Zspar Boom Reefing

[MetricMountie]

Recently purchased a 1995 40.5 and I'm having trouble figuring out the reefing for the main. I'm in the process of acquiring all new running rigging including reefing lines and would like to have a diagram of the reefing system as I'm having a hell of a time rigging the main for single line reefing. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Here are a few pictures that show the OEM single-line reefing. The reefing lines are the white with red stripes in my pictures.

The first reef line is tied on the stbd side at the aft-most ties point under the boom and goes vertically up the stbd side of the main sail and through the large eye and then to the port-side block at the end of the boom. It passes directly through the boom and exits at the gooseneck. From there it goes vertically down to the top sheave block on the port side of the main sail, then up through the metal mast loop to the turning block on the mainsail and then passes down through the metal loop on the mast again to the bottom double turning block at the base of the mast. From there it passes through the under-deck organizers and to the port side sheet stopper.

The second reef is rigged exactly as the first above except that the port and stbd sides are switched.

This will probably take a couple readings to fully understand the routing of the lines.

 

[MetricMountie]

Thanks for the information Rich, I've purchased a new main for the boat and never did take a look at the old one before the purchase as I was told that it was pretty well shot and not worth putting up. I didn't have the Dutchman installed in the new sail as I'm not a real fan of the system. I may have to get back to you, if that's ok with you on the routing, etc. The system is similar but then again different than the one we had on our 35.5 prior to its loss last July. Can I PM you for information on this and other items on the boat that have me scratching my head,lol... Thanks Karl

 

[Rich Stidger]

Thanks for the information Rich, I've purchased a new main for the boat and never did take a look at the old one before the purchase as I was told that it was pretty well shot and not worth putting up. I didn't have the Dutchman installed in the new sail as I'm not a real fan of the system. I may have to get back to you, if that's ok with you on the routing, etc. The system is similar but then again different than the one we had on our 35.5 prior to its loss last July. Can I PM you for information on this and other items on the boat that have me scratching my head,lol... Thanks Karl

Anytime. Sorry I don't have more pictures on the routing at the mast for you. Don't forget to post your 40.5 questions on the board- there are lots of owners and we all know different stuff.

 

[MetricMountie]

Thanks again Rich. I do have one question in regard to the turning block on the main. How is the turning block attached to the main, the routing I now see is just in and out of the gooseneck and down to the blocks on the deck then back to the clutches on the coach house. I have no idea what the PO did with this system, it seems totally screwed up to me. Another thing is the outhaul, it starts a the stern end of the boom as one size line and exits the gooseneck another size. It then travels down to the mast step where its attached to a becket/jam cleat as opposed to simply coming aft on the boom and around the cleat on the underside of the boom. There are many more secret combos that I have no yet had time to decode.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Thanks again Rich. I do have one question in regard to the turning block on the main. How is the turning block attached to the main, the routing I now see is just in and out of the gooseneck and down to the blocks on the deck then back to the clutches on the coach house. I have no idea what the PO did with this system, it seems totally screwed up to me. Another thing is the outhaul, it starts a the stern end of the boom as one size line and exits the gooseneck another size. It then travels down to the mast step where its attached to a becket/jam cleat as opposed to simply coming aft on the boom and around the cleat on the underside of the boom. There are many more secret combos that I have no yet had time to decode.

Here are a couple pix that show the answers to your questions.

The block attaches to the luff of the main sail and hangs from the stainless ring that is sewn and reinforced at the luff. The routing of the reefing lines is as I described in a previous post.

Regarding the outhaul- The two different sized lines is normal. Inside the boom is a 2:1 or a 3:1 (not sure which) block system that gives you the ability to pull the outhaul very tight to stretch the foot of the mainsail. On my 40.5 the outhaul line (red/white) exits the bottom of the boom and then runs to the cleat that is mounted on the bottom of the boom. My outhaul never goes to the base of the mast or back to the cockpit.

FWIW, I also installed a block at the leech of the sail to reduce the friction where the reef line passes through the cringle. That was a dramatic improvement over the standard OEM setup. This is shown in the last photos. I think there is now a roller device that is marketed that is inserted in the cringle. At the time I set this up, I could not find an off-the-shelf solution. So I machined two sets of Delrin disks that fit together from each side of the cringle and were screwed together. A center fitting that could rotate was the attachment point for the leech block.

 

[MetricMountie]

Rich, I can't thank you enough for the photos, it all make sense to me now and I will be moving to install the same system that you have devised at the leech on both reef points. You Sir are a scholar and a gentleman for providing me with all this information in such a quick fashion, it appreciate it beyond words. I'll send along photos on completion of the project. Again thanks.

Karl

 

[Rich Stidger]

Rich, I can't thank you enough for the photos, it all make sense to me now and I will be moving to install the same system that you have devised at the leech on both reef points. You Sir are a scholar and a gentleman for providing me with all this information in such a quick fashion, it appreciate it beyond words. I'll send along photos on completion of the project. Again thanks.

Karl

Glad to help.

 

[windwagon]

Rich,
How did you make your "center fitting" that attaches to the block. Your idea of adding a block to the reefing line is an assume idea. I can not wait to try this!!

 

[Rich Stidger]

Rich,
How did you make your "center fitting" that attaches to the block. Your idea of adding a block to the reefing line is an assume idea. I can not wait to try this!!

At the time I had access to a friend's metal lathe. I bought a piece of white plastic- I forget exactly what kind it was, but it was the consistency of starboard. I measured the opening and depth of the cringle and turned two halves that would fit together from each side of the sail. I tapped and threaded two small screws to hold the halves together and through the center hole that I drilled on the lathe, I put a 1/4-20 bolt with a metal loop that I could attach a ball bearing block for low friction. I used a lock nut on the center bolt so that the metal loop and the block could swivel.

I still have one of the assemblies but the second one cracked and broke. I guess I needed to use a better material- whatever it was.

I would be happy to send anyone interested the remaining pieces that I have. However I am keeping the blocks for other projects.

But I do seem to remember that some sort of rolling tube device has been marketed that does the same job. OK, Google "Goïot reefing cringles" for the device.