Tapered straps on roller reefing boom.

[Kintail]

Hi Folks. Not counting my post on the demise of the Renfield St Odeon, this is my first post of a boating nature. On my Hurley 22 roller reefing boom, I have to renew two wooden straps which are tapered in ordered to retain sail shape when reefed. I'm finding it's no easy matter. The main reason is that the back of the straps have to be concave in shape to fit on the curve of the boom, and I cant find someone with a tool to shape the concave. Apparently 40 years ago every good joiner would have the tool but so not nowadays.

Can anyone help by telling me of someone who does this kind of work or if you have had the problem, is there another way of retaining sail shape on a roller boom with something else.

Thanks.

[Silkie]

What size are the straps?

How about a grinder with a coarse sanding disc? A 115mm disc would presumably give far too large a diameter given that you would have to tilt it a bit but it would be a start. You could continue hand sanding with coarse paper wrapped round something with a suitable profile. It would depend on how big the straps are and how hard the wood of course.

Does it have to be shaped? How about waxing the boom, fitting the straps as is and filling the gaps with epoxy? It wouldn't stick well to the boom so removal should be easy but would spread the load. Again I suppose it depends on just how much filler would be required. Perhaps a combination of filler with some grinder sanding as above?

Is there no alternative to replacement? Just how rotten/damaged are they?

No doubt you've also considered biting the bullet and converting to slab reefing. The hardware for the boom is not hugely expensive but I suppose it would depend on whether it was worth spending the money on your sail to get it altered. Most people think it's a better solution to retaining sail shape when reefed.

PS - Where do you sail and what kind of 22 do you have?

[Kintail]

Thanks for all of that Silkie. Food for thought in all it. The straps are 4' 6" long, one on each side of the boom. 1 1/2" wide and 1" deep. The taper goes from 1" to zero over the length of the straps with the edges rounded. The back of straps are concave. The concave route would of course give it the best finish. However expoxy filling has an appeal and you have got me thinking about a patch-up.
Renewal was my immediate thought simply to keep my boat looking as good as I can.
My boat is a 1971 Hurley bilge keel and over the years it has been reasonably well looked after. I got her two years ago, after having a 27ft sea angler with inboard for many years. I always had a hankering for sail and making the move was the best thing I have ever done. I'm just loving it! I'm enjoying the sailing but more than anything I'm enjoying the challenge of learning it all. I wish I had done it years ago.

The wee boat is all I can ask for. I love taking folks out and sharing the joys of sailing but I do a lot of single handed. We have been caught out a few times in the weather but I feel so comfortable and safe with her. Cant speak highly enough about her.

I'm an east coaster over in the Forth estuary. Of course I have read all about your adventures and wonderful reading they are. Again thanks for you suggestions.


PS should perhaps explain my name. In the 60s, from April to the end of August, for six years I lived in a bothy netting salmon at the head of Loch Duich and right below the five sisters of Kintail. A special place for me hence my name. Like to sail my boat up there maybe next year.

[Fingal]

There is I believe a very cunning method of cutting a concave surface in a bit of wood if you don't have a compass plane or, possibly, a convex sole block plane. It involves using a table saw and a cunning diagonal fence so that the circular saw blade just bites a a curved section out of the work as the work is pulled or pushed across the edge of the rotating saw. By adusting the angle of the fence you can increase the curvature of the cut, max curvature would be the radious of the saw blade itself. Never tried it myself but have been assured that it can be made to work.

[Silkie]

However epoxy filling has an appeal and you have got me thinking about a patch-up.

Renewal was my immediate thought simply to keep my boat looking as good as I can.

I can't argue with the sentiment of your second sentence (and there's a line, if crossed, which leaves your boat looking and sailing like a floating scrapyard) but my first instinct is always to repair. There will be enough stuff to spend money on (that is sometimes hard to justify on a boat of modest value) without going for a concours d'elegance restoration on minor items as well.

All IMO of course.

It's about time this thread was resurrected (again) if you have any pics?

[zander lee]

You could try using a router. Trend make some decent sized cutters that would probably fit the profile, and if not exactly, then near enough to fill the rest with epoxy/filler.
If you give me an idea of what machinery or power tools you have access to I could probably give you a more accurate method. You could also use the router with a straight cutter to form the external taper.

[sahona]

If you can get the bulk of work done roughly, just get a roll of sandpaper, tape it to the boom and rub the wood on it until it's snug.
It's surprising how quickly you will get a satisfactory result.

[Kintail]

Hi folks. After all the advice given, I thought I would let you know the outcome. I had the concave done by a router and planed the taper and the result is almost as good as it gets. Thanks to all for your help. Someday perhaps I will be able to return the favour in some way.