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Paul O 'Brien
May 12 at 4:38pm
Any views on theses

Video – installing and testing a rope preventer and boom brakes to safely manage accidental...
Yachting World tests three products designed to prevent or ease a crash gybe, plus the traditional...
http://www.yachtingworld.com/video/video-installing-and-testing-a-rope-preventer-and-boom-brakes-to-safely-manage-accidental-gybes-64126
YACHTINGWORLD.COM
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Frances Rennie likes this.

Geoff Taylor The video is not a very realistic trial. However I have had the Wichard product fitted for some time now, the tails of the control line are brought back to the cockpit coamings and held in Spinlock side mounted clutches. Very effective, we may have to ease the tension in order to allow a controlled gybe.
May 12 at 5:02pm · Unlike · 2

Bill Balme In my opinion, it 's a bit silly to review a preventer system when there 's hardly enough wind to fill a sail! I hope they go back and do it again in some decent wind - I 'd be interested in the results - but doubt I 'd move away from the old fashioned preventer that we have in place.
May 12 at 8:43pm · Unlike · 2

John Franklin
Altogether not an impressive demonstration! I would need a lot more persuasion to move away from Mike Pocock 's foolproof system which we have aboard Al Shaheen. This incorporates two permanently rigged preventer lines (P&S) from an attachment on the boom just aft of the vang, leading to blocks on deck padeyes positioned well outboard just aft of the aft lower chainplates with a 2:1 purchase. The single line from each of these blocks leads to rope clutches at the cockpit then a facility to lead the tail to a secondary winch if required. Apart from acting as an effective gybe preventer, this system allows the boom to be pinned down hard when sailing off-the-wind in a sloppy sea. It also allows a great deal of control in any gybe.
May 13 at 8:22am · Unlike · 5

David Bridges That 's the same thing Valiant uses and after 40,000 + miles I 'd say it 's worked well for me. I agree with you John.
May 13 at 1:01pm · Unlike · 4

Daria Blackwell Agree, John. We use the same system. Doesn 't cost much either. smile emoticon
May 13 at 6:05pm · Like

Scott Kuhner John, here is another affirmation. We use the same system and it has worked extremely well for over 115,000 miles.
May 13 at 8:15pm · Unlike · 1

Tod Engelskirchen Fiscal Stray has the Wichard system. I tried a Dutchman and found I could not depend on it. Wichard can be set up to allow a slow movement of the boom. I keep the lines on it at all times and string them to a secondary winch when I need to.
May 13 at 9:25pm · Like

Tim Gayle Evans We had a boom brake on Wild Bird. The line jammed in a squall and the result was a broken boom. We are now back to old fashioned preventers.
13 hrs · Unlike · 1

Phil Heaton MINNIE B has a Gyb 'esy which is permanently attached and we do have a bit of difficulty getting the tension right .... even after 9 years and nearly 40,000nm. We also use a preventer when sailing goosewinged as it 's just safer.

Vice Commodore, OCC 

To all the responders: John and the other Valiant owners (I am V42-128),
I am with you on the huge benefits of the preventer as described. My set up is 4-1 and I use it as a boom vang as well.
I am not certain, however, that it can be universally advocated. The Valiant 's spars are quite robust, but I have seen many boats where I would worry that the boom would fold at the attachment point. The point of attachment on the deck also has to be very strong. The forces generated can be enormous when you bounce through a couple of waves and the wind is strong. This is not a job for any toe rail I have seen: a place I have seen a few attachments. And, as a pure preventer, I still think that offshore, a line from the end of the boom to the bow and back is the wise-est. Dipping the boom end in the seas while moving fast with a mid-boom preventer is asking for a broken boom.
My thoughts, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Ps. For a full description of this system (w/ installation) including an emphasis on its safety aspects (something I fully ascribe to: the boom being the most dangerous thing on a boat) please go to the Fleet Surgeon 's report in the Safety at Sea section of the Cruising Club of America 's web site.
Dick