Slow and Dangerous

There is a difference of opinion as to where to attach the preventer to the boom. Many cruising manuals say to attach it as near the aft end as possible. I disagree. The sweet spot in terms of load, according to my shipmate of 35 years and practising civil engineer, is two thirds of the way along. He produced some complicated formulas involving cantilever effects and bending moments, but for a non-physicist’s gut feel, this seems to be about right