Reefing question

[YVRguy]

When I try to reef the main on my Hunter 34 I find that the sail sliders stack up in the track to the point where I can't get the reef point all the way to the hook. There is about a 6" gap. There is a movable stopper in the track that locks in place to prevent the sliders from coming out the bottom. If I move/remove that, I can take a few of the sliders right out of the track and that allows me to get the sail low enough to attach the reef point. This seems odd. Am I doing something wrong or is this standard procedure? Any help is appreciated.

 

[justsomeguy]

It's a standard complaint.
Try searching these forums for the term "mast gate". HTH

 

[Richard Bryer]

A problem with many boats. I made a new mast gate that allows the sliders to pass by and stack up from the very bottom Here is a pic of it. I tapped two holes in the mast and the "lip" fills the one sided slot in my Kenyon mast.

 

[Ken Prichard]

I got my mast gate from these guys:
http://www.yachttech.com
They're just across the straight from you in Sidney.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Older boats have a jack line that allows the luft to be pulled down and away from the cars for reefing.

 

[Allan12210]

Doug,

Bill has it with the jackline solution.

Been there done that for over ten years until we got a new sail. Before you rush off and get a new sail, use a jackline. Leave the sail slide immediately below the reef cringle in the track. Take the next two sail slides out and leave them that way. Next get a piece of strong line less than 1/4 inch in diameter and tie it to that sail slide just below the cringle. Raise the main and take the line and stick it through the grommet on the sail at the first sail slide no longer in the track. Come down to the second loose slide and poke it back through its grommet from the opposite side. Come down to the next slide that is now back in the track and tie it to the slide. You probably will have to lower the main a bit at this point to tie it so that when it is back at full hoist that jack line is pulled tight between the two slides it is tied to and the main will be right up against the mast even with two slides missing. When you drop the main to reef that extra length of unattached sail will hang down below your stacked up slides and you can put the cringle right on the hook.

Allan

 

[RichH]

To see what a reefing jackline looks like, go to www.sailrite.com and enter "122Jacklinemainsail.pdf" in their search box .... or simply 'jackline + mainsail'.

You need 2 'bails' for each slug.
A mainsail jackline for reefing will allow the mast track slugs to 'stack up' one on top of one another when the line itself becomes slack .... if the length of now free and 'stacked up' slugs is still to great, .... then you will have to open the mast gate and remove some slugs.

 

[YVRguy]

Thanks again for your suggestions. I'll look into the jackline idea

 

[Dan Johnson]

Re: Reefing question...

Alan, I like your solution. Can make the first reef cringle over the ram's horn, but not possible for the second reef witihout spilling some slides out the gate. I've been leaving the first slide up out of the track to do so for the first reef.

Don't think your solution will work for me for the second reef. If the 2nd reef it needed, I have just dropped the main entirely and used the headsail.

 

[Allan12210]

Hi Dan,

That was my situation too. First reef was ok but second reef was the problem. Its been such a long time so I may be a bit rusty on the placement of the line and which slides are gettng pulled. I might have taken the two slides out from immediately above and below the cringle. That gave me the slack I needed to pull it over the rams horn. The jack line keeps the sail against the mast at full hoist. It just speeds things up when dropping in a reef.

Out here its always so windy that I never get to try a first reef...have to go to the second immediately. And then shortly afer that we just use the jib as well. That actually works really well.

Allan