Has anyone tried these brakes?

[Aubrey]

The first one is a mountain-climber's desdending device. It works but if your sailing anything bigger than 30ft, go for option 2. That's a Winchard boom brake from France. It's simple, virtually unbreakable and it works. Normally you have to thread the friction line through the three available loops to obtain adequate braking. I use a Walder boom-brake. A bit more complicated to rig initially but it provides better control once it's set up. And you run the control line end to the cockpit, which is very convenient. My advice on the Walder: go for one size bigger than the one specified in theory for your sail-area and displacement. Despite what some might say, bigger is most often better on a cruising boat.


Enviado desde mi iPad con Cruisers Sailing Forum

[phantomracer]

I tried the wichard (right most pic) and I had bad luck with it. It was either on or off. I couldn't feather the 'brake'.

Used a dutchman boom brake for years on our other boat. I got used to being able to set it to 'brake' the boom as it comes across. The wichard would either be totally locked, or not (like it wasn't there). Emails to wichard went unanswered. Couldnt find a phone number for support.

[zboss]

My experience with the Wichard is the same... It doesn't seem to brake at all. We placed it as far back on the boom as we could without it interfering with the dodger and it still didn't seem to brake well. We tightened it as much as possible.

It seems the included dyneema line is too slippery.


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[DRS]

I have what I believe is a Dutchmar boom brake. I like it because it has a tensioner that can adjust for speed control. Keep it loose for tacking, tighten up a bit when down wind

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by DRS

I have what I believe is a Dutchmar boom brake. I like it because it has a tensioner that can adjust for speed control. Keep it loose for tacking, tighten up a bit when down wind

Ditto!

I go nowhere without it. It's saved my butt several time.
When cresting large waves going before the wind the boom likes to jibe. The $400 for the Dutchman was well worth every penny spent and they are adjustable from the cockpit.

The friction control is for the size of the sail and type of line used, so my line is snug on reaches, tight before the wind and extra tight in the rough.

Although, even in the rough I still use a preventer to stop the boom from jerking when the sail back winds. I can safely go forward to release the preventer w/o worry of the boom coming across on me before I'm ready.

I had 45 kt winds at my back coming down from Seattle, probably more, I was doing 10+ kt COG. And cresting waves at what seemed like about 30 degrees rolling under me in the moonless nights. The B-brake kept her in place. It was a fight trying to keep it from catching the leach on ever crest.

Next time I'll drop the main and use the storm jib for running.

[Celestialsailor]

The Dutchman looks like a simple device of a few sheaves and a tightening device (clutch/brake). It wouldn't be difficult to back engineer one for myself.

[delmarrey]

In the triangle all thee sheaves are the same size but the lower two are secured stationary. The center top one has a clutch that will tighten it to a locked condition.

So depending on the size of the sail the clutch can be adjusted to a specific tension. Then by tightening the line it creates more friction on the two stationary sheaves but the center one still allows it to slide a bit.

And when hanging it from the boom the top needs to be as close to the boom as possible to cut down on backlash. I do wish it had the guide wires like on the walder.
It would be EZ to build if I still had my shop. I believe the clutch is a cone type and tightens by a center screw/knob.

If you need dimensions I could dismantle mine and make up a rough drawing.

[Celestialsailor]

The sheaves look like they are plastic. if so and they are stationary, wouldn't the friction of the line mess with them? I guess the arms on the walder tame the side pitching of the unit.

[HappyMdRSailor]

I now know what a frapper poulie is!

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

The sheaves look like they are plastic. if so and they are stationary, wouldn't the friction of the line mess with them? I guess the arms on the walder tame the side pitching of the unit.

I haven't inspected mine that close yet. But I'd say the sheaves are black anodized alum. I'll be at the boat later today and get some pictures.

The arms help keep it from rocking. The lines are below the center point of the upper attachment. So when the sail is back winded the brake rocks over a bit.

If I were to engineer it I would build it with the friction line inline with the boom attachment. Which would not be a triangle anymore, but a diamond or square shape with the adjustable sheave at the bottom.

[delmarrey]

Well, it turns out to be pretty simple! The sheaves are 3" OD and only the clutch sheave is black anodized. The other two are clear anodized.

The clutch sheave has a plastic bushing glued in the hub with phenolic about 1/16" thick on each side glued to the sheave. By tightening the fine threaded carriage bolts it squeezes the sheave between the two side plates, which acts as a disk brake. Heck, the only real machine work is the clutch sheave which I bet you could probably buy from Dutchman. Tell'am you lost it over the side while cleaning it.

The stupid iPad names all the photos the same so I'll have to put each in a separate post.

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[delmarrey]

A side view. All the sheaves are like a belt sheave rather then a rope sheave.


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[delmarrey]

The tension handle is on the side with the nuts, I assume so you can see if one is backing out. Here's the phenolic pried up from the sheave it's only glued about 50% from the center.


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[delmarrey]

And last is the tension bolt a fine threaded SS carriage bolt. The T-handle has a brass insert with some kind of rubber on the threads of the carriage bolt, I assume to keep it from loosing up.


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[Celestialsailor]

Good one Dell. I'm assuming the clear ano pulleys are v'd for gripping purposes. -Rudimentary braking device. There must be stand off bushings of some kind to allow the clear ano sheaves to spin freely and about .005" (or less) clearance on the braking sheave and the clamping of the carriage bolt squeezes it all together. Although if you think about it the clamping would not be uniformed. How high do the phenolic "pucks" extend above the sheave surface?
-I've never seen fine thread carriage bots but I'm sure the Hardinge can change all that...(better make a few back ups). Instead of rubber (urethane) in the threads, I'd most likely continue the thread all the way through the "wing" nut and stake the carriage bolt end as an anti-loose feature.