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Jibe prevention

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JanS48
Navigator

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USA
141 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/05/2016 : 22:20:19

Do any of you use a Preventer or a boom brake?

82 C25 SR FK
Sailing out of Newport Harbor.

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2016 : 04:42:50

I only use a preventer in very light air or when cruising long distances in moderate winds - never in strong winds. In very light air, the wind is too light to hold the boom to one side, so a preventer will hold it in position.

The best "preventer" is a helmsman who is focused on steering. Whenever a boat is sailing by the lee, there's a risk of a gybe. If the helmsman avoids that, a gybe is unlikely.

When cruising long distances, it is difficult for a helmsman to stay focused for long periods, and a preventer is a good safety device to enable him to relax somewhat.

My thinking is similar with regard to a boom brake. Both a preventer and a boom brake are devices that are intended to eliminate the consequences of a gybe. I think the better choice is to avoid an uncontrolled gybe in the first place, through focused helmsmanship and good sail handling. I often handle the mainsheet on over 40' racers, and controlled gybes are commonly done, especially when flying a spinnaker. As long as the helmsman avoids sailing by the lee, an unintended gybe is not a significant risk. If the helmsman can't avoid sailing by the lee for a moment, then crew should be warned to keep their heads down.

In theory, a boom brake is a neat idea, but the problem is, where do you attach it? I think a lifeline stanchion or a mast stay are poor locations. A lifeline stanchion is often not installed with a backing plate, and, if a boom brake stresses your mast stay too often, it will cause leaks around the chainplates, and potentially damage the deck core. Also, a boom brake adds a line across the gunwale, where crew can trip over it when going to the foredeck. It's especially a problem if sleepy crew are called out of their bunks to go to the foredeck at night.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Edited by - Steve Milby on 07/06/2016 06:34:20

Lee Panza
Captain

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USA
465 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2016 : 20:28:19

I use a preventer often.

On SF Bay on any given Summer afternoon, with very gusty wind in the mid-20s and a lot of chop, anything near DDW can be treacherous - even with my full attention. It's especially bad coming back under the Golden Gate Bridge, with the wild eddies and the swell off the ocean adding to the fun.

I keep a lightweight aluminum carabiner with a couple of lengths of lightweight nylon cord hanked on and ready to deploy. The 'biner clips into a small shackle hanging from a light hounds on the boom (just aft of the larger hounds that the vang is connected to, although hooking to the same point would work). Each line runs down to and through a locking carabiner that I have fastened by a sturdy eye-strap on the toe-rail on each side (I also use these for setting spring dock lines) and then back to a small cleat on the cockpit coaming on each side. It's quick to set up, and it's quick to release when I need to gybe, but the light cord stretches when needed to absorb the shock when I'm unable to avoid an accidental gybe (or if the tip of the boom should ever dip into the water rushing by).

The boom wasn't designed for a serious transverse load near the middle, and my loose-footed main puts all of the sail load at the clew and the gooseneck instead of being somewhat distributed along a bolt-rope. So I'm cautious about securing it too firmly near its midpoint (especially with the vang already applying stress there). I haven't tried to calculate the load to see if gybing with the preventer in place is getting anywhere near the breaking point of the boom extrusion (although I intuitively doubt it) but using light-weight cord puts me more at ease; I have already had to replace both sides from having stretched them in unanticipated gybes. The boom tip has gotten close to the wave tops, but I haven't dunked it yet.

I've also used the set-up many times in light air, as Steve described, especially when there's a lot of disturbance from power boats.

So I'd recommend you try setting something up. If you already have a vang connected to the boom you could try clipping cheap aluminum carabiners to the bases of the fwd. stanchions on both sides (although you'd have to snake the line between the shrouds). And there must be something you can cleat them off to in the cockpit area without adding new hardware. Once you've had reason to use it I think you'll want to add permanent hardware to be able to set it up conveniently, and you'll find you use it more often than you expected.

Bear in mind that you'll want to be able to release it in a hurry. You don't ever want to leave the boom fixed in any position with a strong wind on the wrong side of the sail, and sometimes that's unavoidable (like when you suddenly need to avoid another boat or some other object). But a preventer (one that's convenient enough to rig so that you actually use it) can be a valuable accessory.

The trouble with a destination - any destination, really - is that it interrupts The Journey.

Lee Panza
SR/SK #2134
San Francisco Bay
(Brisbane, CA)

Edited by - Lee Panza on 07/08/2016 20:34:55

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 07/09/2016 : 06:52:23

A simple arrangement for a preventer that I've used in light air is to tie a long line to the boom, and lead it to any convenient place to tie it off. Tie it with a slip knot and lead it back to the cockpit. If you have to change course or gybe, all you have to do is pull on the line. The slip knot will release the boom to gybe or tack or do whatever you wish. You won't have to leave the cockpit to release the preventer.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 07/09/2016 : 07:35:19

While I have nothing formal, I occasionally find myself sailing wing and wing downwind, particularly in 10kts with gusts. What I do is let the main out most of the way then wrap the sheets under the stern pulpit' foreward-most ends. They just happen to be in exactly the right locations.
This keeps the boom reasonably well controlled, however it can move a few feet if back winded. Never had a problem accidentally gybing using this approach.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.