Accidental Gybe Prevention/Control - Boom Brake

[TrailerTrash]

I've been carefully researching my plans for the "new to me" Mac26D and one of the areas I've been carefully researching is safety for accidental gybes.

If you look at the statistics, even experienced sailors are caught by accidental gybes. I've looked at various preventer rigging options and the brakes. Since one of my big goals is the ability to control 99% of situations from within the cockpit, and ease of use is critical to me, I like the single-line control options where I can fix it from within the cockpit while single or short-handed.

Does anyone have experience using Captain Don's boom break? It is a deprivation of the simple climber's Figure 8 gear. It gives a further range of adjustment, offering more range of adjustment due to the different configurations to adjust friction. It costs more ($70 vs $20) but when you look at the overall cost of setting up one of these, the price seems insignificant.

What appeals to me is the single line of control and if you want to use it as a defacto preventer, you can snug up the control line from the cockpit.

The downside appears I'll probably have to add deck gear for attachment, and I'll have more clutter on the boat. The way I view it, I'd try to dial it in for < 20 knot winds so that it was a functional brake, and in really high wind situations I'd be much less likely to be running directly downwind anyway. I'd use it as a preventer by fully snugging it up in those conditions and moving more to broad reach to minimize the chance of an accidental gybe.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/292516226086

https://www.practical-sailor.com/sails- ... e-the-jibe

[Russ]

I've never really had a problem with this.

I INTENTIONALLY Gybe all the time because it's often easier when tacking. Sure, it's frowned upon, but "my boat my rules".
I don't think ACCIDENTAL Gybing has been a problem.

The danger probably coincides with how you sail and in what kinds of winds.

[kurz]

I've never really had a problem with this.

I INTENTIONALLY Gybe all the time because it's often easier when tacking. Sure, it's frowned upon, but "my boat my rules".
I don't think ACCIDENTAL Gybing has been a problem.

The danger probably coincides with how you sail and in what kinds of winds.

Gybing in good manner is better for the sails than tacking...

there are big Katamarns out there that are reallllllyyyyy bad in tacking... So have to use the motor or do gibbing

[Stickinthemud57]

I have experienced a few accidental gybes, but only when I allowed myself to get distracted, coupled with an unexpected and radical change in wind direction. I'm keen on minimizing deck clutter, halyards, control ropes, etc., so unless such a device would be free of those problems, my tendency would be to pay close attention to the wind, remain seated, and exercise extreme caution when not.

When running downwind, I let the mainsail way out, even resting against the spreader. I have a wear patch at the contact point and have not seen any noticeable wear even there.

If you decide to employ such a solution, it would be interesting to know how it works out for you.

[TrailerTrash]

I've never really had a problem with this.

I INTENTIONALLY Gybe all the time because it's often easier when tacking. Sure, it's frowned upon, but "my boat my rules".
I don't think ACCIDENTAL Gybing has been a problem.

The danger probably coincides with how you sail and in what kinds of winds.

I always avoided directly downwind to minimize the possibility, but if you sail long enough, they happen to everyone. Nobody is always 100% vigilant and the wind is the wind. It is going to do what it is going to do.

[TrailerTrash]

I have experienced a few accidental gybes, but only when I allowed myself to get distracted, coupled with an unexpected and radical change in wind direction. I'm keen on minimizing deck clutter, halyards, control ropes, etc., so unless such a device would be free of those problems, my tendency would be to pay close attention to the wind, remain seated, and exercise extreme caution when not.

When running downwind, I let the mainsail way out, even resting against the spreader. I have a wear patch at the contact point and have not seen any noticeable wear even there.

If you decide to employ such a solution, it would be interesting to know how it works out for you.

Yea..... I had one and it scared the crap out of me. Nothing was damaged but it missed a crew member by a whisker. I was coming up on land and the topography shifted the wind before I could pull in the main sheet. I wasn't going directly downwind but I was too green to account for that wind shift before experiencing it.

I'd like to keep things decluttered too but this is one where I'm going to live with whatever it takes to prevent that from happening again.

And no issues...you guys will get sick of hearing from me. I'll be documenting everything I do.

[Be Free]

I'm must as likely to gybe when running as I am to tack when reaching. It's not unusual at all. Just as the wind always seems to be on the nose when you are on any type of reach, the wind never seems to be coming anywhere close to directly behind when running is required.

Given the small size of our main sail I've never had to do anything other than putting my hand up to briefly block the center of the main sheet during a gybe (intentional or not). Blocking the main sheet in that way has slowed the gybe and kept it under control under any condition I want to sail in.

I've only had two accidental gybes when I was not at the helm. Once with an inexperienced helmsman and once with no one at the helm. Both times I was in the head.

While I'm sure both caused unnecessary strain on the hardware neither caused any type of failure.

The referenced boom brake will work as advertised, but (to me) it seems like a solution in search of a problem for a Mac.

[Jimmyt]

If you run, it can happen. I got swept off my own deck by an accidental gybe. I had two of my sailing buddies aboard; one at the helm, the other on the foredeck with me discussing whether or not to put up the asymmetrical. When we started getting it ready, the wind was light. In the short time we spent getting it ready, the wind started picking up, and by launch time it was starting to get a bit sporty. I violated the “don’t hang out on deck behind the mast rule” while running. We had a significant wind shift, and the helmsman yelled my name, but the boom caught me and nudged me over.

A preventer would have saved me a cold swim, $40 for the recharge kit for my PFD; not to mention the joy of having my buddies punk me about it. Of course I remind them that they are the skilled sailors and I wasn’t the one on the helm….

[dustoff]

Accidental Gybes in the Mac are all too easy to happen. I think it is even more likely because the light weight, water ballast, that causes the relative tenderness can pretty quickly shift your angle to the wind when sailing on a run. I have used various preventers systems, but often did not hook them up because I didn't have spare hand or time for the hassle. I have since set this preventer system up that I can work from the cockpit without too much trouble. I also try to avoid dead downwind and try to maintain at around 15 to 20 degrees off the wind because the mac can swing through 10 degrees in a blink. Cheers,

Dustoff

[Be Free]

If you run, it can happen. I got swept off my own deck by an accidental gybe. I had two of my sailing buddies aboard; one at the helm, the other on the foredeck with me discussing whether or not to put up the asymmetrical. When we started getting it ready, the wind was light. In the short time we spent getting it ready, the wind started picking up, and by launch time it was starting to get a bit sporty. I violated the “don’t hang out on deck behind the mast rule” while running. We had a significant wind shift, and the helmsman yelled my name, but the boom caught me and nudged me over.

A preventer would have saved me a cold swim, $40 for the recharge kit for my PFD; not to mention the joy of having my buddies punk me about it. Of course I remind them that they are the skilled sailors and I wasn’t the one on the helm….

Jimmy,
I'm not saying it can't happen. I'm saying that I've never needed anything other than my hand on the center of the main sheet to keep (or get) a gybe under control. My 130 sq ft (or so) main just does not come across with that much speed or force.

My deck (cabin top) rule while under sail is "don't". If I have to break it I'm scooting on my bottom (ready to duck under the boom) and getting in front of the mast as quickly and safely as possible.

[Be Free]

Accidental Gybes in the Mac are all too easy to happen. I think it is even more likely because the light weight, water ballast, that causes the relative tenderness can pretty quickly shift your angle to the wind when sailing on a run. I have used various preventers systems, but often did not hook them up because I didn't have spare hand or time for the hassle. I have since set this preventer system up that I can work from the cockpit without too much trouble. I also try to avoid dead downwind and try to maintain at around 15 to 20 degrees off the wind because the mac can swing through 10 degrees in a blink. Cheers,

Dustoff

IF I were going to rig a preventer on a Mac it would look similar to your design with the following modifications:

• Attach the preventer at or near the end of the boom instead of at the mainsheet attachment point.

• Attach the the forward turning point of preventer closer to the bow of the boat. The bow cleats or a stanchion that is closer to the bow should work better.

• Attach a "pigtail" to the end of the boom that you can clip the preventer to. It will make it easier to rig and unrig the preventer as needs change which will make it more likely that you will have the correct configuration in place when it is (or is not) needed.

[TrailerTrash]

Accidental Gybes in the Mac are all too easy to happen. I think it is even more likely because the light weight, water ballast, that causes the relative tenderness can pretty quickly shift your angle to the wind when sailing on a run. I have used various preventers systems, but often did not hook them up because I didn't have spare hand or time for the hassle. I have since set this preventer system up that I can work from the cockpit without too much trouble. I also try to avoid dead downwind and try to maintain at around 15 to 20 degrees off the wind because the mac can swing through 10 degrees in a blink. Cheers,

Dustoff

IF I were going to rig a preventer on a Mac it would look similar to your design with the following modifications:

• Attach the preventer at or near the end of the boom instead of at the mainsheet attachment point.

• Attach the the forward turning point of preventer closer to the bow of the boat. The bow cleats or a stanchion that is closer to the bow should work better.

• Attach a "pigtail" to the end of the boom that you can clip the preventer to. It will make it easier to rig and unrig the preventer as needs change which will make it more likely that you will have the correct configuration in place when it is (or is not) needed.

This is probably the "best" recommendation I've seen for rigging a traditional preventer. But the one you will use, no matter the configuration, is the "best" in my mind.

I'm picking the boom brake because it always stays rigged and has a single line coming to the cockpit that you secure with a cleat. Once in place and adjusteded properly, it doesn't require you to go forward or even monkey with the boom, but you do have to take the time to figure out the friction required for various wind loads. What you save in complexity, you have to put into figuring out how to set the friction. The line used in the friction device also wears over time, which is another variable you have to account for. I don't think there is a perfect solution but for me, the single line of use from the cockpit is the attraction to this method.

[sunshinecoasting]

I learned years ago that if I am running down wind (on my X, not sure about other models) just remove the main sheet from the console and clip it to the life line loop on the down wind safety rail. You cant gybe when it is like that and the sail shape remains good if you use a vang. See arrow in pic.