Vangs
Boom vangs help to optimize sailboat performance.
For sailors, there are few experiences that rival being on a powerful reach with perfectly trimmed sails. Of course, that kind of heart throbbing excitement requires the right gear and knowing how to use it. Proper rigging can make a sailor’s job easy and when it comes to sail trim, and a sailboats’s boom vang can be the secret sauce.
What can a vang do for your boat?
On a downwind point of sail, vangs are used to pull down on a sailboat’s boom in order to flatten and remove twist from the mainsail. Not doing this can result in the upper part of the sail being under trimmed and the lower part to be over trimmed. At best, this situation can result in a loss of boat speed. At worst, it can result in instability and a “flying gybe,” which happens when the boom suddenly swings from one side of the boat to the other—which can be quite dangerous for crew and guests. In short, vangs help you control the mainsail better, for increased safety and performance.
Types of Boom Vangs
Boom vangs are available in a variety of sizes, suitable for boats from small dinghies or day-sailers to larger sailing yachts. Sizes range from mini boat vangs to small boat vangs to medium and large vangs.
Boat vangs generally consist of a block and tackle system designed to pull the boom down. Rigid vangs also include block and tackle systems to pull the boom down, but also hold the boom up in place of a topping lift.
Boomkickers also act as boom supports and eliminate the need for a topping lift. They are designed for installation on boats that already have a block and tackle vang.
For more on the use of boom vangs and how they can improve the performance of your boat, please read our West Advisor article The Vang.