How to Rig a Teak Boom

Rigging a teak boom is no different than rigging any other boom attached to the mast of a sailboat. The mast is the large horizontal pole to which the halyard attaches that raises the main sail. Find the mast roughly to the middle of the sailboat atop the doghouse or cabin in boats so equipped. From the back of the mast, near its bottom a spar -- the boom -- extends perpendicular to the mast into the cockpit area. The rigging consists of a series of lines and pulleys that secure the boom at the bottom of the mast aft of the the boat and allow for the bottom of the mail sail to attach to the top of the boom. This rigging also allows the boom to swing port to starboard when tacking, a maneuver that changes the direction of the sail and the boat.

Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the end of the topping lift secured against the mast and attach it to the boom in the aft-most position (at the end of the boom toward the back of the boat).

    • 2

      Release the mainsheet (line) aft on the boom and attach the boom block to the bottom of the boom.

    • 3

      Go to the front of the boom and clip the boom vang to the mast.

    • 4

      Connect the lowermost front of the mail sail to the boom shackle at the front of the boom.

    • 5

      Clip the lower back corner of the main sail to the shackle aft on the boom.

    • 6

      Attach the topmost corner of the mail sail to the main halyard and pull the main halyard to raise the sail. Cleat the halyard when the main sail is raised.