The Walder® boom brake is a sailboat safety device that’s a snap to install; however, proper placement is essential to achieve the Walder® boom brake’s full effect and benefit.
- Remove any existing boomvang tackle from under the boom. (In the case of a rigid boomvang, rig your Walder® boom brake aft of that rigid vang.) Rig your Walder® boom brake under the boom using a shackle, positioned approximately one-third of the way aft of the mast.
- Secure one end of pre-stretched line to a port or starboard external chainplate, pad-eye, or at the toe rail.
- Thread the line through the guide arms and around the grooves of the drum, 2 or 3 turns; a third turn is not always necessary.
- On the other side of your boat lead the line through a block fixed at the external chainplate, pad-eye, or at the toe rail, at the same level as on the first side.
- Run the line back to the cockpit and secure it to a winch or a tackle.
Practical advice:
We recommend sailing first on a fair day after you have installed your Walder® boom brake to verify the correct installation of the device and to familiarize yourself with properly adjusting tension on the line.
With use you will quickly find just the right line tension, so that the Walder® boom brake produces smooth and safe gybes.
Rigins errors to avoid :
- Wrong anchoring points on deck or under the boom
- Using a line that stretches, or one of the wrong diameter
- Rigging points that are too weak
- Insufficient line tension
- Line stiffened with salt
- Too small a model of WALDER boom brake for the size of your mainsail surface
Photos of attachment points
Click to discover the different examples
Attachment point
Under the boom
Leading to the cockpit
Line tension adjustment
