Boom Break

ashtead

ashtead

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 Jun 2008
Messages
7,064
Location
Surrey and Gosport UK
Visit site
I have just been reading up on these and watched the Pip H video on line. I’m not keen on fitting one if you have to remove the boom strut but does anyone have experience of using and are there any downsides not apparent from video. I rather favour a non permanent solution I might rig for cross channel trips but are they an advantage. The main issue would seem to be lines becoming jammed or breaking but maybe this isn’t a reality ?
 
I think having some sort of system readily and easily/quickly deployable should conditions require it, be that a boom brake of some sort or a preventer, is the main thing. Choice depending on your boat, the sorts of conditions you usually sail in, etc...
 
ashtead said:
Ho ho - I just want something simple and I notice one for sale at Force 4 ?
Click to expand...
The simplest of all is just to use on of your warps from the end of the boom to a forward cleat. Next up would be to attach a block to that forward cleat and lead the warp back to the cockpit. Unless you find yourself using that a lot then why complicate it?
 
I would say it depends on your overall requirement - if you want to stop the boom from accidental gybing in medium conditions downwind then a preventer is probably OK - if you want a more elegant solution to control the boom in all conditions downwind then a boom brake is the way forward - I fitted one on our transAtlantic and it was brilliant - if the wind gets the wrong side of the boom it just gently slides across
 
duncan99210 said:
I use a figure of 8 descender like this NewDoar Peak Rescue Terminal 8 Descender Large Bent-ear, Belaying and Rappelling | eBay, fixed to the middle of the boom. A line taken from the midships cleat, through the descender to the opposite cleat and then back to the aft cleat. Hand tension it and it takes all the energy out of the gybe. Cheap as well in comparison to the marine labelled versions.
Click to expand...
I prefer not to attach to the middle of the boom but I can see why the chance of breaking a boom that way would be much reduced with a stretch rope like that.
 
I have a Walder on a 50 footer, and wouldnt be without it. No need to remove the hydraulic strut and will enable a safe Gybe without winding in the boom in just about any conditions. Nothing really not too like, but rigging it correctly is vital as well as knowing the correct line tension.
 
WARNING. The BB must be attached to the boom at the same point as the main sheet otherwise they put a large bending moment in the boom and 'break' it.
 
On our previous boat, an Island Packet 350, I installed a Petzl figure of eight climbing decender, made to the centre cleats through blocks and led back to the cockpit.

Much less stress going downwind with it set up and adjusted.

It was fixed to a spare bale which happened to be in just the right place on the boom.

It was at least a metre from the mainsheet bale, the boom NEVER bent, or broke.

Being an Island Packet, the boom was pretty substantial and over specced.
 
I have a Scott Boomlock 2 on my boat, with a longer control rope brought back to clutches aft on both sides. It allows me to make controlled gybes when sailing singlehanded as well as acting as a preventer. My boat has a very heavy duty boom and the Boomlock sits over a metre forward of the mainsheet attachment, without problems.
Boomlock: Scott Boomlock Boom Brake | Sailspar Ltd
 
I'm not a big fan (I've tested them, but cats don't need them because of wide travelers), but...

... Read the manufacture information. There is considerable mis-information in this thread from people who have not used brakes. I think some are confusing them with preventers, where are very different and serve a different purpose. The brake set up is very specific, and if the rules are followed, they've proven safe. Do NOT deviate from manufacture requirements or it will not work properly; attachment points and rope type are critical.

They do take some time to get used to adjusting.
 
I seem to recall that some cat owners find some benefits with a boom brake, but you are correct the wide traveller makes a "crash" gybe much less of a problem, or even just an accidental gybe for that matter. Also I suspect the back winding effect you get is the practical consequence of preventing the boom crashing into the shroud.

You are quite correct, and as I said earlier, rigging and knowing how much tension to put on the line is critical. The wrong rope simply leads to too much, or not enough friction (at least in the case of the Walder), and then it is still important to know how much tension to use for differing wind strengths.

Personally, I think it is very poor practice to rely on any boom brake. I pretty much always partially unload the main before gybing, but perhaps leaving a little more power in the sail than without a brake, it just seems to me still kind on the rig and good seamanship. As someone said earlier the big IPs are over engineered and potentially slightly under powered (at least in light winds) anyway.

However, and this for me is the key, in a true blue water sailing, or even on passages when the boat may be left in the hands of those with less experience, the boom brake because a very comforting safety feature and this for me is why I would prefer never to be without.
 
goeasy123 said:
WARNING. The BB must be attached to the boom at the same point as the main sheet otherwise they put a large bending moment in the boom and 'break' it.
Click to expand...


Sorry I disagree with this statement.

A boom brake should be set up to control the speed to gybe and not put excessive load on the boom brake attachment.

If the boon brake i locked solid it could break the boom.

A Gybe preventer must be attached to the main sheet attachment as a gybe preventer will put excessive load on the boom and boom attachment
 
RupertW said:
I prefer not to attach to the middle of the boom but I can see why the chance of breaking a boom that way would be much reduced with a stretch rope like that.
Click to expand...
As the main sheet is also attached at the same point I attach the brake to, I don’t consider this to be likely to place excessive strain on the boom itself. Also, remember that the idea of the brake is to slow the movement of the boom, not stop it. By only hand tightening the line, it’s impossible to actually stop the movement of the boom. If I winched the line tight enough to stop the boom moving, it‘d interfere with the set of the sails and boom as well as imposing additional stress on the boom, which is why I don’t do it.
 
Rogershaw - you are correct, I dont think any of the boom breaks recommend this. My mainsheet attaches to the end of the boom so it would be impossible in any event.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top