Has anyone tried these brakes?

[Celestialsailor]

I would like to put a preventer/brake on my boom. These two look clean. The other ones I see look pretty clumsy.

[Jim Cate]

I've seen such items, but never used one myself. What worries me about them is that all the energy of slowing the boom is absorbed in quite small contact area between rope and steel rings. Bound to be some chafing and heating, don't know how serious it would be. The more conventional boom brakes have lots of contact area on their drums.

Cheers,

Jim

[Snowpetrel]

Used similar ones made from climbing figure 8's. They worked fine on a heavy 35 footer. Agree with jim that chafe and heat could be an issue, but that might just mean replacing the rope more often?

[JPA Cate]

or paying attention and avoiding accidental gybes???? ;-)

A.

[Snowpetrel]

Ha, indeed.

[Wotname]

Well, these ones are clearly electronic so I'm sure they are the way of the future

[Snowpetrel]

Interesting how the top ones rigged. Looks like its on some sort of span and can slide fore and aft along the boom? The anodised alloy ones loose the anodising pretty quick, but it doesn't seem to hurt them. Stainless will last longer, but might heat up more locally and melt the rope due to less conductivity. I think these problems are not likely to be an issue.
I remember the one we used didn't have enough stopping power to completely hold the boom against a strong wind like my old dutchman one would, but it slowed it nicely.

[carstenb]

I've mounted a Dutchman boom brake which is functining nicely. These figure 8's jsut aren't big enough for my mainsail (46 sq mtr - 510 sq. ft). How big is your mainsail? I seem to recall these having a max of about 38 sq. mtrs.

carsten

[Snowpetrel]

That sounds about right, the fig 8 I was using was on a 35 footer with about 350 sq feet of main. 500 would be pushing it for a standard climbing fig 8 but the lower one has plenty of options for more wraps than a fig8. Interesting to see the specs on them both.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

That sounds about right, the fig 8 I was using was on a 35 footer with about 350 sq feet of main. 500 would be pushing it for a standard climbing fig 8 but the lower one has plenty of options for more wraps than a fig8. Interesting to see the specs on them both.

It looks like a Whicard - I know they only go to approx 38 sq.mtrs. Or at least so the catalog says. Might be due to the shackle more than the figure 8. I suppose one could use a Dyneema soft shackle like I do with my Dutchman

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Interesting how the top ones rigged. Looks like its on some sort of span and can slide fore and aft along the boom? The anodised alloy ones loose the anodising pretty quick, but it doesn't seem to hurt them. Stainless will last longer, but might heat up more locally and melt the rope due to less conductivity. I think these problems are not likely to be an issue.
I remember the one we used didn't have enough stopping power to completely hold the boom against a strong wind like my old dutchman one would, but it slowed it nicely.

I think the span was only to spread the load over a short distance as not to concentrate all the load in one area. As far as line chafe. I would imagine you could get at least a year out of the line.

Originally Posted by carstenb

I've mounted a Dutchman boom brake which is functining nicely. These figure 8's jsut aren't big enough for my mainsail (46 sq mtr - 510 sq. ft). How big is your mainsail? I seem to recall these having a max of about 38 sq. mtrs.

carsten

My main is 222 sq.ft. (20.4 sq. meters) So it should be ok. I was looking for some one with direct experience with one. I can see how the aluminum one could loose it's anodizing quickly. On my recent trip from the US into Mexico. There were 2 accidental jibes, which is 2 too many. Sure, I could rig a preventer but I like the idea of a single control line cleated off on the opposite side of the furling control line.

[hanami2]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I would like to put a preventer/brake on my boom. These two look clean. The other ones I see look pretty clumsy.

Hi,
Yes I used them and there are quite a few that you will have to choose from:

I fact I ended up using a 'rock climbing' one. (not sur how you call those things rock climber use to slow them down).

They are particularly cheap ,easy to find and use and come with various size, shape and colors.

I use one at the center that alows to generate more friction if needed.
It really slow down the boom when gybing but it won't prevent the boom moving.

Some people will tell you that those devices are not strong enpugh and may be broken if the tension is too much.
Could be.
It never happen to me (and we crossed the Atllantic twice, both ways with this system) and it is just a "brake" to slow down the move of the boom.
In fact whatever boom brake you use, even the strongest one (may be the Walder), they will always be fixed using a shackle and the weakest part of the system will be the shakle and that is where it will break.

To set the right tension you will have to insert a rope hoist with an 'integrated blocker' where the boom brake is attached to the deck, probably on each side (as I do).
Thightning or easing the hoist will fine tune the tension and having one on each side will definitly help.

If you want to do that, whatever boom brake you use, you will have to add a boom preventer.

You are not obliged to have the rope fixed in the middle of the boom. Fixing it at then end of it does the job well enough provided you have a block on the cleat at the bow.

For more security you can add a mooring line snubber on the preventer line, just before the block, to minimize and absorb tension if the boat rock too much.


I hope it helps.
Enjoy sailing.

Marc.

[Celestialsailor]

The one shown in the picture is $69us, through ebay. The guy donates money to a plastics clean up organization. A worthy cause. I'm assuming I can bitter-end it to th base of my aft shroads on the opposing shroad, a turning block back to a cam cleat.

[charliehows]

I made one out of some s/s round bar i had lying around - based on the wichard. It works beautifully. Because there are 3 bars you can set it for a range of conditions, it's easy to detach the control line when its not in use. No moving parts, indestructible. Theres not much pressure on it because it slows the boom down all the way through the jibe - to the point I'm quite blase about jibing in anything up to quite stiff winds - theres just no drama

[Celestialsailor]

I'm wondering if we are going to see more of these on cruising boats vs. the older style, Walder type