Reply To: Adding a Gybe preventer

I thought it was normal practice to have the block at the bow?
What I would do, would be to have a block with a short length of line which could be cleated to a bow cleat, and a preventer line running through it, reaching the cockpit at both sides. I would then tie the leeward end of it through the topping lift D-shackle at the end of the boom. When the boat is on the desired downwind course and the sail is fully sheeted out I would then tension it a sensible amount , (use a spinnaker winch if available), and cleat it off to an available cleat on on the windward side.
A more refined, and quickly “tackable” version would include a short lanyard, attached to the topping lift D-shackle, with a carabiner on the other end, long enough to reach a suitable attachment point at the forward end the boom to which it could be clipped when not required.
A bowline loop, or better still a hard eye, on each end of the preventer line will allow the arrangement to be quickly changed from one tack to the other without either running with the mainsail amidships, or hazardous acrobatics on the side deck.