H26 2nd Reef in Mainsail

[Ron Fraboni]

I am considering adding a second reef point in the Doyle mainsail on my 1995 H26. Would appreciate any advice or comments from anyone who has added a second reef to their mainsail. Has it been a good addition and how often have you felt the need to reduce further than the standard 1st reef? Also, does the Hunter boom have a block for a second jiffy reefing line? (My boat is in storage, so I can't check).Doyle says the normal position for a 2nd reef is 25% up the luff from the bottom. Is this what you all have done? What would I expect to pay for adding this extra reefing point?Thanks for any input you all may have.

 

[Paul Housman]

2 CND rEEFING POINT

Ron, Can't comment on the benefits of the extra reef. But the boom does have an extra spot for a second reefing line. Lots of fun running a messenger line . Paul

 

[David Foster]

Reefing for pleasure, performance & safety

We have used both reef points on our h27. Most boats do not improve speed when consistently heeled beyond 20 degrees. For the shoal draft h27, we make excessive leeway above 15 degrees. The comfort of my very significant Admiral also diminishes in the same range. Reefing the main (first around 15 knots true average wind, second around 20) allows us to drive with joy in normal brisk winds. It also dramatically reduces weather helm on our boat.Second, I believe that it is just a matter of time before we see a black squall line heading at us across Lake Erie. From talks with other skippers on the lake, and reading "horror stories" in the different mags, we know that 50-60 knot winds are possible in that weather. So our drill is immediately heaving to on sighting heavy weather, and reefing the main to the second point, and the foresail to around 80%. In that way, we hope to avoid a knockdown and/or damage to the sails or rig. The new whaling book "In the Heart of the Sea" reminded us that reefing when a squall line appears has been good seamanship for centuries! The 85 foot whaler in the story suffered a knockdown (and loss of 2 critical whaling boats) on the way out of Nantucket in 1820! The story sounds just like one I heard from an h34 skipper this summer.

 

[Michael Stephens]

Reef cost

I own a 99' 260 and have just taken my sail in for the second reef. It will be installed 10' up from bottom or 3' above standard reef point. The cost will be $85 - $100 at Boston sail in Holland Mi. Does the 260 boom have provision for a second reef line as well as the 26?

 

[Jim Covey]

Sheaves

On my '98 H26 boom there are 3 sheaves. In the normal factory setup 1 is for the outhaul, 1 for the topping lift and 1 for the reef line.I installed a Garhauer rigid vang which freed up the topping lift sheave. Unless you do something similar you would have to install exterior blocks for the 2nd reef point.As far as running the new lines through the boom, pick up a 50' fish tape at any hardware store, it's really easy to fish through the boom.Good luck,Jim Coveys/v Wampeter

 

[ED]

REEF

IF YOUR GOING TO USE YOUR BOAT IN ALL WEATHER. I PUT IN A #1 AND #3 REEF POINT THE ONE FROM HUNTER IS IN THE #2 SPOT. THAT IS WHAT I DID ON MY BOAT.