calling all h33 owners

[rufus1138]

hi all, im about to start setting up my reefing lines, none were rigged when i bought the boat and its time to start being more prepared, anyone that can help me out with some pics of how they set up their reefing would be greatly appreciated, im thinking so far that i will have the first reef run internally in the boom and the next two will end up having to be external having a cheek block on the side of the boom. anyone have 3 reefs set up for cruising?

 

[Ed H]

hi all, im about to start setting up my reefing lines, none were rigged when i bought the boat and its time to start being more prepared, anyone that can help me out with some pics of how they set up their reefing would be greatly appreciated, im thinking so far that i will have the first reef run internally in the boom and the next two will end up having to be external having a cheek block on the side of the boom. anyone have 3 reefs set up for cruising?

We have 3 reefing points but only one reefing line, which runs inside the boom. For the second and third reef, we are supposed to untie the line and re-tie it at the appropriate point. I say "supposed to" because we have never actually used the second and third reefs.
Do you want a pic of ours? Ed H

 

[rufus1138]

thanks ed but no, have you just never had much of a need to reef the main? how deep is the first reef for you, im just wanting to prep for heavy weather and im thinking that slab reefing with cheek blocks will be the winner.

 

[crosswind]

Hope you don't mind my input since I have an H30.

The configuration for my Reef as per mfg. is the thru boom line up through which ever reef point you choose necessary, down around boom with a loose bowline knot.

This allows you to choose any reef point and slide your bowline under it for a good down haul.

Hope this helps.

 

[rufus1138]

yes it does, im just a little frustrated that our boats only have the two end boom sheaves, sorry if you felt discriminated lol, i have love for all the cherubini hunters tho just so you know. i was starting to think about having selden spars make me a set of custom boom ends that would give me 4 sheaves and the associated clutches so that i can have 3 reef points rigged and ready for when i go cruising. just wanted to know how everyone with these older booms has dealt with cruising and how they set up their reefing.

 

[Chief RA]

. Rufus: I don't have a 33 either but am in process of outfitting my new boat to me as you probably are aware. I am thinking of rigging to the upper reefing grommets and run it through the boom with no lower reefing draw down line. Then, if I only want the first reefing points, just draw down until I can tie off my 1st reefing grommet eyes around the boom and then release the upper reef line.
Like you, I am definitely open to critique and suggestions so we can arrive at the best system for our respective boats. Should be launching at Bodega Bay CA end of month. Regards, Chief

 

[Ed H]

.... how deep is the first reef for you, im just wanting to prep for heavy weather and im thinking that slab reefing with cheek blocks will be the winner.

Here is a pic that shows our 1st and 2nd reefing points. I think you can get into my albums that have other pics of our main sail.
We usually reef when the wind hits about 15 knots and have sailed at 22 knots with it at the first reef. Never been on the water at higher that 22 except in a t-storm, and we dropped all sails and just tried to survive. I am sure that the old saying applies- "The boat can handle more than you can". But since we do not particularly enjoy high wind sailing, we avoid it. There is always some tinkering that we can do at the slip.

 

[Ed H]

...The configuration for my Reef as per mfg. is the thru boom line up through which ever reef point you choose necessary, down around boom with a loose bowline knot.

This allows you to choose any reef point and slide your bowline under it for a good down haul.

Hope this helps.

Crosswind- I did not know this; where did you find out about this? I would be concerned about the line denting/bending the boom, but what do I know....

 

[rufus1138]

Crosswind- I did not know this; where did you find out about this? I would be concerned about the line denting/bending the boom, but what do I know....

the wall thickness on the boom should be so hefty that denting it with a bowline knot would be nigh impossible.

 

[rufus1138]

Here is a pic that shows our 1st and 2nd reefing points. I think you can get into my albums that have other pics of our main sail.
We usually reef when the wind hits about 15 knots and have sailed at 22 knots with it at the first reef. Never been on the water at higher that 22 except in a t-storm, and we dropped all sails and just tried to survive. I am sure that the old saying applies- "The boat can handle more than you can". But since we do not particularly enjoy high wind sailing, we avoid it. There is always some tinkering that we can do at the slip.

always blows me away how great these boats look under way, 15 kts to reef? what headsail are you using and how old are they, mine will hold a full main and a 110 jib up till there are some solid white caps rolling around, probably 20kts or so. i would have liked to throw a reef in that day if we were going to have to beat much further but it ended up being short lived and honestly fun but if we had turned back to a open reach it would have been perfectly stable and fast. are you a shoal draft model? i guess now im just getting acedemic about the 33.

back to the subject, chief thanks for the input, ive thought about that but i will be eventually switching to a harken battcar system so i can reef without having to put her head to wind in a nasty breaking sea, also i cringe at the thought of trying to wrangle the boom with the boat de-powered and potentially bucking pretty hard, especially here in the tight and often shallow icw, personally i spend a lot of time there and in the bay as we dont have a properly working vhf yet and are a little sketchy of offshore sailing without it. i need the ability to change gears very quickly so having all of my available reef points ready to snatch is going to be important this fall as my schedule opens up for more weekend cruising. i think for now ill rig my deepest reef and just practice my jib exchanges :dance:

 

[rardiH36]

Just wondering why three reef points might be considered necessary. I sail central San Francisco Bay with winds typically in the 25-30 kt range, and sometimes more. Reefing is standard operational procedure. Two reef points on the mainsail are enough. In sections of the bay where the wind might be light, the sail sill stays reefed but all jib/genoa is out. Back into the "Slot" with 25-30 kts, even with the second reef (and I have an aggressive second reef point on my sail) then also the jib has to be furled in order to avoid being over-powered. But perhaps my Cherubini 36 is more tender than the 33?

Regarding the reference to two end boom sheaves. Is that two for reefing plus another for the out haul? That is the set-up for my Kenyon boom.

Attached is a picture of the reefing diagram from the original Cherubini owner's manual. And a picture of the original set-up at the goose neck end of the boom that was on my boat. (I have since modified it a bit for better control.) One on each side of the boom for the two reef options. Being that I almost always know that reefing WILL BE necessary BEFOREHAND, and I can do it in safe conditions, I have opted to keep it simple. Make sure the topping lift is holding up the boom. Put the boat into the wind (with the motor running to keep it there), center the boom. Drop the sail to the desired reefing location. Put the luff tack into the reefing horn fitting at the goose neck. Tug on the clew reefing line to pull the clew and down and back against the boom. Tension the halyard. Tie the reef sail ties to keep the loose part of the sail from drooping too much over the boom. Sail is now reefed. Or if I decide to reef before leaving the dock, the steps are the same, except raising the sail will tension at the reef tack.

 

[rufus1138]

not sure about how tender the 36 is compared to the 33, mine seems to carry a full main and 110 very well into some pretty stiff breeze especially if not beating, i dont have roller furling so i will always be referring to a hank on jib, havent flown the 155 or the drifter yet since weve been working alot not sailing enough and when we do go out we are still getting used to the handling in general, the only reason i want 3 reefs is because when i start venturing offshore there are lots of pop up storms in my area of the gulf and things can get nasty with almost zero warning. for reference i got caught in my h27t once or twice by squalls in the bay that came from nowhere with nothing in the forecast, makes a god awful mess down stairs, gets the rail and sometimes the windows wet, and puts everyone on edge, the 27 to my fault was not rigged for reefing at all and we only had a 170 jib and a honda 15 outboard so it was not really prepared to adjust sail area or deal with heavy weather, now that i have the 33 and trips to panama city and beyond are being discussed i want to be ready for some of those 35-40kt squalls that can roll across the gulf at any given moment.

rardi thanks for the input, i really appreciate it after reading about your headstay fiasco. my boom has one sheave for the topping lift and one for a reef line with i think the outhaul in the middle on a cable sheave, ill have to look when i get home to confirm.

 

[rardiH36]

Hi rufus138:

Thanks for the extra input. Yes my head stay double-jaw toggle failure was an adrenaline rush event. But the repair and new furler has been great since.

Seems that you do have the three sheaves on the boom end. Difference between yours and mine is that one of yours is dedicated to the topping lift. Whereas this sheave on mine is for the second reef. But I can certainly understand the advantages/convenience of your topping lift adjustment arrangement. My topping lift wasn't rigged the same. Instead a fixed SS wire from the mast head is affixed to the boom end with block and tackle on the boom to adjust. I did modify mine as per post #28 in this thread:

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=1065964&highlight=topping lift

Does your current mainsail have three reef points? Or are you contemplating ordering one or modifying your existing one to do three? I still think that for virtually all sailing situations, two are enough. Particularly if the first and second locations are a bit more aggressive than normal. From a practical matter, in strong winds a boat is going to reach hull speed just fine irrespective of say 15% and 30% reef points or 20% and 40% reef points. But the 30% vs 40% would certainly improve handling in high winds.

This really isn't a Cherubini specific subject actually. Maybe also post your thoughts on the Sail Trim forum for responses from people that really know everything about "wind meets sail"! And any sail loft can provide expert advice for additional confusion about what to do!!

 

[rufus1138]

i agree about the "wind meets sail" experts, i have some very deep local talent for that, my neighbor is a very prolific north sails dealer and has some extensive experience in local lofts in the past so im covered on the mechanics of what the sails will do. mainly i was hoping this thread would catch some h33's that had done some big ofshore work and had some input on how exactly they rigged the mainsail out.

i think my current sail has two reefs, at this point i cant remember from the last time i had it up and the summer tent is on it now making a quick peek a little frustrating after i get home, but i want to plan for a future with a new north main that has 3 reefs that approximately take out 20% sail area per reef, the last one being primarily a scrap to be left up to work with a sea anchor.

 

[Ed H]

Rufus- It looks like the Owner's Manual diagram shows the reefing line going down to a fitting/cleat on the boom. Does any one have that setup?

 

[rardiH36]

My 1980 Cherubini 36 has a cleat mounted under the boom a few feet back from the goose neck. When I bought the boat, the cleat was used to secure the outhaul. But I suspect the cleat could also be used to secure the reef line. But also, the original hunter set-up at the gooseneck had a self locking jam cleat. Maybe Hunter felt that was a good enough arrangement to secure the clew reef line... no cleat needed?

Here is a link to a thread the shows the modification that I made to my reefing arrangement at the gooseneck.

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=1061014&highlight=reef

 

[rufus1138]

mine has the one sided cleat on either side of the goosneck head

 

[rufus1138]

My 1980 Cherubini 36 has a cleat mounted under the boom a few feet back from the goose neck. When I bought the boat, the cleat was used to secure the outhaul. But I suspect the cleat could also be used to secure the reef line. But also, the original hunter set-up at the gooseneck had a self locking jam cleat. Maybe Hunter felt that was a good enough arrangement to secure the clew reef line... no cleat needed?

Here is a link to a thread the shows the modification that I made to my reefing arrangement at the gooseneck.

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=1061014&highlight=reef

mine has that same arrangement one is for the topping lift one for the reef point, part of the issue tho is my whole rig is shaefer spars (mast and boom) not the standard kenyon spar sections that came with production line hunters of this vintage. not sure what differences our caps have, ill get it worked out one way or another, i have a good aluminum welding shop right down the road from the marina that could possibly fab me up some super stout bases for external cheek blocks for slab reefing that way everything but the first reef and the topping lift would be external and simple.

 

[RoyS]

1980 H33 Reefing

My 1980 H33 with Kenyon boom has two reef points which are very easy to use. At the mast end of the boom there are two locking levers for the two outside sheaves. Reef lines are internal. These parts were still available from kenyon when I last looked if yours are missing or damaged. When we reef we sail close hauled, set the auto pilot, and release the main sheet. The boat continues under head sail alone with the main flopping a bit. We then lower the main until we can catch the goose neck hook with the reef loop and then retighten the main halyard. The next part works surprisingly well but takes a little effort. Without adjusting the topping lift, simply grab the topping lift line between the mast exit pulley and the cleat that it is secured to and pull down. This raises the boom about two feet. While holding the topping lift with one hand, pull out the reefing line until all slack is out and lock the lever. Release the topping lift and you are good to go. No engine, no resetting the topping lift. Works for both reefs. We also put in the first reef at about 15 knots. Roy S. Quincy, MA

 

[rufus1138]

aaaaaahhhhhh thats the difference i have been missing, my topping lift has to be run in the boom since my shaefer mast doesnt have the topping lift inside, i have a cable with a micro-block on it for a topping lift thats taking up one of my reefing slots in the boom, i was unaware that the kenyon setup had the topping lift in the mast. thanks a million roy. i feel alot better now lol.