A boomkicker is a modern mechanical device on boats that pushes the boom up by one or more glassfiber rods. If the boom is sheeted in, the rods will bend and produce a force upwards. This provides several beneficial effects for the sailor. In light air, a boomkicker provides better sail shape by lifting the boom and opening the leech. No

topping lift The topping lift (more rarely known as an uphaul) is a line which applies upward force on a boom on a sailboat. Part of the running rigging, topping lifts are primarily used to hold a boom up when the sail is lowered. This line would run from nea ...

is required when using the boomkicker. As a consequence,

reefing Reefing reduces the area of a sail, usually by folding or rolling one edge of the canvas in on itself and attaching the unused portion to a spar or a stay, as the primary measure to preserve a sailing vessel's stability in strong winds. Restoring ...

is safer and easier with better boom control, and when dropping the mainsail the boom will not hit the deck. A boomkicker may be installed alongside a traditional

block and tackle A block and tackle or only tackle is a system of two or more pulleys with a rope or cable threaded between them, usually used to lift heavy loads. The pulleys are assembled to form blocks and then blocks are paired so that one is fixed and on ...

boom vang A boom vang (US) or kicking strap (UK) (often shortened to "vang" or "kicker") is a line or piston system on a sailboat used to exert downward force on the boom and thus control the shape of the sail. The Collins English Dictionary defines it ...

, and will work in close collaboration with it. It is not used with a hydraulic, or rigid vang, as that type of vang already performs the function of supporting the boom. The boomkicker is, among others, widely used on the International Dragon Class.Discussion about a Dragon picture
/ref>

References

{{Sail Types Sailing equipment