Slab reefing setup question.

[Tally Ho]

I find myself (almost always sailing solo) heaving to and then reefing the main, and making any other changes necessary (moving jib cars forward because I also reefed the genny….

I don’t have to go up to the mast, but if I did, I would also want to be hovering to in strong winds (and probably building seas).

I have lazy jacks, so if the sail gets blown too far over, it will be caught in the jacks. Heaving to solved this problem for me as I just the boom slide over so there is no wind on the main sail.

But practice makes perfect and helps you understand your boat.

Greg

 

[BAD ORCA]

I find myself (almost always sailing solo) heaving to and then reefing the main, and making any other changes necessary (moving jib cars forward because I also reefed the genny….

I don’t have to go up to the mast, but if I did, I would also want to be hovering to in strong winds (and probably building seas).

I have lazy jacks, so if the sail gets blown too far over, it will be caught in the jacks. Heaving to solved this problem for me as I just the boom slide over so there is no wind on the main sail.

But practice makes perfect and helps you understand your boat.

Greg

Ok, so its probably doable then hove to. Good to know.

My sail is a bitch to drop/raise sometimes. The luff of the sail has a sort of downhaul rope sewed along its leading edge thats exposed on the lower half of the sail. The track slides that are sewn to it jam in the track a lot because the tension on this rope gets uneven and yanks on the slides in weird angles. Cant wait until its time to replace the main sail. I dont know how it will affect trying to reef close hauled, buti'm not optimistic.

 

[JBP-PA]

Ok, so its probably doable then hove to. Good to know.

My sail is a bitch to drop/raise sometimes. The luff of the sail has a sort of downhaul rope sewed along its leading edge thats exposed on the lower half of the sail. The track slides that are sewn to it jam in the track a lot because the tension on this rope gets uneven and yanks on the slides in weird angles. Cant wait until its time to replace the main sail. I dont know how it will affect trying to reef close hauled, buti'm not optimistic.

I find that it helps to clean the track every couple months and lubricate it with Sail Kote. I have a bit of cloth sewn to about 6 inches of bolt rope that I attach to the halyard and a downhaul. I attach a handiwipe to it with a stapler. I run it up and down while still damp, and then soak it with Sail Kote and run it up and down again. It works wonders for a few weeks, but quickly fades and the slides start to bind up again.

FYI, Don't drip Sail Kote on acrylic windows.

 

[BAD ORCA]

I find that it helps to clean the track every couple months and lubricate it with Sail Kote. I have a bit of cloth sewn to about 6 inches of bolt rope that I attach to the halyard and a downhaul. I attach a handiwipe to it with a stapler. I run it up and down while still damp, and then soak it with Sail Kote and run it up and down again. It works wonders for a few weeks, but quickly fades and the slides start to bind up again.

FYI, Don't drip Sail Kote on acrylic windows.

Oh thats a good idea. I will give that a try.

 

[Tally Ho]

I forgot to mention that I have a Tides Marine Strong Track (HDPE track) that makes the sail pretty easy to raise and lowered. The plastic track, coupled with the large SS slides that come with the system are great.

That partiakly accounts for the ease in reefing while hove to.

Greg

 

[BAD ORCA]

I forgot to mention that I have a Tides Marine Strong Track (HDPE track) that makes the sail pretty easy to raise and lowered. The plastic track, coupled with the large SS slides that come with the system are great.

That partiakly accounts for the ease in reefing while hove to.

Greg

Yeah those are nice but a very future upgrade.

 

[sailme88]

We are on our 3rd boat that I've changes the slab reefing on. Every re-rig established the ability to reef from the cockpit and moved from 2 points to one. My position is that if a reef is needed, go for it all and balance the Genoa accordingly.
So, the reefing line is made fast to the port side of the boom just aft of where the upper crinkle would touch down. The line goes through the cringle and drops to a cheeking block on the stbd side of the boom equal to where the line is made fast on the port.
The line runs forward thru the bales to a cheeking block at the gooseneck. The reefing ram horn is removed. The line rises and goes through the upper reefing cringle and drops to a block at the mast stepping collar., runs across the deck to a 3 sheave flat turning block that directs the line aft.
The main halyard and reefing line both have sharpie reference marks to facilitate quick and repeatable reefing.

I solo a lot and ease of the process is imperative. Usually 2-3 minutes to complete the procedure.

1) let the boom out and release the vang.
2) find the reference mark on the main halyard.
3) release the clutch on the the main halyard and let the sail drop until the mark is around 6" beyond the clutch.
4) haul in the reefing line until the winch is needed. Tighten the line until the reference line is on the cockpit side of the clutch.
5) tension the main halyard until the mark is back on the cockpit side of the clutch.

DONE !