I've looked at the Garhauer vangs. I like them.
They make great equipment that will outlast all of us.

I'm not sure of Garhauer can make one for my boat.
My main is 440 sq ft. And that could grow if I eventually
get a new main with more roach. Their biggest may not
be big enough. I'd have to call and check on that.

I'm not convinced I'd want one of their boom vangs. The
sheeting seems bulky compared with other brands.

My running backs do not interfere with my boom, so if I can
get rid of the topping lift, an unintentional tack would only chafe
the sail. That frees my topping lift halyard for a Dutchman
flaking system--not that it would not be hard to add another
halyard. So this is why I'm thinking about rigid vangs.


"Maxprop" wrote

A friend with a new Catalina 350 had what I assume was a Garhauer rigid
vang. Sailing with him several weeks ago we bent the thing by
overtightening the mainsheet. Apparently there was not enough compression
allowance in the vang to allow the boom to drop much. So Garhauer sent
him
a new vang--a completely different design--with heavy machined aluminum
endpieces and what appears to be a heavier hydraulic piston assembly. Has
anyone seen this unit or had any experience with it? Looks good, but who
knows.

Max