Boom reefing schematic or current practices...

[Team118]

Hello;

I wanted to request information if possible about the exact process of creating the in boom reefing system that seems to have been part of my boat.

I erroneously pulled a line with a fiddle block out of the aft end of my boom last year. Another boat owner was kind enough to describe his boat's layout (#92...mine is #16).

I am waiting to put the boat in the water (another story, waiting on prop shaft and new coupler!), I noticed that birds pooped all over my diligent buffing and wax job in my cockpit. There was nesting material and poop EVERYWHERE!!!! I knew the boom has some issues and I thought I was going to wait until I splashed her and then maybe disconnect the boom, lift the forward end and try to dump out old bird stuff.

AINT NO WAY!!!! That boom was packed front to back. Obviously, the new birds were pissed and when they couldn't move in, they decided to trash the place. I guess I don't blame them.

So, since I have a week to kill waiting on my prop shaft, I pulled the mainsail off the boom and single handedly dropped the boom to the ground. Dumb, too young to think I need help....to young to realize that at 59 I DO NEED HELP. Well, I got her down and spent 3 hours with a high pressure hose and a hook just gooping out old bird nest stuff. I even pulled a sponge out!!!! IDK, maybe the PO did that to keep the racket of the fiddle cars banging around? It was hell.

So like that other boat, there was a fiddle bock attached to a pad eye inside the book VERY close to the gooseneck. The line then went the length of the boom and exited at the aft end.

As I said, I had pulled a line with a fiddle block last year and have no idea how that was tied to this system.

My manual has a line going through the organizer up to a 'mast pad eye', through the reefing point on the luff and then down to the boom, though the inside to the aft blocks, back outside and up to the leech side reefing point.... it kind of falls apart there. Hard to see just what happens to the terminal end there...it looks like it's tied around the boom, but that can't be right. On my C-30, I had a pad-eye on the side of the boom and terminated the reefing line there. I had 2 pad-eyes for 2 different reefing points. Again, that is not what the diagram shows.

Either way, it does not match whatever was installed in my boom and despite dozens of diagrams about iso-mat booms or Chip's diagram, they just don't seem to match up. It's very strange, that I can't seem to find a detailed, pictorial example of how the reefing should be set up in the C-380.

I have also read, that even if I do get it figured out, this system is still fraught with friction and that the best way is to go with a 2 line reefing system. That is what I had on my C-30 and aft line for the leech point and I then I would go up to the mast to pull in the luff reef point.

It seems like there are enough organizer points on the C-380 to at least do the first reefing point?
As an FYI, I drilled out the internal fiddle car pad eye and pulled that line out completely. I figure, if I have to, I can easily 're-wire' the system.

So, does anyone have examples of what they have done for reefing on their boat? Will it translate to mine, a 1997?
I have the time and the bravado to try!

I have posted this on the Catalina380 IO group, but I have a long history with SBO and sometimes love the direct responses here. Hope all is well with everyone.

Thanks!!!
Chris Toole
Toole'n Around
1997 C-380 #16
Lake Ontario
Rochester, NY

 

[Jaxn]

Those blocks sound more like an internal outhaul than a reefing system to me.

Tie the fiddle block (f1) that you pulled out to a short line with a shackle to attach to the clew of your mainsail.

Then tie a long line to the fiddle block (f2) that is in the boom. Run it f1,f2,f1, and out the front end of the boom to the outhaul cleat. Then you have a nice 4:1 outhaul to flatten the main (and allows you to wait a little longer to reef).

 

[jssailem]

The use of fiddle blocks appears to add complexity and bulk in an attempt to increase the power (or combat the friction) in the system.

I have perhaps a 20% smaller main, and I do the work at the mast, use a simple system providing two reefing lines. My boom is smaller than yours yet has plenty of room to have a system like discussed in this Selden system shown in the attachment.

https://support.seldenmast.com/files/595-706-E.pdf

A yes to the tying off the line on the boom. Care in location is used so as to tie the loop and not capture any running lines. The line is tied, runs up to the leach reefing cringle, then down and back to the boom end sheave. This serves to provide a boom attachment and out haul for the reefed sail.

 

[Team118]

Thanks John,

Appreciate the response. I believe the 2 internal fiddle blocks were there for the outhaul. That seems to be a consensus among other C-380 owners.
I'll worry about that another day, as I don't race and foot tension isn't an issue day to day for me.

I'll use the available sheaves and organizers to run the 2 reefing lines per the 380 handbook.

Thanks for the follow up and confirmation!
Chris

 

[jssailem]

I understand your thoughts about the outhaul.

Glad you found your path to safe reef.

Not sure about your sail, but it is common now with new sails to have a loose foot. The controls for the sails foot influences the shape of the sail and thus the boats performance. Getting caught on a lee shore trying to sail to windward with out a well trimmed sail or at the least a foot that is secure would be an unhappy outcome.

Keep it on your priority list like you would an injector that is not functioning smoothly.

Fair winds.

 

[Calif. Ted]

Catalina commonly used a single line reefing system, pull the control line from cockpit and both reef points tighten. Sounds good but less effective in practice because friction etc. usually requires you go to the mast to get it truly tight.
My boat was modified by removing butterfly block, single line from cockpit tightens the leech cringle only and reefing horn added to gooseneck for the tack cringle. Single line also run for the outhaul which is a necessary sail control.
Oh, and yeah it's tied around the boom on the end, on the original bolt rope sails I believe I remember a lower cringle for the line to pass thru.

 

[Team118]

That's an interesting diagram, one I haven't seen before and am going to share on our 380.io page. Unfortunately, that would require taking the boom apart to add the dead-end padeye in the aft of the boom and an extra shackle in the fore of the boom where 7 turns into 8.

A very nice set up!

 

[jviss]

butterfly block

So that's what it's called! I searched and searched for such blocks to restore the single line reefing system on my Tartan, and finally found a couple. I'm glad I did, the reefing system works perfectly. I have the luxury of being able to put the reefing lines on a winch on the coach roof, but it's usually not necessary.

Here's my thread on this:
Single Line Reefing