Press October 2003

- Vang Sheeting with Boomtrim -
Sail faster with less heel, using new patented boom vangs!

Background:
Most racers use a technique called VANG SHEETING. To point well in light winds with the boom near the centerline they open the leech in the upper part of the sail for better windflow, using "hoops" for center mainsheets or bridles at the stern. In fresher conditions they start closing the leech to keep the sail flat for optimal balance. However when they have to spill wind in gusty conditions they depower the main sail by opening the leech again to avoid heel and excessive rudderpressure.

Cruisers have problems here. Pulling the sheet hard enough to center the boom will close the leech and stall the sail. In stronger winds they need the boom further outboard to avoid excessive heel and weather helm. That's when they need the leech tight to maintain drive in the sail, but easing the sheet allows the boom to lift and the leech to open. But in heavy gusts they have to play the leech sensitively to spill wind when necessary.

It is obvious that VANG SHEETING needs a lot of power which was the reason that dinghy racers adopted this technique first. There were no kicking straps or boom vangs strong enough to handle the same power in relation to the size of the cruisers rig.

Boomtrim is just made for this.

Different to line purchased systems with blocks and pulleys they produce a linear movement using a special threaded stainless steel rod. The manually operated Boomtrim BTM models have a central combined hand/rope drum which on one side is fixed to a left hand threaded rod and on the other side to a right handed one.

Turning the drum either by hand or with an endless loop from the cockpit will extend two outer telescopic arms with drive nuts inside which apply forces of up to 1 ton.
The Boomtrim™ BTE models are powered by one or two high torque electric motors with an adapted planetary gear fixed to a threaded rod which turns in a drive nut a telescopic extension arm. These electric models are water resistant. The two motor model BTE-2 can be operated with 12 or 24 Volt. They provide a breaking power up to 4 tons.

The range of all models can be adjusted by changing the extension arms only. The BTE-1 model with one motor can be upgraded to the BTE-2 with two motors.

Using threaded rods in a telescopic system is much more advantageous as a line purchased system as it provides much greater purchase and extension, less friction and they are self locking. There are no lines under constant tension, no blocks, pulleys or stoppers - and no counter spring forces to overcome.

Contact:

Life Marine
Wolfgang Falb
Hubertusstr. 1
80639 Munich
Germany

http://www.lifemarine.com
info@life-marine.de