Rigging help needed....

**Flying_Mike_D** · September 19th, 2009, 10:55 PM

I'm on a 35' sailboat in the middle of the San Juan islands. The topping lift is taught and holding the boom, the mainsheet and boom vang are tight to keep the boom from swaying. I can't sleep because of a very high frequency humming sound coming from the boom and vibrating through the mast. If I relieve tension on the topping lift by easing the mainsheet the vibration stops but then the boom sways to/fro while we are anchored. This is starting to become a bit obnoxious. If I release the topping lift the boom rests on the top of the Bimini over the cockpit. It's my honeymoon and we could use a night of sleeping without this damn boat vibrating through the mast into the saloon! (insert jokes there).

Any/all help is appreciated!!! :-)

**Calvin19** · September 20th, 2009, 01:26 AM

hey,
(Matt Hecker here, skipper

of 40' cutter rigged sloop ARGONAUTA)

one of your halyards, stay, or shroud is probably humming from wind. had a similar problem once. do you wrap halyards around mast when at anchor instead of just straight to bottom of mast? I recommend twisting the hell out of everything/wrapping it around everything to avoid this, the way truckers stop the resonating flap of straps on flatbed trailers, etc.

do you use a water anchor to stop the sway? that works sometimes as well. a spare anchor works as well, just hang it from the boom/toplift submerged about 5m in water (no shorter or it could come up and swing into boat in heavy sea)

hope anything helps, boats will do that though. earplugs man. earplugs. Dramamine and earplugs save all voyages.

**Flying_Mike_D** · September 20th, 2009, 10:56 AM

I had already done all that minus the anchor off the boom. It was pretty strong winds yesterday. I finally through in the towel. It's a damn Moorings 35' Beneteau, not a big fan of Moorings or the Beneteau but I couldn't pass up the price of this boat for 8 days. I guess I'll just live with the obnoxious vibration, it's do back at 1300 tomorrow anyways.

**NickD** · September 20th, 2009, 12:19 PM

With the main up the topping lift should be disconnected. If you do that and boom is hitting something you need to haul in more argo on the main sheet. Oh, wait a minute, I just re-read and see you are anchored with the main down. Dah!

How's the WX? Maybe you can put up the main and anchor in a hove to configuration?

NickD