The Forespar Yacht Rod has four holes in the outer tube that let you adjust the height of the boom after the vang is installed. This can be useful for boaters who need to raise the boom to set or lower their dodger or bimini top.

It’s been more than six years since Practical Sailor evaluated rigid boom vangs. Given the rapid evolution of sailing hardware, it’s high time we take another close look.

In that May 15, 1999 report, we wrote that Hall Spars and Rigging’s QuikVang was the best all-around product, if you were game to ignore prices. Garhauer Marine’s vang was our Best Buy due to its rugged construction and economical price, and Spinlock’s then new Powervang was the product of choice for the racing set. If you owned a larger boat and wanted a lightweight vang, your best bet was Selden’s Rodkicker. As that 1999 test indicated, determining the appropriate rigid vang…