[C320-list] Downwind Preventer - was Whisker Pole Length

[Karl Mielenhausen _/)]

You might be interested in Brion Toss' thoughts....

Your original question:
Hello.

Members of our Catalina 320 Association are currently debating the correct  
method of boom preventer attachment. Should it be attached at the end of  
the boom or is a mid-boom attachment acceptable. Some of us believe the  
end boom attachment is most important for up/down loads while side loads  
can be handled OK at a mid-boom attachment point. Your thoughts?

Our expert's answer:
Both, sort of. Those of you in favor of end-boom attachment have  
engineering on your side, as you'll have a maximum lever arm working for  
you, so you won't need any mechanical advantage. You'll also be avoiding  
pulling sideways on an unsupported tube, so you're unlikely to fold the  
boom in half should you happen to stuff said boom into a swell. It happens.
But it can be a bother to set up to the boom end, especially if you are  
already off the wind when you think of it. So at least inshore a mid-boom  
preventer is acceptable. Just.
HOWEVER,arguing in favor of the forward connection because it controls  
vertical boom travel is, to my mind, a really poor argument, as it seeks  
to conflate the functions of vang and preventer. This generally leads  
either to overvanging or underpreventing; I much prefer to have separate  
tools for separate jobs.
We always install end-boom preventers in our shop, using a system with  
short pieces that live permanently on the boom, and long ones that can be  
brough onto deck. This system can be struck or set on any point of sail.  
And speaking of sail, Sail Magazine recently had a very nice article on  
preventers. You might want to look that up.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss


Regards,
Karl Mielenhausen
Catalina 320 Hull 690
New Bern, NC