Dutchman BB250B Owner's Manual - Page 10

Browse online or download pdf Owner's Manual for Boating Equipment Dutchman BB250B. Dutchman BB250B 12 pages. Boom brake

Print Page

Operation

Using the Boom Brake is simple enough. Just adjust the tension on the Brake line to regulate the speed of the boom.

Practice to get a feel of how this works. In light winds, you may want to let off on the adjusting knob to reduce friction.

In winds over about 10 knots, the knob must be tightened. If you find that the Brake provides too much or too little

friction no matter how you adjust the knob, try using a smaller diameter line (for less friction) or a larger line (for more

friction). Mark the Brake line with an indelible ink marker to serve as a reference to help correctly tension the Brake line.

To jibe, you should pull the boom in using the mainsheet. Allow the brake to provide some drag to keep the boom from

suddenly flying across.

The only maintenance needed is an occasional rinsing to remove salt from the line. Also check the line and other fittings

periodically for wear or chafe. The Brake line should be changed regularly, due to the nature of it's use. A special

locking compound has been applied to the threads for the knob, to keep it from easily coming off. Do not take the knob

off, or loosen it more than 3 turns. Doing so will remove some of the locking compound.

Besides serving as a preventer, you'll find other uses for the Brake. At anchor, tighten up on the Brake to keep the boom

from swinging around. The Brake can also be used to hold the boom out for picking up objects (such as an outboard

or a dingy ) or to allow you to fit a sun awning. The brake is almost essential for offshore man overboard drills, as it

prevents the boom from swinging around while you hoist the man over board out of the water. The mainsheet should be

fitted with a snap shackle, so it can be used to hoist up the man over board. You can even use it to sail backwards! With

the jib rolled up, the Brake tight, and the boom out at least 40 degrees, backwind the main. The boat will quickly slow

down, and with experience (and the right boat), you'll be able to sail backwards.

The Brake really comes into it's own for running wing and wing, in that it allows you to quickly set the boom up or

switch it over for wind shifts or a new course.

Best of all the boom will always be under control, even while jibing when a preventer is disconnected and useless. We

are sure you will be very pleased with it, and we look forward to hearing from you. The section below on MOB drills

is taken from the Cruising Sailing course we teach at our affiliated Sailing School, Sound Sailing Center.

MOB - Quickstop Method

The Brake makes MOB recoveries quite a bit easier, as it allows you to hold the boom over the water, and use the main

sheet to hoist up the MOB.

We recommend using the Quickstop method with a Lifesling, as it's easy to do with limited crew, and the heave to

aspect helps quiet the boat down if you're out in any wind. You must practice this at least once on any boat you are

unfamiliar with, to see how the boat heaves to, and figure out how to hoist the Lifesling up. Every boat will behave and

is rigged differently. Even the same boat will heave to quite differently with a 110 or 150 up. Masthead rigs with large

genoa's may be hard to jibe from the hove to position. With that warning in mind, here are the general steps to follow.

Page 8