Does anyone have any recommendations for rigs to prevent an accidental gybe.
My boat is a 34 foot sloop.
Having just had the scariest experience of my life taking my unconscious
brother in law to casualty this weekend following a boom/head incident, I'm
keen never to repeat the experience.
Bye the way - bottom line is concentration lapsed and I took my eye off the
changing wind direction but something to restrain the boom in future would
be reassuring.

In article ,
"Sting" wrote:

Does anyone have any recommendations for rigs to prevent an accidental gybe.
My boat is a 34 foot sloop.
Having just had the scariest experience of my life taking my unconscious
brother in law to casualty this weekend following a boom/head incident, I'm
keen never to repeat the experience.
Bye the way - bottom line is concentration lapsed and I took my eye off the
changing wind direction but something to restrain the boom in future would
be reassuring.



Some boats have the vang setup so that it can be moved from its
attachment point on the mast and taken to a point near the gunwhale and
forward of the boom, where it can then act as a preventer.

--
Alan Baker
Vancouver, British Columbia
"If you raise the ceiling 4 feet, move the fireplace from that wall
to that wall, you'll still only get the full stereophonic effect
if you sit in the bottom of that cupboard."

"Sting" wrote...
Does anyone have any recommendations for rigs to prevent an accidental gybe.
My boat is a 34 foot sloop.

Rig a preventer from the boom to the base of a lifeline stanchion or to a block
on a genoa track. Depending on your rig, you might tie it off or lead it to a
winch/stopper/cleat.

Others have posted good advice. With making an assumption on your
experience, there are a lot of sailors that don't understand the warning
signals of an accidental gybe.

The clew on the jib/genoa is the key. Once the clew starts to fall toward
the deck and come amidships (because it is now sheltered by the main) you
are entering the Danger Zone. It is also time to goosewing. But then you
lose the advantage of having a warning signal. It is a matter of weighing
up the circumstances, at the time, whether you chose goosewing or not. But
while that headsail is on the same side as the main you have a great visual
alarm.

Experienced sailors know they are able to sail "down" several more degrees
before a gybe at this point. But, if you are uncertain, stick with the set
headsail and tack downwind to keep an adequate margin of safety.

DP

"Sting" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have any recommendations for rigs to prevent an accidental
gybe.
My boat is a 34 foot sloop.
Having just had the scariest experience of my life taking my unconscious
brother in law to casualty this weekend following a boom/head incident,
I'm
keen never to repeat the experience.
Bye the way - bottom line is concentration lapsed and I took my eye off
the
changing wind direction but something to restrain the boom in future would
be reassuring.

For the Marion to Bermuda Race, a permanently installed preventer is
required. this is separate from and different from a vang, which pulls the
boom down for shape.

The recommended preventor is one Bob Seifert talks about and one I have had
on my boat for years. It is great and simple enough to use so you actually
use it.

Install a heavy duty, big boat block at the stem head. If you sheet from
anywhere fore of the end of the boom, install a tang and heavy duty tang at
the end of the boom. Using heavy , halyard strength line, create a line
about 3/4 the length of the boom. splice a metal eye at each end. Shackle
on end to the end of the boom. attach a heavy, heavy duty snap shackle to
the forward end. Reeve a heavy line long enough to reach from the cockpit
,to the stem and back to the cockpit through the block at the stemhead.
Splice a metal eye at one end.
When you are running, the long line goes outside the shrouds and attaches to
the boom line and you take up on the preventor as you ease the main. You
can use a spinnaker winch to take up the pressure.

by using the end of the boom, you have the best leverage, and you can easily
and quickly release the preventor if need be.

When not in use, the boom line can be affixed to a cleat on the boom and the
long line pulled up tight against the block.

--
Dennis Gibbons
S/V Dark Lady
CN35-207
email: dennis dash gibbons at worldnet dot att dot net
"John R Weiss" wrote in message
t...
"Sting" wrote...
Does anyone have any recommendations for rigs to prevent an accidental
gybe.
My boat is a 34 foot sloop.

Rig a preventer from the boom to the base of a lifeline stanchion or to a
block
on a genoa track. Depending on your rig, you might tie it off or lead it
to a
winch/stopper/cleat.

Good posts so far, but you can't get much simpler than the preventer I use:
tie a stout line to the aft end of the boom, run it forward outboard of the
shrouds, in through a hawse, pull on it hard, and cleat 'er home.

GREAT peace of mind.

Fair winds,

Dick Behan


"Sting" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have any recommendations for rigs to prevent an accidental
gybe.
My boat is a 34 foot sloop.
Having just had the scariest experience of my life taking my unconscious
brother in law to casualty this weekend following a boom/head incident,
I'm
keen never to repeat the experience.
Bye the way - bottom line is concentration lapsed and I took my eye off
the
changing wind direction but something to restrain the boom in future would
be reassuring.

If rigging a preventer is not what you have in mind, either ATN or Duchman
systems, I can't remember which makes a fitting called a Boom-Brake to stop
the boom in case of an accidental gybe.
"Sting" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have any recommendations for rigs to prevent an accidental
gybe.
My boat is a 34 foot sloop.
Having just had the scariest experience of my life taking my unconscious
brother in law to casualty this weekend following a boom/head incident,
I'm
keen never to repeat the experience.
Bye the way - bottom line is concentration lapsed and I took my eye off
the
changing wind direction but something to restrain the boom in future would
be reassuring.

Hi,

I have a block and tackle going from the boom to a heavy duty shackle
on the aft chainplate, in place of the normal pin. Helps when sailing
wing on wing. as it prevents jibe when main is backwinded and allows
you to make those minor corrections. I will email you an image.

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 21:04:21 +0100, "Sting"
wrote:

Does anyone have any recommendations for rigs to prevent an accidental gybe.
My boat is a 34 foot sloop.
Having just had the scariest experience of my life taking my unconscious
brother in law to casualty this weekend following a boom/head incident, I'm
keen never to repeat the experience.
Bye the way - bottom line is concentration lapsed and I took my eye off the
changing wind direction but something to restrain the boom in future would
be reassuring.

I've used the same set up on my Tartan 34 and now my Hunter 420. I
have a 1/2 inch line preventer using a block and becket with shackle
to attach to the boom and a fiddle with camcleat and shackle for a
stanchion base. Currently I leave both shackles attached to the boom
where the vang is attached and a shirt piece of shock cord with hooks
to hold the three line loops of the preventer to the mast base. It
lies snug against the vang and to use it I simply free the line from
the shock cord unhook the camcleat end from the boom and lead it to a
stanchion base. The camcleat makes any fastening or leading to
another fixture unnecessary.

Surfman wrote:
I will email you an image.

Me too please, if you would be so kind!

Thanks!