# what is a boom bail?



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

What is a boom bail and how is it utilized? Thanks.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

A boom bail is something like this:










It is used to attach things to a spar generally.  The bail is often attached to the boom or mast via a through bolt.  The bolt often has a compression tube over it to prevent damage to the mast from overzealous tightening of the through bolt by ham-handed owners.


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## lbdavis (Apr 23, 2007)

The above is a picture of a boom bail.

They can be used in as many ways as you can imagine, but primarily to attach main sheet systems and boom vangs to the boom


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## lbdavis (Apr 23, 2007)

Damn you and your speedy response, Sailing Dog!! 

By the way, the angle of my boom bail picture is far superior to the angle of your boom bail picture!


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

lbdavis said:


> Damn you and your speedy response, Sailing Dog!!
> 
> By the way, the angle of my boom bail picture is far superior to the angle of your boom bail picture!


Dog is faster because he has 4 computers going at once. Your pic is much nicer.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*too many things confusing me.*

I have two on my boom and can't figure out what the previous owner used them for. I am going to use the forward one to attach the boom vang but just not sure what the one is doing there all the way on aft part of the boom.


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## lbdavis (Apr 23, 2007)

Leland said:


> I have two on my boom and can't figure out what the previous owner used them for. I am going to use the forward one to attach the boom vang but just not sure what the one is doing there all the way on aft part of the boom.


Where does the main sheet attach if not to this bail?


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

lbdavis said:


> Where does the main sheet attach if not to this bail?


The main sheet should attach to blocks not a bail.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

The main sheet runs from the backstay to the boom like this...


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

The aft boom bail is probably what was used for either the mainsheet, or less likely, a topping lift.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Perhaps a connecting point for a preventer?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

not the topping lift. another thing is there are two blocks on the side of the boom with a line running the length of them. I haven't figured out what this is used for either. Oh the joys of learning sailing gear on another persons boat.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

The blocks on the side of the boom are probably for reefing lines. If the blocks are almost the length of the boom apart, you're probably looking at what was left of a single-line reefing setup.



Leland said:


> not the topping lift. another thing is there are two blocks on the side of the boom with a line running the length of them. I haven't figured out what this is used for either. Oh the joys of learning sailing gear on another persons boat.


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

My main sheet is attach to blocks.

This photo is when I just bought it.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

haha I was just reading another thread that was talking about something like that. I might need to learn how to utilize that. How does that work? Do you just run it through the reefing point and through the the blocks to the aft part of the boom?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

hey denby... Are those your halyards that seem to be sitting up the spreaders just out of arms reach?


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## US27inKS (Feb 6, 2005)

Denby, If the main sheet is attached to a single point with a fiddle block, it is usually attached with a boom bail.


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

Leland said:


> hey denby... Are those your halyards that seem to be sitting up the spreaders just out of arms reach?


No those are the blocks for the lazy jacks. That photo was taken when I bought the boat and it was still in storage, It had been there for about one year.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

End boom sheeting is usually a fiddle block (4:1) or a triple block (6:1) which is shackled to a boom bail. Those with weird midboom sheeting wouldn't understand that... since they need to spread the load out to prevent breaking the boom.


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

US27inKS said:


> Denby, If the main sheet is attached to a single point with a fiddle block, it is usually attached with a boom bail.


Is that configuration on smaller boats? The smallest boat I've been on is a 30 ft. I don't think I've seen one, can you or dog post a photo?


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

sailingdog said:


> End boom sheeting is usually a fiddle block (4:1) or a triple block (6:1) which is shackled to a boom bail. Those with* weird midboom *sheeting wouldn't understand that... since they need to spread the load out to prevent breaking the boom.


What do you mean weird?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Have you looked in the mirror recently??? How was Memorial Day? How'd your son's graduation party go?


denby said:


> What do you mean weird?


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

sailingdog said:


> Have you looked in the mirror recently??? How was Memorial Day? How'd your son's graduation party go?


Thanks a lot Dog. Everything went good, had about 70 people here and had a great time. You and Gui missed it.


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## US27inKS (Feb 6, 2005)

I can't believe it's so hard to find a really good picture of the main sheet attachment to the boom via a boom bail. I guess it's something no one takes a picture of. In this pic, you can see that both the J-29 and the Tartan are rigged this way.

07SeriesRaces/070804seriesrace22


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

*Here's a better view of it... on a catamaran.*


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## lbdavis (Apr 23, 2007)

Here's an even better view of it on my boom:


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## lbdavis (Apr 23, 2007)

I'm at the equator right now. That's why everything looks so sideways in that picture.


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

John, Dog and Davis,

Thanks for the pics. Just goes to show you, you can learn a lot on this site.


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## nolatom (Jun 29, 2005)

At the risk of being wrong (yet again), I'm not sure your question got answered. 

A boom bale (not "bail", which is done with a scoop or a pump) is a strap hanging from the boom (as shown in several posts above). It can serve as an anchor for a vang, or for the forward or aft part of a mainsheet rig. 

But if you see a bale midway between the boom-end and mainsheet-lead blocks, then you just run the mainsheet through it as a safeguard against a slack mainsheet catching a thing or a crew during a jibe or a tack.

The intermediate bale prevents the mainsheet from drooping into the cockpit and catching your throat, or hat, or arm, or whatever, during a light-air jibe.

In the past, I've made intermediate bales out of duct tape. But then again, I'm a New Englander who's been down south too long, so I no longer fit in anywhere....;-)


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

nola...You mean West and defender, schaeffer and ronstan catalina kenyon etc. etc. etc. are all spelling it worng? No similar definition for bale though there is some use on the net in this context.




> Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)


 - Cite This Source -


> Share This


 bail2







http://cache.lexico.com/d/g/speaker.swf Audio Help /beɪl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[beyl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation -noun 
1.the semicircular handle of a kettle or pail. 
 
2.a hooplike support, as for the canvas cover on a Conestoga wagon. 
 
3.a metal band or bar equipped with rollers for holding a sheet or sheets of paper against the platen of a printing press, typewriter, etc.


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

camaraderie said:


> nola...You mean West and defender, schaeffer and ronstan catalina kenyon etc. etc. etc. are all spelling it worng? No similar definition for bale though there is some use on the net in this context.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So Cam, how many of these do you have on your RV? Do they help hold the solar sticks up?


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Only on Sailnet, could such a simple question require 29 responses


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

BTW Beez...did you MAKE Bail???


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## denby (Feb 21, 2007)

PBzeer said:


> Only on Sailnet, could such a simple question require 29 responses


It just shows how helpful we are.


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## rmtayloriii (Jun 17, 2006)

Holy Sheet. The faak is so tic. I can't see.


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