Forespar solid vang?

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rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
Anyone use one of these? I can get the "medium" unit for a decent price used. My mast/boom is already setup with a welded hinge fitting on the mast base and a tang on the boom. Incidentally the hole-hole measurement is EXACTLY the minimum setting distance for this unit. I just have to check that the jaws on the unit will fit these existing parts but it should be a bolt on. Anyone see a negative to this? I would assume that since the "soft" vang is attached to these points anyway they should be plenty strong? Thanks, RT
 
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ted_reshetiloff

Contributing Partner
I'll snap a picture of the vang as well RT. I have a solid vang on my boat and love it. Have had some issues with customers rigid vangs namely forspars where the spring wears on the tube inside but that has been due to improper install and setting the pin in the wrong spot. I had to weld a 1/2" thick tang into my boom as I did not like the small bail mounted in the bottom which was used for the soft vang. Sounds like you already have this taken care of. I do not use a toppinglift on my main at all anymore with the vang. I put the main halyard on when not sailing to stabilize the boom. Only other concern on the 38 is the main cabin hatch will have trouble opening with a rigid vang there. I am turning mine aft to fix this.
 
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Dan Morehouse

Member III
I have a Garhauer rigid vang on my Roberts 22, and although I am no master sailor, the value of it was as obvious as the sun rising. Garhauer's units strike me as plain, simple, and strong, and the prices I've seen have been at the low end of the field. Now I'm looking to get one for the E-38 as well. Thanks for the heads up about the main cabin hatch interference. I hadn't considered that, but you're right, Ted.
BTW, my topping lift cable ground a slot almost all the way to the axle of its sheave at the end of the boom. The sheave now functions like a jam cleat...the cable is utterly jammed in it, which makes me even more agitated for a solid vang. I like the idea of deleting the topping lift and using the space freed up at the rope clutch for more efficient reefing arrangements, too.

Dan Morehouse
E-38 "Next Exit"
 
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rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
I would love to go with a Garhauer, indeed their quality is superior. However after what I went through to get a traveler from them I am hesitant to pick up the phone. The difference in price is not worth it. RT
 
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Emerald

Moderator
Try Mauri Pro Sailing for Garhauer stuff. I've ordered from them before, and they seem to have a direct line with Garhauer and inventory etc. I will agree that I have been very impressed with their products. I ordered a double cheak block for control lines on my staysail traveler after a Ronstan piece blew chow - litterally distorted itself into a bulged pretzel cracking the side plates etc. on a nice day blowing 20-25. The replacement Garhauer piece is beautiful, built like a mack truck (can we use truck references here?). If you start looking at load ratings, the Garhauer was the only one I could find where the upper sheave had the same rating as the lower sheave. It cost a fraction of going with something like Scheafer or Harken. Here's a link to Mauri's site:

http://www.mauriprosailing.com/
 
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