Boom Preventer Angle

[max_power]

I think many of us are great fans of preventers for that wonderful peace of mind. I have mine rigged all the time now. When on other boats, I am very keen to encourage there use in ( with the obvious delicate use of tact and diplomacy).

One thing that puzzles me is the optimum angle of the line to the boom. It is often tempting to use the kicking strap lug but is this the strongest /best angle to use ? , and where should the best for’ard strongpoint position be ?. Ditto the above for having the preventer attached to the end of the boom rather than midships ?


Regards,


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[tome]

There's been some correspondence recently on this, and some differences of opinion.

Mid boom makes it safer to rig/derig unless you have a permanent line rigged to the end of the boom which is accessible (eg tied forward with a bungee).

On my boom the sheet is attached mid way so attaching the preventer to the end could be dangerous.

Probably the point at which the sheet is attached is the safest/strongest place to attach it, but I await the barrage of opinion on this...

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[tony_brighton]

any thoughts on one of those boom lock devices?

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[bigmart]

I've always rigged a preventer from the outer end of the boom, up to the bow & through the bow fairlead. If you can lead the line back aft & make it off on a convenient cleat, this is useful if you get the sail backed by accident, because you can release it easily. Sailing down wind on an autohelm can often cause this kind of frightening situation. I know that the obvious answer is not to do it but if your shorthanded on a long voyage you takes your choice.

Martin

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[Roberto]

agree...

also, I prefer a line with some elasticity: in strong wind and following seas it is not unusual (at least in my boat) to see the boom end take a dip in the water at frightening speed. I saw a boom split in two with a stiff preventer fitted amidship, whereas if the line goes to the bow the worst damage can be avoided and still the boom be controlled.

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[tcm]

Re: agree...

Yes. A long line is good, but of course greater risk of allowing the gybe than a shorty preventer cos it will be an equal "preventer" on the other tack, so up to forward cleat then all the way back to a spare winch?

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[LORDNELSON]

I use a spare lug about half way along the boom and connect a double bungee to the aft shroud chainplate this, after a bit of trial, holds the boom fairly tautly in position but if we become backwiinded there is sufficient give in the bungee to allow the boom to gybe. Similarly if the boom end dips in the water there is sufficient give in the bungee to allow the boom to kick back. Not a standard approach I know, but it seems to work and I have used it when running for several days at a time. It avoids leading lines forward which can be a nuisence if you have a cruising chute hoisted with an adjustable tack line led aft.

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[claymore]

I had a Scott Boomlock which I recently gave away as it caused me to trip everytime I went forward.
It was attached at a point just aft of the kicker and certainly was most effective in preventing accidental gybes. It was just all the blood as I headbutted the shrouds....

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Claymore
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[max_power]

Maintaining Skull and Finger Integrity

Maintaining Skull and Finger Integrity


I was told that Southampton and Portsmouth A & E Units in August have a bet going as to who repairs the most in a day !.

What was that one ? If you see a bloke walking down the street with fingers pointing in all directions he’s a wicketkeeper, If he’s minus/ got mashed up fingers he’s a yachtsman.



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[Gunfleet]

I'm not sure that's right Tom. You'd find it hard to break the last 1/4 inch off a lolly stick but easy to break the stick in half. When I had a new kicker fitted the rigger told me to take it easy - it's not difficult to break your boom with one of those, she said. (That's right 'she' - lady rigger and jolly good at it too!)

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[jimi]

tend to agree, if you rig the gybe preventer from the end of the boom you've got a better angle to prevent the gybe as well as avoiding excess strain on the middle of the boom. A very long bowline used to attach to the boom end aids undoing from cockpit, although of course you should bbe able to release the line anyway from there.

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[Gunfleet]

It's a round turn and two half hearteds Jim. You can't undo a bowline under strain. And me telling you, a Yachtmaster and all... I dunno what things are coming to. Once them bits of paper used to mean something (walks away muttering)

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[claymore]

Jimi is a MacYachtmaster.
They come ready equipped with Edward Scissorhands devices which can open bowlines when people are hanging off them.
They can also open yoghourt cartons on their navels.

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Claymore
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[jimi]

Dinnae be daft man, your not trying to release it by undoing the bowline, thats done by letting it off the winch (its been led from the end of the boom forward, round the bow cleat and back to a winch), you're getting rid of the rope from the end of the boom without leaving the cockpit! Dodders off shaking heid and muttering "smartarse, wish these auld yins would use there heids..."

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[tcm]

Re: Bowline

Indeedy. In attempt to appear extremely gentlemanly, I goosewing at every opportunity, but was refused last weekend by some wimpish scouser.

You normally need a bowline cos there is no space for a round turn +2hh (needing two turns of line through eyelet or whatever) so a bowline it is.

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[Gunfleet]

Re: Bowline

You do have to watch it with bowlines. I was next to a very large German boat in Le Havre one night and the crew tied on to the pontoon hoop with a bowline. I thought that was odd but what I hadn't seen was that they'd done the same under one of those Glasgow pattern cleats (bronze & wood things) on the vessel. Next morning it was blowing a bit (not too much) and could they get it off? No. It needed four of them on the pontoon pushing and shoving the boat. You know what happens when four people stand on a French pontoon. Of course the Dutch, French & English neighbours didn't laugh. Not a bit of it, because we wouldn't be so unkind as to find four Germans up to their calves in water trying to undo a knot funny. That's what the EU is all about.
Back to booms - I have got a great big diamond shaped metal thingy on the end of my boom to which you can tie any knot you've ever learnt. Also I've great big diamond shaped scars on my head.

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[jimi]

Re: Bowline

You mean they did'nt use a rolling hitch! Tut Tut ... zat vood haf been goot too explain to a two ton teuton! Agree with bowlines both ends ... also OXO knots with the load over the top .... had to cut a warp once when that happened!

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