Preventers

[Ru88ell]

I've just returned from three days on the Solent; Northney - Cowes - Hamble - Northney. Yesterday was a superb sail, leaving Hamble at 6am with decent breeze and a good tide heading my way. As I was downwind sailing, and alone, I rigged a 'preventer', and what a difference it made. I used the old 8mm topping lift, passed through a ring on the front side of the Samson post and tied off at the rear. Each of the remaining lengths runs around the shrouds and ties off on the grab rail in easy reach. Once the sail is set I tie odd the preventer through the cleats which are about 2/3 of the way along the boom. I'm then free to sail as deep as I can whilst keeping the staysail and Yankee flying.

Yesterday was 24 miles, with just one gybe, out of the main channel onto 040 for Chichester entance. Fabulous. Click the blog link below for more detail.