I Am Missing a Simple Concept - Preventer

[micheck]

I am single handing - downwind - with a preventer rigged through a big block on the foredeck back to the cockpit.

What is the procedure to move to the 'other jibe'?

[AnsleyS]

In your mind imagine the same concept with two blocks forward and two lines to the boom, one to port and one to starboard. Now you can imagine slacking one and then taking up the other as you jibe.

A simple concept and a wonderful safety feature.

[daddle]

Turn so the apparent wind is about 140.
Release the preventer.
Make sure the vang is on.
Depending on conditions, maybe turn down to 160 apparent.
Sheet in the main halfway. But no more than you are comfortable with.
Turn to dead downwind.
Sheet main in all the way.
Pause for a moment to see if the main will flop over on it's own.
Turn the boat to 140 on the other gybe.
Presumably the main will have flopped over.
Ease and trim the main sheet.
Attach the new preventer.

This all varies with conditions.
The vang is important. Having it on helps the main flop over.
If it's blowing hard you'll want to not delay easing the mainsheet.
But if it's blowing hard...shouldn't you have a reef in already?
If it's light you might do the turn and sheeting in one simultaneous operation.

Consider controlled chicken-gybes.

[sabray]

Why is the preventer on the fire deck. I'm thinking main sail preventer yes? Rarely I do this but the preventer is attached mid boom and leads outboard or leeward. To tack the preventer gets released the sheet gets hauled in as we come about. ???? Confused

[Lowcountry]

I would unclip the preventer from the boom, sheet in the main until the boom is close to mid-ships (may require deviation in course steered), gybe over, let the main back out, go forward and re-rig the preventer.

[SkiprJohn]

I use a preventer from the end of the boom to the foredeck because the reason for the preventer is to keep the boom from coming across in an accidental jibe condition. If your preventer is rigged to mid boom there is a chance of dipping the boom and having it bend in half or accidentally jibing and having the boom bend in half. The reason to have it led to the foredeck is to have a better angle.
kind regards,

[Bash]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

I use a preventer from the end of the boom to the foredeck because the reason for the preventer is to keep the boom from coming across in an accidental jibe condition. If your preventer is rigged to mid boom there is a chance of dipping the boom and having it bend in half or accidentally jibing and having the boom bend in half. The reason to have it led to the foredeck is to have a better angle.
kind regards,

agreed. end-boom preventers are easier on the boom. This is especially true if the boat has end-boom sheeting.

The more forward you lead the preventer, the more the line acts as a shock absorber. This, too, can help save a boom.

[SkiprJohn]

I guess we didn't really answer your question completely but I always went to the end of the boom and released the preventer from there, did my jibe and reattached on the other tack. You might have to leave your helm station for a couple seconds but not long.
kind regards,

[S/V Alchemy]

I use two preventers, going forward and down to the toe rails from mid boom (I have mid-boom sheeting). When I am DDW and poled out and wish to gybe, I gybe the jib and then slack off the main sheet. Then I release the tensioned preventer and bring in the slack: the two preventers act like a "split" mainsheet and give me a very controlled gybe while I hold the tiller with my knees.

The preventers are red, white and blue 7/16ths line below.

[SkiprJohn]

Alchemy,
What you have is a double mainsheet system that goes to the toerail to keep your boom from accidentally jibing? If it works for you then it is a much easier way to change tacks by jibing with your preventer still rigged. Seems to make sense.
regards,

[redcobra]

Originally Posted by Lowcountry

I would unclip the preventer from the boom, sheet in the main until the boom is close to mid-ships (may require deviation in course steered), gybe over, let the main back out, go forward and re-rig the preventer.

+1

and if it is really blowing, I use the classic buttonhook gybe. That is come around to windward, tack, and ease off on the other heading.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Alchemy,
What you have is a double mainsheet system that goes to the toerail to keep your boom from accidentally jibing? If it works for you then it is a much easier way to change tacks by jibing with your preventer still rigged. Seems to make sense.
regards,

No, I have a regular double block mainsheet you can't see in this photo because the main is (poorly) flaked. The wind was blowing 25-30 knots and we could hit hull speed with just the no. 3 on a broad to beam reach, which was mostly over land, so we got much of the wind and only a little of the sea.

So really, think of it as two ways to handle the boom. Upwind to beam in heavy air...go for the usual mainsheet. Broad reach to DDW...select the pair of preventer-like purchases and have a calm way to gybe the boom in heavy air.

If I had boom-end sheeting, I too would rig from boom-end to bow and back to cockpit...that's a lot of line, but the angles are better...and safer...