines. The primary purpose of the boom vang is to control the vertical orientation of the boom and to exert a downward force on it.

Without the boom vang, the wind would blow the sail uncontrollably and make it difficult to maneuver efficiently. The mainsheet, which appears to exert downward pressure on the boom, wouldn't be able to adjust the sail effectively without a separate system like a boom vang.

Importance of the Boom Vang

A properly-adjusted boom vang becomes more important as you let out the mainsheet. The further from the centerline the boom travels, the less downward force the mainsheet provides.

This means that you'd lose a tremendous amount of control without a boom vang, especially as you loosen the sheet. A boom vang exerts a constant downward force on the sail regardless of what position the boom is in. This keeps the sail shape consistent in all conditions.

Boom Vang Types

There are two primary types of boom vangs used on sailboats today. The first and most common type is the standard boom vang. Standard boom vangs consist of a block and tackle arrangement that mounts to the base of the mast and bottom of the boom.

The second type is the hydraulic boom vang , which is more advanced and offers unique benefits. The hydraulic boom vang uses a hydraulic piston that looks like an oversized automobile shock or door opener.

The benefit of a hydraulic boom vang is that it holds the vertical position of the boom without assistance. It's rigid in both directions and doesn't require upward force to keep the boom in place.

Hydraulic boom vangs are costlier than traditional block-and-tackle setups. That said, they're easy to install and generally simple to operate. Hydraulic boom vangs are common on newer sailboats, especially those that exceed 30 feet in length.

What is a Boom Gnav?

A boom gnav is one of the most intuitive pieces of sailboat equipment. The word "gnav" is "vang" spelled backward, and it performs the exact same task on the opposite end of the boom.

A boom gnav exerts a downward force on the boom to counteract the upward force of the wind or rigging. A boom gnav pushes the boom down, whereas a boom vang pulls it down. Not all sailboats have a boom gnav, and those that do often use it as a substitute for a boom vang.

Boom gnav systems are most common on small sailboats , where the added lower triangle of a boom vang gets in the way. A boom gnav takes up no extra cockpit space as it mounts atop the boom and to a higher point on the mast.

In other words, the boom gnav operates within the sail area, which is a part of the boat that's already unusable due to the sail. A boom gnav is usually a pole that adjusts by sliding forward and aft on the boom, which changes the angle and downward force.

Boom Vang Maintenance 

Maintenance is essential to keep your sailboat in safe and working condition, and the boom vang is no exception. There are a few boom vang parts you should inspect and maintain regularly.

Check the Mounting Points

The mounting points of the boom vang are subjected to a considerable amount of force, and they should be inspected regularly. Look for signs of corrosion (galvanic or otherwise) and bending.

If you notice any deformation, replace the mounting points and hardware with marine-grade hardware. Make sure the aluminum mast is solid, as corrosion can weaken the areas around the mounting holes.

Inspect Blocks and Tackle 

For traditional boom vangs, regularly inspecting the blocks and lines can prevent problems down the road. Over time, nylon lines become salt and sun-damaged and begin to fray. If the lines are brittle and leave excessive dust on your hands, it may be time to replace them.

Blocks are generally reliable and don't require a significant amount of maintenance. That said, you should inspect your blocks and make sure they spin freely. If they don't (or they become too loose), they could be failing and should be replaced with high-quality marine blocks.

Hydraulic Boom Vang Maintenance

Hydraulic boom vangs are simpler than traditional block and tackle setups, but they still require regular inspection. A hydraulic boom vang uses a piston and a working fluid instead of lines and pulleys.

On hydraulic boom vangs, the primary failure points are the seals and the mounting points. If your boom vang begins to leak, you'll notice a decrease in stability, and the vang won't hold tension.

Another common failure point is the spring, which can weaken or break and make the vang almost unusable. In most cases, the best option when your hydraulic boom vang fails is to replace it entirely.

What is a Boom Jack?

A boom jack (also known as a lazy jack) is the rigging that exerts an upward force that the boom vang or boom gnav counteracts. The boom jack begins at the boom and reaches up to the top of the mast.

Boom jacks resemble any other rigging on a sailboat. They roughly form the triangular shape of the sail and usually mount to the boom at multiple points.

A typical boom jack begins as a single line at the top of the mast. About 1/4 of the way down the mast, it splits into two lines. At the halfway point, each end of the two lines splits again into four. These four lines run down to the boom and mount evenly-spaced apart.

The purpose of the boom jack is to exert even upward force on the boom. The tension of the boom jack is set as to counteract the tension of the boom vang, which holds the boom at a steady 90 degrees. The boom jack line runs down from the top of the mast to a block or cleat on the opposite end of the boom vang.

Adjusting the Vang

Generally speaking, the boom vang isn't as important when traveling upwind as it is when traveling downwind. This is especially true once you've maxed-out your mainsheet traveler.

At this point, the vang controls the twist of the mainsail. With an improperly-adjusted vang (or lack thereof), you could experience a lot of up-and-down play of the boom. This can cause you to lose control of the mainsail.

A properly-adjusted boom vang can help you keep your mainsail shaped correctly and keep your boom in the proper position. It also gives you precise control of your speed when traveling downwind.

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Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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• Cars, Jets & Yachts

Monaco Yacht Show 2024: The Biggest, Boldest and Most Expensive Superyachts To See

Even in its 33rd year, Monaco Yacht Show continues to break its own milestones.

By Ellys Woodhouse and Toby Louch

The principality of Monaco has a calendar that’s filled with major events. While the financial benefits of this little tax haven ensure its population remains fairly well stocked with super-rich and socialites year-round, it’s these events that truly bring the masses. April calls for the tennis at The Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters; in May it’s time for the Formula One Grand Prix ; June brings the world-famous car show Top Marques ; and summer draws to a close with perhaps the most glam of the bunch, the Monaco Yacht Show, which this year falls on September 25 – 28.

For those interested in gazing upon some of the finest yachts that can be found anywhere in the world, Monaco ’s Port Hercules is a pretty good spot year-round, but for the weekend of the Monaco Yacht Show, things enter a different league.

The Monaco Yacht Show is essentially a gathering of the global superyacht community. From owners to innovators, manufacturers and brokers, all head to the principality. Each year, builders and brokers present around 120 superyachts and 60 luxury tenders , with many of these reflecting current industry trends and revealing the potential future direction of the industry. These vessels boast an average length of around 160 ft, with a sprinkling of superyachts that top the 320 ft mark – with this year’s headliner clocking in at 400 ft.

Aside from the yachts themselves, visitors can expect countless designers improving yacht interiors and engineers working to ensure the industry becomes more sustainable. There’s sure to be a lot going on.

So ahead of this year’s event, Elite Traveler has looked into which yachts will be on display at Port Hercules and curated a list of some of the show’s unmissable vessels. So blow the dust off your Panama hat and add a few zeros to your credit card limit, because these are some of the biggest, boldest and most expensive boats attending the 2024 Monaco Yacht Show.

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The undisputed biggest headline of this year’s show – in every sense of the word – Lürssen’s Kismet will be the largest yacht to go on display in Port Hercules. While the previous title holder was another from Lürssen, the 377.6-ft Ahpo, the Kismet takes its victory by a considerable mile, clocking in at 400 ft. Previously known as Project Jag, the Kisamet was handed over to owner Shahid Khan in May 2024, making it one of the show’s newest deliveries, too. 

With exterior design by Nuvolari Lenard and naval architecture by Lürssen Yachts along with Reymond Langton Design working on the yacht’s interiors , Kismet is decked out with a helipad, beauty salon, indoor and outdoor cinema, dance floor and gym. Perhaps unsurprising, but all this makes Kisamet one of the most expensive yachts to charter , too, asking for €3m (approx. $3.4m) per week with Cecil Wright & Partners. 

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Delivered in 2019 by SilverYachts and refitted in 2024, the almost 280-ft, self-described ‘sports activity vessel’ Bold takes center stage at Monaco Yacht Show 2024. Designers Espen Øino created the superyacht’s striking, military-inspired exterior, creating a unique glass-enclosed loft on the upper deck that covers over 3,200 sq-ft of interior space. Meanwhile, Vain Interiors has created an opulent, New York-style loft, which is built to accommodate up to 12 overnight guests in eight luxurious staterooms and can carry up to 96 passengers while cruising.

With a a huge selection of water toys, a vast outdoor entertaining area with a bar and Teppanyaki grill, a cinema, an eight-person hot tub and a lounge surrounding a firepit, it’s no surprise that the Bold is a popular charter yacht, with Holl Robinson asking €875,000 ($972, 800) per week. 

Following an extensive, three-year rebuild, the most expensive superyacht on the market has returned to Port Hercules for 2024, complete with a new look – and price tag, too, asking for €295m ($328m). The 344.5-ft Oceanco H3 superyacht has already picked up a handful of international awards for the new look and is expected to impress many fans at Monaco Yacht Show 2024. 

In addition to the extra 10 meters that were added to the H3 ’s hull, the rebuild – from the likes of Reymond Langton Design, which worked on both the exterior and interior redesign, and the collaboration between Lateral Naval Architects and Oceanco on its naval architecture – also saw a pool deck, huge spa and wellness area and climate-controlled winter garden added to H3 ’s numerous amenities. 

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With its distinctive, shark-like exterior design, the 295-ft superyacht DAR will be hard not to miss at Monaco Yacht Show 2024. Built by Oceanco with exteriors designed by Luiz de Basto Design, the glossy black silhouette was inspired by the look of the hammerhead shark, with sinuous lines, wide set wing stations and a mast modeled after a dorsal fin. 

Meanwhile, renowned Italy-based studio Nuvolari & Lenard has crafted swooping, contemporary interiors. DAR’s impressive features include a complete owner’s deck, complete with a private salon and jacuzzi, a wellness area, an impressive beach club, and two helipads for private use. Offering grandeur and complete privacy in equal doses, DAR can accommodate up to 14 guests in overnight accommodation, with separate living quarters to host as many as 31 crew members.

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Despite only hitting the waters in June this year, the first wallywind110, Galma , is set to make its global debut at Monaco Yacht Show 2024. Measuring almost 110 ft, Galma ’s naval architecture comes from German studio judel/vrolijk & co while interior and exterior lines are designed by Wally in collaboration with Santa Maria Magnolfi. With a design that offers the comfort of a cruising yacht while maintaining the performance of a racing boat, Galma is characterized by the 22.6-ft telescopic keel and an all-carbon hull that has been painted in light metallic blue.

Other highlights of Galma include an 860-sq-ft full-beam cockpit with seating and dining for up to 15 people, as well as an open-plan raised saloon. Galma can accommodate up to eight guests overnight, with five crew members. 

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Ellys Woodhouse

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• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Is in-boom furling the next big thing in sail handling technology?

• August 24, 2020

The engineering of in-boom furling systems has been considerably refined over the years and today’s systems are much better than early iterations, writes Rupert Holmes

Easy reefing on the Kraken 66 White Dragon during our heavy airs test, with an in-boom system by Southern Spars. Photo: Kraken Yachts

Key advantages include one person being able to handle the mainsail entirely from the cockpit, especially if powered coachroof winches are available. There are no lazyjacks to snag battens and no messing with the miles of reefing pennants that are needed for slab reefing.

Yet these systems don’t need a sail with the hollow leech and very flat cut that’s necessary for in-mast furling. They therefore have the potential to offer similar sailing performance to boats with conventional slab-reefed mainsails.

This Furlerboom installation shows how neatly a mainsail can be furled

Given how neatly the sail is furled, and the absence of highly loaded reef points in the leech, in-boom systems also have potential to increase a sail’s lifespan.

Unlike in-mast furling, all the mechanical elements can be reached from the deck, which facilitates inspection, service and repair, while minimising weight aloft.

If the system does fail, the sail can be dropped and secured around the boom in the same way as a conventional mainsail without lazyjacks. However, the lack of luff slides or cars to keep the front of the sail under control can make this a much more difficult task than for a conventional cruising yacht mainsail.

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Potential problems

Despite the obvious advantages there’s still a lot of bar-room discussion about the pros and cons of in-boom furling. Most issues are caused by problems with the initial set up, or by incorrect handling procedures.

It’s critical to have a correct lead for the sail’s luff tape as it transitions from the rolled up position within the boom to the track on the aft face of the mast. To achieve this the boom must be held at exactly the correct vertical angle to the mast when the sail is hoisted, lowered or reefed.

Gooseneck of a Hall Spars Oceanfurl system

If the angle of the boom is wrong the luff tape walks backwards or forward on the mandrel. If the outer end of the boom is too low the sail moves forward, whereas if it creeps aft the boom is set too high.

At first sight the latter may appear to be a less obvious problem, but it risks ripping the luff tape from the sail. I’ve seen owners blame sailmakers for this, when clearly the issue was one of initial set up.

For most boats this magic angle between mast and boom is in the range of 86-89°. Some systems are set up with a solid vang that holds the boom permanently at the correct angle, but this means twist in the sail can’t be controlled. Others have systems that enable the boom to be reliably, quickly and repeatedly returned to the correct level.

Most manufacturers include a suitable system when supplying their equipment, although old-school systems, without a gas vang, might simply rely on a mark on the topping lift. If the kicking strap is then pulled on tight the boom will be at the correct angle, although creep and stretch in the lines have the potential to make this solution a little hit and miss.

Boats fitted with a rigid vang that supports the boom may have a Dyneema strop of exactly the right length that stops the boom rising higher when the correct angle is reached as the kicking strap is eased.

“Furling booms are heavier than normal booms so it might be that the existing vang is a bit too weak for the new furling boom, which can lead to it ‘dancing’ while trying to furl the sail,” cautions Johan Mulder, the CEO of Romar Leisure Furl.

He also advises using extra thickness in the leech to help the sail furl neatly. “This can be in the form of a sacrificial UV-strip, which then obviates the need for rigging a boom cover to protect the sail.”

Sail attachment on a Mainfurl boom

After fitting in-boom furling it’s clearly important to spend time checking and, if necessary, refining the set up. It’s worth getting the sailmaker and rigger who installs the system to collaborate on this aspect and demonstrate how to use the system as configured for your boat on a sea trial.

After this initial set up and handover it’s also worth practicing on your own so that any queries can be dealt with before undertaking a major trip.

Reefing process

Perfect set up, however, is no guarantee on its own that the system will be trouble free. The process of using in-boom systems is not complex, but the correct procedures must be followed every time.

A composite Furlerboom system on an Eagle 54 daysailer

As already mentioned, for boats with adjustable vangs the boom must be set at the correct height before undertaking any operation. Then when hoisting the sail (or letting out a reef) a little tension must be kept on the furling line to avoid the luff tape sagging in the gap between the mandrel and the bottom of the mast track. Equally, when lowering the sail a little tension must be kept on the main halyard – in effect, the sail is pulled down, rather than dropped.

If the system works well in flat water, but not in a seaway, this may be indicative of the end of the boom moving up and down and therefore not remaining at a constant vertical angle to the mast. The topping lift may therefore need to be tensioned more tightly against the kicking strap, or the vang’s gas spring may need to be replaced, so that the boom is held more solidly in position.

A lot of systems offer control of the draft in the bottom third of the sail, although this is rarely achieved with a conventional clew outhaul. A common method is to rotate the mandrel just enough to wind in some material from the middle of the foot, but not at the tack or clew, thus flattening the middle of the lower part of the sail.

In theory in-boom systems can give an infinitely variable amount of sail area. However, in practice, reefing down to each batten position gives a better shape for a sail with full battens.

Disadvantages

The downsides of a well-set up system appear to generally be fairly small, with the exception that some systems can’t be used to reduce sail when sailing downwind. Rounding up in a big sea to bring the apparent wind forward of the beam is never fun, so in my view the lack of ability to reef a cruising yacht when running downwind is a serious weakness.

In addition, hoisting and lowering sail may take longer than with conventional systems. This process is best done with a view of the sail, especially the gooseneck area, which may be problematic for single-person operation on boats with fixed sprayhoods.

Forespar Leisure Furl system on a Tartan 5300. Photo: Onne van der Wal

Batten compression on the mast track can create friction and accelerate wear of the luff tape, although some systems are designed to minimise this problem. Arguably a bigger issue is that in-boom reefing is still produced in small volumes, even by marine industry standards, and is therefore expensive. This is especially true for the best kit that’s engineered to be robust, snag free and look good.

Owners looking at retrofitting in-boom furling will also need to factor in the cost of a new mainsail. This needs to be fitted with a luff tape that fits the internal diameter of the mast track, while a different amount of luff round may be needed compared to a standard mainsail. The foot also needs to be cut to match the precise angle between the boom and mast and battens must lie parallel to the mandrel.

• 1. Introduction
• 2. What’s on the market? 9 options for in-boom furling