Big tree lifehack 1:With foam to prevent rattling in the boom
Our large boom from Seldén is equipped with a single-line reefing system. Part of this installation are two carriages with deflections in the boom. These carriages are guided by plastic rollers, so far so good. In our case, however, the mechanism rattled audibly in the boom, even when the ship was moving in the harbour or at anchor. The metallic rattling was particularly annoying at night, so we came up with a solution: We unscrewed the boom cam and took it off, so we could pull the carriages out of the profile and stick thin foam strips to the sides. Back in the boom, the noise was eliminated. However, the strips must be securely fastened. If they come loose, the trolley could jam, which could lead to problems when reefing in or out, and this would possibly be a bigger problem than the rattling noises.
Fritz Scholle, Hamburg
Big tree lifehack 2:Integrate cockpit light in the main boom
LED light strips are all well and good, but the wiring required makes installation complicated - and they're not cheap either. We therefore opted for a different solution that is not only cheaper, but also quicker to install. And waterproof! For just under 15 euros, Osram offers waterproof LED strip lights from the Dot-it series. We fixed them in the groove of the large tree with double-sided adhesive tape and secured them on the underside with transparent adhesive tape. The batteries used last for a season and the light switch is located on the side of the lamp.
Werner Stoll, Schorndorf
Big tree lifehack 3:Building a simple roof for the cockpit
It is usually not possible to completely shade the stern with a sun awning placed over the main boom. To extend the UV protection to the stern, we came up with the following construction: Drill a hole of about 27 millimetres in the boom cam and insert a short piece of plastic tube. A long stainless steel tube is then pushed into the boom. The plastic tube insulates the metals. We have attached a nirring to the backstay as a guide. To set the awning, we pull the pole out of the boom through the ring on the stay and loosen the twist. The awning can now be longer thanks to the ridge pole.
H. U. Hedinger, Bever/Switzerland
Big tree lifehack 4:Use latch winch for tree roll
As our boat is on an inland waterway, we have no choice but to lay the mast on longer trips. We have made a bracket to hold the boom securely when the mast is no longer vertical. The centrepiece is a stainless steel tube that can be inserted into the winch. It is bent so that the angle of the support is correct. A U-shaped plate was welded onto the upper end so that a bow roller can be screwed into it. The side brackets are fitted with small rollers.
Marieta and Bernd Hänsgen, Brandenburg
Do you have any advice for other sailors?
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