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[E26-2] Kenyon Boom Gooseneck Cams

Roger Janeway

Member II
My 1986 E-26 has an 11-foot Kenyon E section boom with an internal outhaul, an internal topping lift, and space for two internal reefing lines.

Many posts on these forums by owners of larger boats discuss how terrible the original spring cams on the gooseneck (with little handles dropping down) are for their boom-internal reefing lines. I have used those cams a bit on my newly acquired boat, and can see why people object to them. But so far, they have not been unbearable. It seems to me that they are likely to be worse the larger your boat is, since everything has to be stronger for a larger sail area. (Also, to reef a larger sail, you might need to put your reefing line on a winch --- so say the E-32 owners --- but I have not had to do that so far.)

Rig-Rite offers a conversion kit for these Kenyon booms that it describes as upgrading the gooseneck cams to "friction-lock lever-action cams." Rig-rite doesn't use photos so I'm not sure what these are. Has anyone had any experience with this upgrade?

Or has anyone simply dispensed with using cam cleats or jam cleats on the gooseneck itself, and instead run their reefing lines (or outhaul line, which on my boom also runs to one of these cams since my sail has only one set of reefing points) from the gooseneck down to a block shackled to the stainless steel thing-whose-name-I-know-not that sits around the base of the mast and has 16 holes (4 on each of four sides of the mast)?

And while we're at it, what is the name of that marvelous 16-hole thing at the base of the mast?

Thank you.
 

Slick470

Member III
So the thing with all the holes is called a halyard organizer plate. I've always heard it called something else as well though and right now I'm drawing a blank.

For the reefing lines, our Olson 911 which is a 30 footer has the "newer" style Kenyon gooseneck with the non-cam "lever action" cams. Our first reef is led aft to the cockpit, and none of our mainsails have a second reef point, so honestly I've never used either of them in anger. They look like they should work just fine though if called to service. Its time to replace the original little delrin sheaves as they are getting chalky and brittle, but still work.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Do you have a deck winch available to tighten the reef lines? By which I mean, are the reef lines led back to the cockpit (using a turning block at the deck collar)?

If so, a line clutch is the answer. Or you can happily get away with a simple cam or plastic clam cleat on the cabin house to hold the winched-tight reef line.

My very brief attempt to use the Kenyon gooseneck jammers proved that when a reef line is winched in bar tight, the little levers haven't the power to release it. Also, they create friction and tend to foul by closing when trying to pull slack out of the reef line. I removed them.

On the other hand, I used to slab reef a 25-footer by hand with external blocks on the boom and a simple cleat on the boom. It worked all right, it just meant that you had to reef before the wind came up much, and the reef was never very flat--which reefs should be. For casual sailing it worked fine.
 
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Roger Janeway

Member II
. . . On the other hand, I used to slab reef a 25-footer by hand with external blocks on the boom and a simple cleat on the boom. It worked all right, it just meant that you had to reef before the wind came up much, and the reef was never very flat--which reefs should be. For casual sailing it worked fine.

Yes, I think that this is my situation. I only took possession of the boat a couple of weeks ago, have reefed approximately twice, and was able to put in & shake out the reefs while the mainsail was slack.

I am hesitant to add more lines back to the cockpit until I've sailed the boat for a while & seen what's needed. With a small deck & cockpit, the mainsail & jib controls create enough spaghetti on their own, and it's not a long way to the mast. Also since I'm just hooking the reefing cringle onto the ram's horn by hand, I have to be there anyway.

I'm inclined to add a block with a built-in cam cleat (does that have a special name?) to the mast collar to gain a little leverage on the reefing line, and skip the sticky gooseneck lever cams.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Sure, or you could just put a cam cleat with fairlead on the underside of the boom, which would at least give a horizontal pull.

I just call the other block "a block with a cam cleat". They usually come with a becket, being intended as part of a tackle. You might have too much reef line to be able to use a tackle between the gooseneck and the mast base.
 
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