The Boomkin Project

Velcro Beach
No LL

What the heck is a boomkin? That question stumps many experienced sailors. That is because very few sailboats have boomkins. W32s do.

The boomkin is an extension that allows the backstay to be connected behind the stern. It is the stern equivalent of the bowsprit which allows the forestay to be attached forward of the bow. Both are intended to allow larger sails than could otherwise fit.

The boomkin and the bowsprit are structurally critical pieces. If either breaks while under sail, dismasting may result. We have heard of both cases on W32. Morning Mist, a boat we look at in 2005, had been dismasted when her boomkin broke. Pygmalion broke her boomkin last year in San Fransisco bay, but captain Jay lowered the sail quick enough to save the mast.

For several years, I've been varnishing the boomkin every year, but each year it becomes worse. The bottom level of varnish separated letting water in. Water causes rot and rot causes weakness and that can lead to broken boomkins. This year I resolved to repair it thoroughly.

The obstacle to boomkin repair is complexity. Removing the boomkin means taking off the backstay, the monitor, the stern pulpit, and solar panel. That's a major job, especially while the boat is in the water. After much thought, I found an easier, albeit longer, method. The boomkin has two pieces, port and starboard. My solution was to remove and repair only one side at a time. Even that wasn't easy. It took half a day to remove one side, and half a day to put it back.

Once removed, I used a blowtorch and paint stripper, and sandpaper, to strip the pieces down to bare wood. Then I painted on a coat of epoxy resin to encapsulate the wood and to protect it from water. On top of that I put four coats of marine white enamel paint. I hope the paint will last longer and do a better job of UV protection than varnish.

The whole project is taking much longer than I thought because of rainy weather. I can't paint on rainy days, and recently we had rain on part of almost every day. It has been 3 weeks since I started, and I have 1 week to go.

p.s. I'm also doing the same epoxy resin and paint job on the bowsprit, but without removing it.

p.p.s. I usually don't endorse products in this blog but I'll make an exception. Up to now, I've been using Interlux and/or Petit brand topside paints. I've had nothing but trouble both with adherence and with abrasion resistance. I also hate the sky high prices. West Marine charges $45 per quart for topside paint. Acting on a tip from Peter here in Vero, this time I went to Lowes hardware store. They carry Rustoleum brand marine paints. Their topside enamel paint is only $12 per quart. So far, it spreads and covers much better than the Interlux or Petit brands. It is excellent paint. I'll have to wait a year or more to report on its durability.

Close up of the starboard boomkin. Note the flaws in the varnish. Also note all the hardware mounted on the boomkin.

Working on the boomkin project. Most of the work had to be done from the dinghy. I only dropped one washer and one screwdriver in the water so far (better than average).