Inside the boom

Rocinante33

Rocinante33

Contributing Partner
I brought my boom home for sanding and new paint. In preping for the job I removed a bunch of pop rivets which were connected to nothing at all. But two of them held an eyestrap in place about 4-5 feet from the aft end. The eyestrap was the anchor point for a cable pennant about two feet long, attached to the base of a single block with a becket. Anothet block floats in there and together they comprise the tackle to tension the outhaul.

So now that I got it out, how do I reinstall it? I have to exactly position that small eyestrap with the cable over it, over two small 1/8" holes so I can reattach it. There is no way I can get a hand in there even if I could reach far enough in to hold it. There is no way that I can see to align it with the holes.

Can I redesign it so it doesn't need attachment?

I guess I could put a much longer pennant in there and put the eyestrap close to the end of the boom so I can reach it? How the heck did the factory mount it in there?:confused:
 
R

rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
The way I see it you have three options:

To reinstall that eyestrap you need either a long enough piece of PVC pipe, 1 1/2" will do or a length of fairly stiff wood ripped to at least 1" or so. I like straight grain fir for stuff like this but I've got that laying about. The "stick" lets call it needs to be at least long enough so that two feet or better stick out of the boom for manipulation. If you are using PVC, drill two small holes, so that the eyestrap can be tied to it with monofilament. Obviously you need to make sure the holes are drilled so that when the eyestrap is tied tightly it will be oriented correctly inside the boom to the existing rivet holes. The eyestrap is tied across the "hump", not through the mounting holes. So its on its back, facing up on the end of the "stick" of wood or PVC. The eyestrap can be stabilized with a drop of hot glue or cyanoacrylate (crazy glue). I understand that this may be difficult with the pennant attached, etc. The pennant itself can be ziptied to the stick to hold it all but use the very small, thin zipties as they will break easily when you are done. Now get a very bright flashlight, etc. and a helper. Someone needs to guide the "stick" into the boom while the other lines it up. Get both rivets lined up before you pull them! The "stick" operator can help by tweaking the stick to hold the strap firmly against the inside of the boom for riveting. When done, twist, pull, push the stick to break the monofilament and remove stick. This is actually a pretty easy process once you try it.

The other option is to install a doubler on the outhaul assembly. If you are unsatisfied with the stock purchase a spectra line with a block is an easy addition to the existing setup. You will then need access to the end of the boom so reinstalling the eyestrap is a non-issue.

Lastly, use a longer pennant to install the eyestrap at the end of the boom you can reach.

RT
 
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treilley

treilley

Sustaining Partner
If you can get at the eyestrap, insert a piece of fishing line through the forward most hole in the boom and back out through the end of the boom. Take the same line and run it through the forward most hole of the eyestrap and tie a small stainless washer to it leaving enough length beyond the washer to stick out of the boom when the eyestrap is in place. When you pull the line through the boom it should line up the forward hole perfectly so you can rivet the aft hole. Pull the line back out with the washer and rivet the front hole. You might need to also tie a line to the eyestrap itself to help adjust the side to side location to get the aft hole lined up.
 
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