[Rhodes22-list] First Reef Question

[Steve Alm]

I had a wonderful sail yesterday.  Temps in the mid-sixties, sunny and winds
13 gusting to 21.  I was single-handing and had lots of fun washing the
rails.  Rummy woulda been proud.  8-)  I had the boom in the lower position
(first reef) which is something I rarely do.  I suppose I should do it more
often when winds get that high--I guess I just prefer the headroom.  Anyway,
with the boom down and when close-hauled, I noticed I had bent the tang (?)
...the ~4" piece of steel at the end of the boom where the main sheet
attaches.  When the boom is down and sheeted in tightly, the tang bent back
towards the traveler.  When I was done sailing, I bent it back to its
original shape.  Obviously, I don't want to keep doing this because
eventually it'll break.  Has anyone had this problem or found a solution?

Slim