It’s a rainy day so I decided to take on a project that’s been bugging me since I got the boat last year and thought I’d spend a few minutes documenting it for the forum.
Outhaul control is critical to maintaining proper sail shape at different points of sail and in varying conditions. The original external set up on the Commander is woefully inadequate.
There are many great ways to rig an outhaul, but this is my favorite. I cut the hole for my exit block on the clew end as far aft as possible. On the control end I cut it within a long needle nose plier’s length to the bail for the vang. This allows me to use the through bolt for the vang bail as my anchoring point for the two separate lines as well as keeping the control end within reach when the boom is out off the wind. First I lay out the system out outside the boom to get the line lengths (Pic #2) then splice in eyes on the anchored ends, though a loop tied with a bowline would be fine. Then I pull the two ends to be anchored as well as the bitter end through the exit block hole. Cut a piece of tubing the width of the boom to sleeve the vang through bolt and protect the eyes from the threads. Put the tubing through the eyes and tape them so its easier to keep everything together. Grab the tube and lines with your long needle nose and spend a few frustrating minutes trying to line it up and mount your vang bail. Thread your control end through the exit block and mount the block and jam cleat. On the clew end I attach a bungee to the block along with the tack line and anchor the other end to a small padeye inside the boom. The bungee keeps tension on the system when its slackened to help keep the blocks and lines from tangling and works like a power assist to help loosen the foot when you slack the outhaul.
I used 7/64” spectra for the clew line and 3/16” Trophy braid for the control line.
