On Sep 28, 1:02 pm, "Capt. JG" wrote:
wrote in message

I agree that paying attention is the most important factor, but on downwind
runs of an hour or so, a small mistake can translate into a big problem. The
preventer is perfect for that. This is especially true when inexperienced
people are at the helm, which is fairly routine if I'm teaching.

I've known of two incidents where boats got in big trouble with a
preventer rigged. One ended up gybing anyway, turning about 120
degrees and getting stuffed when the main went aback; the other
The times I've sailed other people's boats with preventers rigged, it
always seemed more in the way than helpful.
DSK

I would qualify that by saying "many times" instead of always.
--
"j" ganz

Rigging a preventer to a winch that can be eased
quickly is essential. I don't hold to the theory that
it must be rigged from the end of the boom all the way
to the bow. I take it from the main sheet bail on
the boom to a bail or cleat on deck somewhere
around the shrouds and back to a winch.

A boom brake serves the purpose of preventing
potentially fatal injuries caused by a madly swinging
boom without the risk of forgetting to ease the
preventer. A good sailor might be able to put his
tiller down fast enough to slow the gybe, but one
moments distraction might be fatal to a crew
member.

I remember the case of a guy named Vance who
died front of his fiancee's eyes when a dramatic
windshift near the Carquinez Straits bluffs gybed
the boom across as he was returning from the
foredeck. He was dead before he hit the water.

A preventer or boom brake would have saved his
life.