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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Preventer

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Northlander
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/05/2005 : 15:52:11

While I'm asking questions, I'll also ask about preventers. Any ideas? There are discussions about this ranging from bungies to using the vang, but I haven't come across a discussion of a "formal" preventer set-up. My idea is to mount a pad-eye on both sides of the boom. Run lines from these down to blocks mounted on the stanchion pad-eyes (used for the mast raising stays) to jam cleats on the cabin top. Thoughts?

Necia
C250wk #804
Seward, AK

Edited by - on

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2005 : 19:37:09

I use the vang as a preventer on PennyII now. On Penny I used 1/4" nylon line and ran it from the topping lift hole on the boom outside the lifelines throught the bow cleats then inside the lifelines back to the rear cockpit cleats. On the 250 there is a stainless bar aft of the topping lift that I used for my connection point and then ran the lines the same as Penny except ending at stanchion cleats on the first cabin top stanchion next to the winch rather than the aft cockpit cleat. The aft cockpit cleat will work I just had the spare stanchion cleats so I used them instead.

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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2980 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2005 : 07:29:30

Chris, I agree with Jerry's use of the vang for a preventer...

There are exceptions however such as a physical mobility restriction where having preventers prerigged would be better or if using a rigid vang.... otherwise, the vang to the stanchion cleats works excellent after adding a snap shackle to the vang.

If rigging preventers, the sky is the limit but simply using some line made to the vang's boom shackle (bowline knot or spliced eye), to and thru the stachion eyes and back to the lazy winch would do the job... I'd try it first without even using blocks at the eyes. Here is a good place to use some of that soft old halyard.

Edited by - Arlyn Stewart on 07/06/2005 07:31:38

Northlander
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2005 : 14:22:24

Arlyn, I was going to use the old halyards. Seemed like a good use for them. I did some tested the scenario using the vang's boom shackle. I didn't like the leverage...I wanted to get something farther out on the boom. Good ideas. Making me think and tweak...that's what I wanted...more thoughts and ideas anybody?

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2005 : 22:53:57

Thinking about the leverage concern... leaves me wondering about what conditions the preventer is contemplated. There are those on both sides of this issue and I'm on the side that feels a preventer <u>should not</u> be used in a breese... that doing so is risky. While initially it might be thought thats just when its needed most, having a preventer rigged can create more excitement in a strong wind than most of us desire.

IMHO, a preventer should not be used in any more wind than that boat can handle if she should broach to the wind with her sail unmanagable. And... from my experience in winds stronger than force four, the helmsperson should be paying very close attention and a preventer is not needed.

The C250 doesn't stand the risk of blowing out the sails (making them baggy) that heavier boats do if the sails are over stressed, but there is definately a risk of scaring the bejeebers out of the crew or possibly sliding someone overboard which may leave the skipper fighting to regain confidence sometimes requiring a long time, sometimes never happening.

It's not my wish to sound preachy... rather simply inform of the risk. If I've misunderstood the leverage issue and I probably have, my bad and I repent my indulgence.

When the wind is moderate, a preventer can be just the ticket especially while cruising under auto pilot.

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Northlander
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2005 : 23:20:25

Your opinion is very welcome, Arlyn. That's how we learn.

I agree with your risk assessment. Regarding my leverage statement...when I rigged the scenario described in my previous post, I could move the boom quite easily (maybe I was just using too small polyester cord) by hand (Necia was tied up and the wind was light). I just didn't like the angle of pull.

The risks you described are one of my biggest reasons for not wanting to use the boom vang. I figure it may become a bad habbit...something you start to get comfortable with and don't realize the dangers your nearing before its too late. Also, I like to have "safety valves" or "sheer keys" for when things go bad. I figured having the preventer lead to the cockpit and easily released when things go bad would be one of these. Ideally, if one always makes the right decision then no worries. I, myself, cannot say I make the correct decision 100% of the time. Now, if you can have the vangcontrolled from the cockpit after moved to the stanchion, well, there you go.

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2005 : 08:38:34

Exactly right... the preventer needs to be quickly releasable. I've modified the cam cleat on the vang block and locate it as the lower block. A little slap of the line breaks it out of the cleat easily.

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Capt. Kurt
Navigator

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185 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2005 : 14:36:17

My most recent "incident" of being struck by the boom (see earlier post) was caused my an inexperienced helmsmen gybing the boat before I could react. The wind was light, a preventer would have definately stopped the boom. She probably would have broached however, given that the tiller was pegged putting 'Tortuga' in a sharp gybe. This could have possibly put myself or others into the water.

Bottom line, sailing is inherantly dangerous and the degree of passenger safety is a function of captain & crew experience and alertness (preventer or no preventer).

Kurt
#818 C250WK 'Tortuga'

Edited by - on

Steve Raffel
Captain

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262 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2005 : 17:05:48

Last year I experienced a gybing incident that was caused by me forgetting that the jib wasn't up and I didn't have my usual prevent set. I always watch the jib to see when the clew drops. We had a bad one - no one hurt but lost a few sail slugs. I intend to try the suggestion of using a line going from the rear cleat to the bow cleat and then back to the stern this weekend. It sounds like a better way than what I do now which is to run a line from the bow cleat to the boom vang fitting on the boom. That requires leaving the cockpit. This way if you set the lines at the dock, no one has to leave the cockpit.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2005 : 20:09:46

Is there such a thing as a dynamic preventer?
It would act as a shock absorber, allow the gybe but under a degree of control.
I can imagine a line run from boom, to a port side line organizer, across to a stbd line organizer with a friction 'thingy' between them, then the line goes back to the other side of the boom. If a gybe occured, the line would gradually pull through the friction plate and allow a controlled gybe.

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Steve Raffel
Captain

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262 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2005 : 22:17:46

The Boom Brake by the people who make the Dutchman sounds like what you want http://www.mvbinfo.com/dp_03_BB_brochure.html

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Steve Raffel
Captain

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262 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2005 : 17:46:33

We tried a new approach to the preventer today and in light air it seemed to work fine. We ran a line from the block on the boom end of the vang to a cleat on the T-track. I added cleats (West Marine catalog pg 1059)to the tracks several years ago and find them useful for hanging fenders and now for the preventer line.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2005 : 20:28:33

Thanks Steve, I was pretty sure that it would not be something new.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">The Boom Brake by the people who make the Dutchman sounds like what you want <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
That pretty much was as I thought it would/should be.
Has anyone used one or something like it?

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