'EasyGybe' Boom Brake

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

I imagine it would also help in the aftermath of the wind shift jibe, when the helmsman tries to correct for the jibe a moment too late and does another one.

Watching boats out on the water you can tell the accidental jibes from a distance, and they always seem to come in pairs. That has to be doubly bad.

I'll second that!

The first one scares you s**tless, as it puts one in shock, then here come s another one while trying to correct.

[FrankZ]

We were out on our Thursday afternoon sail this past season and watched the same boat do 3 doubles in about 30 minutes. The wind was up a bit, around 20knots (everyone outside the area always says we are a light wind area). I ask my friend who owned the boat if we should head over and see if everything is ok, they did a lot of scary things besides the triple double, and he commented he wasn't getting anywhere near someone that unpredictable.

You could almost feel it in your teeth just watching from a distance.

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by capngeo

Interesting.... but why not just purchase a $15 "figure 8" that climbers use?

Have seen those used. Not sure if it can take the shockload. The gybeeasy is very similar to that concept though.. very well made. Just doesn't work well(for me)

There are many ways to tackle this problem.. you can just use 2 preventers with lines run back to the cockpit as well.

I just like the automatic (if set right), smooth, safe, easy dutchman setup. No thinking involved and very easy to control.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by phantomracer

There are many ways to tackle this problem.. you can just use 2 preventers with lines run back to the cockpit as well.

I considered that at one time before buying the boom brake. And with my boat, I calculated it would take 60' of line on each preventer, mid-boom, to make that happen. When you pull in one side the other has to cross over quite a bit, making for a lot of line on deck.

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

I considered that at one time before buying the boom brake. And with my boat, I calculated it would take 60' of line on each preventer, mid-boom, to make that happen. When you pull in one side the other has to cross over quite a bit, making for a lot of line on deck.

Yup. Just pointing out that there are other options to brakes. I think the brake is a more elegant solution.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by hoppy

(...) because of a fixed boom preventor and certainly better than a crash gybe

I would not say they are alternatives. A preventer will work very well on a long passage. The brake looks to me like a nice toy to control the mid stage of a gybe - it will (?) let one be less stressed at the point where the boom changes sides - esp. in stronger puffs.

I would think the brake thing can be great sailing on the harbour or where many gybes are expected.

b.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I would not say they are alternatives. A preventer will work very well on a long passage. The brake looks to me like a nice toy to control the mid stage of a gybe - it will (?) let one be less stressed at the point where the boom changes sides - esp. in stronger puffs.

I would think the brake thing can be great sailing on the harbour or where many gybes are expected.

b.

You are right on that point!
I failed to mention that on long runs I still use a preventer due to the occasional backing of the main due to waves or seas. There is a little back-lash in boom brake systems. So if one is going to be on a tack for a long time that back-lash can become annoying. The sail will puff fore & aft more so then with a preventer installed.
The nice advantage to the brake is it will hold the boom while one can change the preventer over, after a jibe.

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

It only takes one accidental jibe with a 375 sf mainsail to have to change your pants, or see the doctor, if you survive. It can even bring down the standing rig.

As it only takes one whale, shipping container,lightning strike to ruin your day lol. Shops are full of things we "think" we need. Manufacturers like scare us into buying all sorts of things from acne cream to towball protectors. Somehow we seem to survive without them.

In the last 35 years I have done a couple of accidentals on boats from 31 to 55 feet- mostly in bad weather with big seas. Hairy, but not scary. Of course we dont want our rigs to break. But for the most part a good rig will withstand the odd accidental without a preventer. I would rather spend the dollars on good rig preparation in the first place and use a spare line as an arrester.

Cheers
Oz

[delmarrey]

"To each his own"

[phantomracer]

Just installed the Dutchman boom brake on our Ohlson. So glad to have it! I sooo didn't like the gybe easy...which was hard to fine tune. It was either all on or all off. The dutchman is a lot easier to feather the tension to lock the boom or let it 'brake' across if there is an accidental gybe.

For some reason, accidental gybe happen to us more than our fair share. Glad to have the protection!

[SSI / NH]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

Looks interesting - I wonder if it needs to be used with a rigid boom vang? The part I like is that it does not seem to clutter the place up with a lot of lines.

Edit: OK, I found them. Here is the link with the list of products and prices. Danged expensive.

Sail Safe Inc
Rich

You get a lot more than just a block and you don't have to set it up or brake it down every time you want to use it. Remember a boom brake is not a preventer, it might slow the boom down if the tension is right, if not it coming across with the main sheet dangling and possibly getting snagged on anything, even you.

[SSI / NH]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

Looks interesting - I wonder if it needs to be used with a rigid boom vang? The part I like is that it does not seem to clutter the place up with a lot of lines.

Edit: OK, I found them. Here is the link with the list of products and prices. Danged expensive.

Sail Safe Inc
Rich

You are getting a lot more than just a block with our system. Plus you don't have to set it up, take it down or play with adjustments.

A boom brake isn't a preventer and it will not stop the boom from coming across. It will slow it down if the tension is right or it's coming across regardless. The main sheet is just as dangerous because it could get tangled around anything including you.

It could save your life or your rig.

Be safe..

[rtbates]

I'm surprised that in this entire thread no one mentioned building your own..

It's nothing but a line friction system. How hard could it be?

[Dulcesuenos]

On our cat the literature for the boom brake says it will also act as a preventer. It has and will keep the boom from swinging across if tensioned too tightly.. We dont do this intentionaly bit sometimes its tough to grt the tension just right to control an accidental or even intentional gybe.

[Steve Pope]

The wichard boom brake is a very simple way of controlling the boom, it is a yachting version of the figure 8 rapelling system, but it is very expensive for what it is, i'm sure if you have a little spare time something simillar could be made out of SS rod or a block of aluminium, you would need to anodise the alloy though, plus you would need to use rock climbing rope as the cover is much more abrasion resistant compared to yacht braid.