boom slot and sail grommets ?

On the bottom of my 1984 boom about 2 feet back from the gooseneck is a slot. What is it for? Also my main sail has grommets about 2 feet up from the boom. Are they for tieing the sail to your boom? If so, how much would that depower you. Would it help on a strong wind?

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I wish winter was not so long in Sask. Canada. It's hard to sail on ice! 1984 16' hobie cat Sail# 84848

I think the slot is the cleat for the out-haul line ,running from the back of the boom.
And yes the grommets are for reefing , i have tryed once ,but the sail shape gets so bad ..i dont think anybody uses them.

Flemse

The slot is for a boom vang attachment.

Ealier models used a conventional tang fitting, but that had a tendency to plant itself in the back of the crew's head.

Nobody uses a boom vang anymore, so the slot fitting has been abandoned for some time. New boats do not have a vang fitting.

Hey Matt,
just for arguments sake, since I am totally out of it, I at the 81 nationals in REALLY light wind, people were using the vang as a mast rotator, wrapping it around the windward side of the mast, and hooking it to the downhaul cleat, then tensioning it.

In a sloppy sea/ light wind, it kept the mast on a 16 from rotating, and it substantially quieted the rig , making it alot faster. I'm talking 2-3 knot windspeed. In your experience, is that use of the boom vang no longer valid?...or been outllawed?

Just curious.

your log ago ex nemisis- Rock

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Raced extensively as a kid (against Matt Bounds!!), just bought a 20 year old 16 and am refurbishing it.

Sail # 21888

Hasn't been outlawed - it's just more trouble than it's worth.

There's a different technique used now - the skipper pushes on the mast / boom with their feet.