Finn booms

pegasus · Post by **pegasus** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:07 pm

I have just bought a nearly finished project finn and these are the only bit that are really puzzling me, i have looked on th internet but amyet to find nything that explains it.
Does anyone understand (or even better have one they could take pictures of)the boom vang on a finn and also the rope/elastic contected to the boom and runs to a pully on the front of the boat?
Cheers Greg

Brookesy · Post by **Brookesy** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:37 pm

Hi pegasus welcome to the strange set up of the Finn.
I am just completing the refit of my early Vanguard and was surprised at how much info is out there for this sort of thing on the various National Finn websites.The Germans have a separate site for classic finns and the following address should take you to the exact info you are after plus more and most of it is in English. http://finn-dinghy.de/finn-technik/index.htm
Hope this helps, also try the links on the British Finn Assoc site
Regards
Graham.

[web address tweaked by Neil]

pegasus · Post by **pegasus** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:51 pm

ah... great i have a vanguard too, i did look briefly but didn't see much, i only really looked on the uk site mind.

alan williams · Post by **alan williams** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:26 pm

Hi Peggy
Are you sure that your boats a Vanguard as it would have proberbly been built in the 60's with the number 214. My boats number 340 and a Pearson Mk3a.bulit 1965. Vanguards I was led to believe did not apper on the Finn Scene until the Seventies when a group of exLaser Sailors got together in the States and developed the Vanguard shape.
Any Way It does n't really matter at CVRDA or club level however at National, International level. If you have n't got a Devoti with all the latest bells and whistles heres really very little point in starting.
Cheers Al
Ps are you coming to Baltic Wharf next weekend?

pegasus · Post by **pegasus** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:58 pm

Unfortunatly i may be moving house over that weekrnd if i am not moving i will try to get there but would be racing the pegg not the finn as the boom has no fixings at the moment.
I dont supose i could see some pics of your boom vang system by any chance Alan?
And yes you were right it was an Elvstrom hull.

alan williams · Post by **alan williams** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 1:56 pm

Hi Peggy Leave your email address and I'll take some this weekend for you.
Cheers Al

PeterV · Post by **PeterV** » Tue May 02, 2006 10:32 pm

Hi Peggy. There's three ways to rig the kicker. The most common and current method is to use a Needlespar lever. This is a specialist fitting that pivots through a sleeved part of the boom and the wire from around the front of the mast attaches to the top of the lever (above the pivot). A tackle runs from the longer bottom of the lever to the mast at deck level then back to your cleats.
An alternative which works quite well is to rig an old style lever on wire strops between the base of the mast (make sure it goes around it, a fitting on the back would pull out) to a boom strap. The lever points upwards then a tackle goes from the top of it to the base of the mast again.
Another is to use a wheel kicker (don't see any around now) with a wire strop, with a rope to the drum. Although not common now if well set up (so not too much wire is on the spindle) it works well.
Hope this gives you some ideas.

pegasus · Post by **pegasus** » Thu May 04, 2006 9:38 pm

i have been looking at as many images of finns and i do have some of the parts that came with the boat to fit a a vang that has a fixed bracket in the boom and i am under the thought that it operates with 2 pulles one on the boom one on bracket and then goes to the mast, mast foot, controls
is this a correct and if anyone understand me then is this a good way for it to work?
http://finn-dinghy.de/finn-technik/index.htm it is not like the one on this like because the bracket does not have a secondary line on it helping it to pivot

Garry R · Post by **Garry R** » Fri May 05, 2006 10:24 am

Lo and behold the answer to a maiden's prayer!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dinghy-Kicking-St ... dZViewItem

PeterV · Post by **PeterV** » Fri May 05, 2006 1:47 pm

Hi Peggy,
If I understand you correctly your kicker will not be powerful enough to do much good. The most you'll get with just single pulleys is 3:1 on the boom, then doubled to the control lines = 6:1. A lever will normally give about 7:1, with a 3:1 pulley to it that's 21:1 then the doubling gives a total of about 42:1. You really need to incorporate a lever or a drum in it before the pulleys.

pegasus · Post by **pegasus** » Fri May 05, 2006 4:25 pm

Ok so basicly that wont work at all so what do i need to make it work i heard that the boom pivot used on the image here:http://finn-dinghy.de/finn-technik/index.htm is a peice you can only get from one place but i cant remeber where.
Is this true and if using this methord what size of pullies will i need 3:1 or more?
Also on my finn the mast foot as tracks to move on is this to adjust the rake of the mast if not how do you do this?
thanks guys
Greg

alan williams · Post by **alan williams** » Fri May 05, 2006 4:50 pm

Hi peggy
The Track at the foot of the mast is to adjust rake. The Leaver is available from Needlespar.
Cheers Al

Alan Price · Post by **Alan Price** » Sat May 06, 2006 1:18 pm

If you have not got the lever for this sort of system, they are quite easy to make which is what I did for my OK.
If you wish, I can email you a picture or two of mine and some dimensions of the aluminium bits used which I bought locally.

pegasus · Post by **pegasus** » Mon May 08, 2006 5:29 pm

oh its ok i have found someone who is willing to sell me a second hand one for the price of postage
greg