I've searched the archives for 'preventer' and it appears that only older Hunters with attachment points on an aluminum toe rail are mentioned. Does anyone have a solution as to where to attach a preventer on their boats that have a non-utilitarian fiberglass toe rail with no attachment points. I'm not sure I trust a stanchion for any emergency load, nor the little 'eyes' that the jib furler line runs through. Anyone have a solution? There IS an attachment point available on the boom where the rigid vang attaches on the underside at least. Ideas?
Preventer on a Hunter 36
- Thread starter deacm
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Wow, I was wondering the same thing after slugging across the Chesapeake a few weeks ago. Will have to rig up the Alexventer.... very simple idea
Hi Deac! Hope you're well! We put a boombrake on our 356 (from Dutchman). the brake line runs from the inner chainplate on one side, up to the brake mounted on the boom vang fitting, to a block mounted on the other inner chainplate and then back to one of the cockpit jammers. It works really well, we use one of the winches to set the tension and then close the jammer. Cost ended up around $300 including line and fittings. We can actually jibe the boat without ever touching the mainsheet, even in heavy winds!
Chuck
Chuck
Attach to rear vang, through mid-ship cleat to cockpit
I have two lines attached with bowlines to the rear vang attachment point on the lower part of the boom. Each line then runs through the center of the mid-ship cleat, under my dodger and to the area of the port and starboard winches. I use the port inner winch for my control point. Say I'm running with the main out to port, when I jibe, I loosen the port preventor line, still looped around the winch for control. I let out the port preventor line slowly until the boom is safely on the starboard side. I then use the starboard preventor line and attach it to the same winch. This is a simple, effective and economic means to control the boom. All the line you need is enough line to reach from the vang attachment through the cleat and to the winch and some room for turns and to hold on.
The use of the winches is as follows:
Port outward winch = jib
Port inward winch = preventor
Starboard inner winch = main
Starboard outer winch = jib
I have two lines attached with bowlines to the rear vang attachment point on the lower part of the boom. Each line then runs through the center of the mid-ship cleat, under my dodger and to the area of the port and starboard winches. I use the port inner winch for my control point. Say I'm running with the main out to port, when I jibe, I loosen the port preventor line, still looped around the winch for control. I let out the port preventor line slowly until the boom is safely on the starboard side. I then use the starboard preventor line and attach it to the same winch. This is a simple, effective and economic means to control the boom. All the line you need is enough line to reach from the vang attachment through the cleat and to the winch and some room for turns and to hold on.
The use of the winches is as follows:
Port outward winch = jib
Port inward winch = preventor
Starboard inner winch = main
Starboard outer winch = jib
The attachment point for the preventor on the boom is critical. The aft end of the Seldon boom has a sort of handle that says on it preventor. If you put the preventor in the middle part of the boom and the wind gets behind the sail good you can break the boom in half. Did that on a Catalina 27 once and it was not cheep or fun replacing the boom.
I run the preventor from the end of the boom outside of everything on the boom side to a block that is attached to a “D” ring that came welded on the port side of the anchor roller assembly. It is underneath the forestay attachment part. From that block you come inside everything to the jib wench that will be free if you are not running wing-on-wing. After 10000nm with up to 45kt winds we have had no problems using a preventor rigged that way. When you go to jib you have to re-run the preventor again on the oppisite side. I have not felt a need to convert to a two-preventor system as we jib maybe twice a day going south to Mexico. You could put a double block on the bow roller, rig two lines, one for port & starboard tacks then just change the attachment on the boom when you jibe.
I run the preventor from the end of the boom outside of everything on the boom side to a block that is attached to a “D” ring that came welded on the port side of the anchor roller assembly. It is underneath the forestay attachment part. From that block you come inside everything to the jib wench that will be free if you are not running wing-on-wing. After 10000nm with up to 45kt winds we have had no problems using a preventor rigged that way. When you go to jib you have to re-run the preventor again on the oppisite side. I have not felt a need to convert to a two-preventor system as we jib maybe twice a day going south to Mexico. You could put a double block on the bow roller, rig two lines, one for port & starboard tacks then just change the attachment on the boom when you jibe.
Chuck - Dutchmen Boom Brake?
After surfing 4-5ft quartering chop from Portland to Kennebunkport last Friday before 20kt Northerlies (gusting to 25, and very far aft of my bow), I'm firmly convinced that my H36's preventer set-up requiring an "out-of-cockpit experience" for any changes is only good for light winds and flat seas (or a more courageous skipper).
(We did the 30nm trip under sail in 4 hours with the boom sheeted tightly to the traveller, which was the only degree to which I could trim the main without risk of potentially dangerous jibing.)
Have you actually found the continuous adjustability of the Dutchman's brake tension something you tweak, or would you think the pretty much fixed (3 tension settings) of the Wichard brake adequate?
Al
s/v Persephone
Chuck -
After surfing 4-5ft quartering chop from Portland to Kennebunkport last Friday before 20kt Northerlies (gusting to 25, and very far aft of my bow), I'm firmly convinced that my H36's preventer set-up requiring an "out-of-cockpit experience" for any changes is only good for light winds and flat seas (or a more courageous skipper).
(We did the 30nm trip under sail in 4 hours with the boom sheeted tightly to the traveller, which was the only degree to which I could trim the main without risk of potentially dangerous jibing.)
Have you actually found the continuous adjustability of the Dutchman's brake tension something you tweak, or would you think the pretty much fixed (3 tension settings) of the Wichard brake adequate?
Al
s/v Persephone
Hi Al,
yes, we tweek it all the time, depending on sea state and wind. IMHO, the Witchard product is a kludgy solution-you still have to leave the cockpit to adjust a line that presumably is under tension-and you're is line with the boom while you play with it. For less money you get the dutchman product from this site adn it's far superior. The boombrake has 2 adjustments, the tension knob on the brake and the line tension, controlled from the cockpit. Once the knob is set, you don't have to play with it. boom control seems fine by varying the line tension over a wide range of conditions. During last year'sHSA cruise we were running downwind in 25-30kts with a following sea of six ft or so. At one point I looked aft to check on a solo boat that was following us just as we rolled off a wave (my bad). We jibed and the sail just calmly walked across and settled on the other tack. Had we intended to jibe, we would have eased the tension line and controlled the sail with the mainsheeet- but you caouldn't tell the difference. That's the only adjustment we make, and since it's in the cockpit and on a winch it's easy and safe.
yes, we tweek it all the time, depending on sea state and wind. IMHO, the Witchard product is a kludgy solution-you still have to leave the cockpit to adjust a line that presumably is under tension-and you're is line with the boom while you play with it. For less money you get the dutchman product from this site adn it's far superior. The boombrake has 2 adjustments, the tension knob on the brake and the line tension, controlled from the cockpit. Once the knob is set, you don't have to play with it. boom control seems fine by varying the line tension over a wide range of conditions. During last year'sHSA cruise we were running downwind in 25-30kts with a following sea of six ft or so. At one point I looked aft to check on a solo boat that was following us just as we rolled off a wave (my bad). We jibed and the sail just calmly walked across and settled on the other tack. Had we intended to jibe, we would have eased the tension line and controlled the sail with the mainsheeet- but you caouldn't tell the difference. That's the only adjustment we make, and since it's in the cockpit and on a winch it's easy and safe.
Pictures
I don't have any current pictures of my setup. I'll be on the boat this weekend and if I think of it I will make some. Consider the comment that the boom may break. I haven't had a problem, but I don't want anyone else to have one if this is a real possibility. I believe if you handle the sail right, no likely to happen, but .......?
I don't have any current pictures of my setup. I'll be on the boat this weekend and if I think of it I will make some. Consider the comment that the boom may break. I haven't had a problem, but I don't want anyone else to have one if this is a real possibility. I believe if you handle the sail right, no likely to happen, but .......?
The Brake sounds like the best choice, Chuck.
(Landfall Nav has the GybEasy on closeout for $200, so I thought I'd ask about your experience with the Brake.)
Is the tension-control winch to which you refer one of the cabintop winches, a separate winch you added on the cockpit coming on whatever side you run the line, or are you using a jib-sheet winch?
If the latter, what do you do when on the "wrong" tack and need it for the sheet? Or do you adjust both ends of the line (i.e. from both sides) to allow for such "winch competition?"
(You'll probably recall that the 36 has moved the sheet winches aft from the 356's position to ease single-handing.)
Fair winds,
Al
s/v Persephone
the original setup on the 356 has 4 winches on the cabintop, 2 jibseet winches and 2 utility winches for halyards, the outhaul, and the mainsheet. the port utility winch doesn't get a lot of use except for the spinnaker halyard. the port jammer set also includes a jammer for reef in and one for reef out, which does nothing. When the reefing line splice failed I reslpiced the line outside of the jammer, and used the reef out jammer for the brake. Tension is set with the utility winch and then locked with the jammer.
Thanks, Chuck -
I'll probably try using one of my (2) cabin-top winches, too.
I mounted a spinlock pair just inboard of my port quad (2nd & 3rd reefing lines and headsail halyards) to bring my vang line back to the cockpit and to accommodate my spinnaker tack.
I believe, if I remember correctly, that you ran your tack line down the port side stanchions, matching the jib-furling line to starboard. Since I've found how little tension the tack line applies, I plan to vacate the cabintop spinlock by duplicating your set-up.
As usual, I value your inputs.
Fair winds,
Al
s/v
I'll probably try using one of my (2) cabin-top winches, too.
I mounted a spinlock pair just inboard of my port quad (2nd & 3rd reefing lines and headsail halyards) to bring my vang line back to the cockpit and to accommodate my spinnaker tack.
I believe, if I remember correctly, that you ran your tack line down the port side stanchions, matching the jib-furling line to starboard. Since I've found how little tension the tack line applies, I plan to vacate the cabintop spinlock by duplicating your set-up.
As usual, I value your inputs.
Fair winds,
Al
s/v
Happy to help, AL! I hope we'll see you on the water sometime next year- If you're in the Portland area, give us a hail (Escape's at Maine Yacht Center).
Smooth Sailing,
Chuck
Smooth Sailing,
Chuck
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