Single line reefing installed

[HukilauMike]

the owner's manual tells you to tie the reefing line to the boom. Less hardware, less weight, less complication, better performance. Q.E.D.

Jackdaw: when you talk about tying the reefing line to the boom, are you referring to a set up like I have on my boat? See the photo in my above post. Before buying my new sails, I had the reefing line affixed to a strap on the boom. My sailmaker told me to tie the line directly to the boom, telling me that this was definitely a better set up as line found it's own "correct" placement, minimizing stress and friction on the line.

 

[Jackdaw]

Jackdaw: when you talk about tying the reefing line to the boom, are you referring to a set up like I have on my boat? See the photo in my above post. Before buying my new sails, I had the reefing line affixed to a strap on the boom. My sailmaker told me to tie the line directly to the boom, telling me that this was definitely a better set up as line found it's own "correct" placement, minimizing stress and friction on the line.

Yes indeed, if your knot is tied the the some shown in WatercolorsII's post just above yours. The methods tightens the clew onto the boom and also pulls the sail back.

 

[watercolors II]

I think you fellows that understood the two photos I had attached did not understand what I was saying!

I revised the same photo showing how I have set up the reefing line when the line has a long stretch to pull the reefing grommet down to the boom.

“Jackdaw” you said that your boat was setup like the photo I had attached to my first post. The next time you are at you’re boat, would you reconfigure your reefing line like the blue line on the attached photo and let me or us know that it pulled the grommet closer to the boom, the same, or not as much as the setup you presently have.

 

[flynhi4u]

Jackdaw,
I think you nailed it. I was looking at "older" boats and how they had their reefing lines set up. I guess I unknowingly set ours up so we can go back to our old bagged out main with the bolt rope foot and still use the reefing line just incase we would ever have to LOL.

Mike,
Yours is not set up quite like the photo in that you reversed the positions of the cheek block and the reef line where it ties around the boom. While I am sure it works, it is not quite the same.
In your pic you posted it looks like you have a loose footed main but I see what looks like a slug right below your first reef clew grommet. You should be still be able to set your line like the photo but you will have to move your cheek block aft on the boom to do so.

Sam

 

[weinie]

One more thing to add: Use a running bowline knot as opposed to a regular bowline to tie the line to the boom. This way, the line is always snugged up to the boom as much as possible.

 

[HukilauMike]

Sam and Jack: I see now; if I move the aft cheek block further aft, the sail will be pulled further aft as I reef. Got it. I'll check it out. Maybe an off season project for me. And yes, you are correct about my main sail: it is not loose footed, but there is plenty of room between the slugs to tie a bowline around the boom. Thanks.

 

[Mike Oldak]

After talking with our sail maker, we seem to be going with a two lines led back to the cockpit and single set of reefing points. Considering that we are sailing on the Chesapeake Bay and generally have 5-15 knot winds, and rarely go out in high winds, a single set of reefing points keeps the number of lines coming into the cockpit at two rather than 4. It also reduces the number of lines that hand from the sail and flop all over the place.

While the single set will be a little more aggressive than the lower set in a 2 set setup, I guess if we decide we need another reefing set, we can have another set added to the sail. But I really doubt that we will.

I'm really looking for a cockpit controlled reefing setup that will allow me to virtually single handed (with autopilot) reef the main and keep the boat a little more upright if the wind surges.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Must have had time thinking while sitting in a heated deer stand with a refrigerator to do that wascal.