Amidships “Preventers”—A Bad Idea That Can Kill

John Published Oct 2, 2018 72 comments Updated February 12, 2019

Back in 2014 I wrote an article arguing that the only right way to rig a boom preventer was from the boom, near the mainsheet bail, to the bow. (I will call these bow preventers for the balance of this article.)

But I still see a surprising number of boats rigging “preventers” from the boom, directly above the toe rail or a little outboard, to a fitting on deck, directly under the boom (in its running position) or slightly forward of that. (I will call these amidships “preventers”*.)

And the Cruising Club of America is still advocating for amidships “preventers”.

So I want to revisit this. To continue reading, please login (top right) or join us.

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John

John was born and brought up in Bermuda and started sailing as a child, racing locally and offshore before turning to cruising. He has sailed over 100,000 miles, most of it on his McCurdy & Rhodes 56, Morgan's Cloud, including eight ocean races to Bermuda, culminating in winning his class twice in the Newport Bermuda Race. He has skippered a series of voyages in the North Atlantic, the majority of which have been to the high latitudes. John has been helping others go voyaging by sharing his experience for twenty years, first in yachting magazines and, for the last 12 years, as co-editor/publisher of AAC.

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Amidships “Preventers”—A Bad Idea That Can Kill

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