Boom brake or preventer??

[RandyBC]

I'm interested in putting a Dutchman boom brake on my Catalina 42. I've read some criticism that they can lead to booms breaking. Should I buy the brake or should I rig a traditional preventer??
Regards
Randy

[Freesail99]

There is an article in this months Sail magazine about a boom preventer.

[teshannon]

Randy,
There was a lot of discussion here on boom brakes some time back, all very positive if I remember. Have you tried searching the forums for boom brake? The one downside for me is that you leave it permanantly rigged and it seems like it would be a tripping hazard then. As Free said, there is an article in this months Sail magazine on boom brakes and preventers.

[RandyBC]

I did read that article. It focuses mostly on preventers. The boom brake did receive mention at the end of the article but no mention of any negatives.
I did, as always do a search, and have also read many positive things here about the device. What had me concerned was this blog that I found.....

Valves Everywhere! | Voyages of Norska

Thoughts???
Randy

[tommyt]

SD should be back soon. I think he is the Boom Brake man! Where is he anyway? Installing his training pontoons?

[teshannon]

Originally Posted by tommyt

SD should be back soon. I think he is the Boom Brake man! Where is he anyway? Installing his training pontoons?

Giu said he's home with the flu. Probably writhing with Sailnet withdrawal.

[sgkuhner]

I use two preventers on Tamure, one off each side of the boom from a bale on the boom to a pad eye through bolted onto the toe rail just aft of the lowers. When I jibe, I jibe the main then slowly release the (now windward) preventer and take up on the other preventer relieving me of the necessity of having to leave the cockpit to change over the preventer. It works great; but yes, the windward preventer does lie across the windward side deck so one has to watch out for it when going forward. But, it isn't really that much of a hassle.

[wingNwing]

I was unable to find the article you referred to in Sail magazine. It has been my pleasure to sail on boats equipped with either the boom brake or preventers.

I have my doubts as to the safety of the brake which slows the boom movement during a jibe, provided it works as designed. The brakes I have had experince with have been placed conveniently near the center of the boom which places a hugh bending force at that point. In engineering terms the bending moment at that point would require a much heavier section to resist the stress than is normal in something like a boom where weight is critical. Thus if it puts too much stress at that point, the boom "brake" can become a boom "break!"

I believe the best solution I have seen uses a preventer attached to the end of the boom and brought forward to a snatch block on the leeward toerail ner the bow then back aft to a secondary winch. This arrangement allows the boat to go into a hove to configuration in the case of an accidental jibe. I have done this on a J-44 repeatedly with no damage to boom or sail. Lest you think I'm a sailing klutz, the occassion for all this jibing was training midshipmen at the Naval Academy.

(My solution is similar to sgkuhner's but even farther forward - to keep the line on the outside while still keeping good sail shape.)

[sailboy21]

Preventer's are simple and cheap. I used a setup where two preventer lines are led from the cockpit, to two blocks near the bow and then to a snap shackle which is clipped to the bail (with end boom sheeting). The release pin on the shackle has a 3' long thin leash, so I had grab it and release it easily. The other end is secured with a slip knot to the pushpit for convenience, and is applied to the auxiliary sheet winch when in use. I don't use boom brakes for several reasons. 1: my boom is too small, designed for use with end boom sheeting and would likely snap under the load. 2: They get in the way 3: They are really expensive! 4: most seem to be very complex, requiring many pieces/parts/attachment points. For me, using two existing padeyes, a couple $20 blocks, 2 snap shackles and about 100 ft of sta-set was definatly the right answer. This is one of those boxers or briefs (or none) type of questions.

[chucklesR]

Preventers led to the bow, with a block turning it back to a secondary winch is good from keeping the boom from swinging one way - I like to also rig a line going aft to a stern cleat - that stabilizes the boom in both directions; holding it rigidly in place, and keeping it from riding up at the same time.