Boom kicker.

[warfin]

Is the boom kicker still available for and ok for shipping to Australia?

[C Buchs]

BWY has them and I've read here that they ship to Australia. Here's a link: http://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/3455-1v0.htm

Jeff

[dive4it]

I bought one for BWY a few years ago and have never gotten around to installing it. Those of you that have one....do you recommend it? Has it made life much easier?

JT

[FishyFabs]

I installed one to get rid of the topping lift as I fish off the back of the boat when anchored. I cannot say my sailing has improved but the back half of the boat is nice and open for fishing. It does take longer to setup during mast rigging and derigging.

Not sure I can recommend this mod if u r not a fisherman.

[Nauti Nell]

Love mine. Will try and use topping lift for MOB drills in conjunction with the winch this summer.

[C Buchs]

I bought one for BWY a few years ago and have never gotten around to installing it. Those of you that have one....do you recommend it? Has it made life much easier?

JT

I like mine. Helps keep the boom out the the cockpit when the main is coming up and down. We keep the boat in a slip most of the time. So we don't have to take it on and off a lot, but it's just one bolt.

A friend's has a piece of wire rope crimped to the backstay with a clip to hook to the end of the boom. I hope that's clear. Serves the same function pretty well.

Salem, OR isn't too far from Camas, WA. If you're ever up in the Portland area, let me know and you can come check it out and maybe go for a sail.

Jeff

[dive4it]

I currently use a topping lift from the mast, don't even unhook it always when I've got the main up. I like that because when under power or at the dock, I swing the boom to one side or the other and connect the mainsheet to the side stanchion to keep it out of the way, out of my line of sight, and off the dock side. If I had one like the one you described, I think it'd be pretty well set in that position when being used? Yes, I go through Camas a number of times a year, including one my way to and from the Sound for sailing. Planning a couple week trip up there at the end of July/ early Aug if you want to chase each other around the San Juans. Thanks again for the info, I love this group and how helpful all the members are.

JT

[C Buchs]

I currently use a topping lift from the mast, don't even unhook it always when I've got the main up. I like that because when under power or at the dock, I swing the boom to one side or the other and connect the mainsheet to the side stanchion to keep it out of the way, out of my line of sight, and off the dock side. If I had one like the one you described, I think it'd be pretty well set in that position when being used? Yes, I go through Camas a number of times a year, including one my way to and from the Sound for sailing. Planning a couple week trip up there at the end of July/ early Aug if you want to chase each other around the San Juans. Thanks again for the info, I love this group and how helpful all the members are.

JT

I started planning a San Juans trip before I got the boat almost three years ago. I think I'll make it this year, but we don't have a firm date yet.

Jeff

[Herschel]

I have had a Boomkicker the whole 14.5 years I have had my 26X. I use it all the time. It keeps the boom elevated especially when motoring with the main furled and stowed. For setting up the camping enclosure I just swing the boom out and secure it to the stanchion fitting for the lifeline at the side. Easy as pie. The Boomkicker also adds some resistance when using the boom for partial support for stepping down from cabin top to cockpit seating area.

[Sea Shadow]

I have had one fitted for 5 years. Supports the boom when main is stowed. As mentioned previously, to get boom out of the way when not sailing just attach to the side using the lifelines. I had mine shipped out from the US when I got mine.

[Tomfoolery]

The Boomkicker also adds some resistance when using the boom for partial support for stepping down from cabin top to cockpit seating area.

In my case, the topping lift provides total support when rough seas cause me to flop onto the boom, folded in half like laundry set out to dry. And it happens a lot, unfortunately. My balance isn't what it used to be, on a heaving deck or otherwise.

And I wind the topping lift around the end of the boom to raise it at the dock, and I use the main sheet and a second line with boat snaps spliced onto each end, each run to opposite lifeline stanchions, to keep the boom high and centered and not flopping back and forth with the motion of the ocean. Makes the boom a very stable handhold. Or body hold, in my case.

I've been getting too much inspiration from Bilgemaster's posts, methinks.

[Nauti Nell]

And I wind the topping lift around the end of the boom to raise it at the dock, and I use the main sheet and a second line with boat snaps spliced onto each end, each run to opposite lifeline stanchions, to keep the boom high and centered and not flopping back and forth with the motion of the ocean. Makes the boom a very stable handhold. Or body hold, in my case.

I appreciate this little tidbit of info. I have pondered how to acquire some sort of stable handhold when on the deck going forward at anchor. This is so simple. And safe. And easy to do. And I have the parts on the boat. And I feel silly for overthinking it. Thank you.

[Tomfoolery]

Oddly enough, I just happened to have a couple of pics of this on my phone, though I don't know why. I think I was taking pics of the new sea wall at a nearby bay where I used to dock years ago. The owners of my marina took this marina over and have improved it 1000% and counting, including the pvc pipe with flags and flashing lights for the channel (private markers). But I digress.




The port side line is just some nylon three-strand I use for utility work, like loops for hanging the boom off the ceiling of the garage for the winter, and longer ones for hanging the whole mast off the ceiling when I switch to trawler mode. Easy to splice, very soft, and super strong. The bronze boat snaps, which I had laying around in need of a job, are oversized to make them easy to work when the boom is waving around in a seaway, with the larger of the two at the boom bail. No need for high-dollar snap shackles when simple fixed- or swivel-eye boat snaps or eye snaps can handle the relatively light loads, and they're actually easier to work with one hand anyway.

The angle to the stanchions is open enough that I can use that method even with the connector between the bimini and dodger in place, which is what I do at the dock when it's buttoned up. The lines just miss the Sunbrella connector if I put two turns of the TL around the boom. For just visiting somewhere when I'm going to head out again, I swing the boom away from the dock and just use the main sheet to the stanchion.

I have a mark on the TL for initial rigging in the spring, which makes the TL just long enough to be nicely slack when sailing, and two turns around the boom puts it over my head, with the fixed tether made at the right length to center the boom when a little tension is added via the main sheet to the other side. I did this by trial and error with one end snapped to the stanchion and marked the tether, then spliced the boat snap. Has been working for years now, and it even has its own storage spot below decks so I always know where to find it.

Sometimes, when I'm using two main sheet systems, I just use the second one instead of the tether, since it's already there.

A boom kicker has it's own advantages, by the way, but I'm happy enough with the TL, which is how it was rigged when I got the boat.