Boom hanger

[Erick Singleman]

Yes, that is the one that is detailed in the 1938 plans.  However, I think the one that I have is a 1938-41 modification, that allows the gooseneck to slide on the sailtrack.  This seems  a convenient adaptaion allowing adjustment of the luff of the sail not to mention handy if you can slide it up when making a boom tent.  Headroom for us tall guys!!!

[Alan]

For what it's worth, the S boat has similar bronze clew adjusting cars on the main and jib boom tracks. On the main boom the outhaul is attached to a fixed eye on the boom, then forward through the groove on the forward end of the bronze car, then back to a fixed block on the opposite side of the boom, then forward along the side of the boom to a cleat. The outhaul is not tied to the outhaul car as you have shown in your picture. The little strap vertical across the round groove is there to capture the outhaul line and thus prevent the whole bronze car from sliding off the end of the boom and into the drink when the sail is not attached. The outhaul on the jib boom has a similar but slightly different path, using a horizontal groove in the end of the boom.
The second fixed block on the other side of the boom is for an adjustable topping lift, which may not have been original plan, but sure comes in handy.

[Steve]

Welcome to the Forum, Alan

[Erick Singleman]

Thanks Alan, The configuratin you describe makes perfect sense.  I thought only one of those side blocks was necessary for the the outhaul.  I am not familiar with the term adjustable topping lift.  Does this pertain to the lifting of the boom end with the main halyard in some fashion that is adjustable?  Together with the sliding gooseneck I can see where this would allow you to have an adjustable roof boom tent.

[Alan]

Hi Erick. By adjustable topping lift, I am referring to a line that is fixed at the top of the mast, which runs down to the outboard end of the boom, through a fixed block and then forward to a cleat. It is not the main halyard. Basically it holds the outboard end of the boom up when the sail is dropped.
When we bought our S boat, Firefly, it did not have a boom topping lift. Whenever we dropped the sail we had to have the boom crutch in position and try to drop the boom into the small target of the crutch. Otherwise we had a heavy boom crashing on the cabin top or into the water, or worse on someone's head (which fortunately never happened). Yes, it would adjust the height of the boom for a boom tent.
The only disadvantage of having a boom topping lift is when you are sailing you need to keep in mind there is a line running from the mast head to the end of the boom that could catch on something like a piling or a buoy or another boat if you sail too close. In a decent breeze such an event could be bad news. I always have a knife on hand to quickly cut the topping lift if that ever happened, but I am very careful to avoid close encounters--especially with an 84 year old boat!

[Erick Singleman]

Well, I learned something today. And I love to learn new things about sailboats.

My only real sailing experience is in my little Pooduck Skiff, which is a simple standing lug rig.  The 12 1/2 will be my "big boat".  Interesting though how there are all these little details of different rigging configurations, and how they are different between eras and the people that use them or don't use them, or come up with their own convenient ways of doing things.

[Erick Singleman]

I thought I'd post the answer to my sliding gooseneck mystery.  While refurbishing my mast, I decided to scarf in a new bottom section because a previous owner had so many screw holes in it that water had found ways into and began to rot.  Well several of these extra holes where from moving the gooseneck around since apparently he didn't like where HMC put it in the first place.  The standard fixed gooseneck has a four hole pattern, and this four hole pattern is seen about four times in the general area of where the gooseneck is supposed to be.  One of the patterns is exactly where the plans call for it to be, so my conclusion is that the boat originally had the standard fixed gooseneck, which was moved several times until it was finally replaced by a sliding gooseneck. 

I am going to go back to the original style.