Went to the boat today to figure out how to reef the main. Archives I guess are down and am going sailing tomorrow, so could use some help soon. Got caught in more wind than my limited experience was comfortable with last Sunday. Manual is no help, although it has a lot of h23 information, the diagram and instructions for reefing are obviously for a different boom and probably a different boat, since the book also has a lot of information about heads and diesel engines. I have three lines in the boom -- pole lift, outhaul and reefing. They're all straight lines from the aft end of boom to the mast end, where under the boom are three levers that lock them in place. The reefing line at the clew has no where to be held fast -- after it goes up through the crinkle (is that what the metal eye is called?) there's nothing on the boom to attach it to. Also, the only extra crinkle on the luff of the sail is about six inches above the tack crinkle, while the reef crinkle on the leech is a couple of feet above the foot. The sail has an h23 on it so it obviosly was made for this boat, which I bought in September. Foresail has a furler so I'm in good shape there. Thanks, Mac
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Rick Macdonald
Doesn't sound right
I have a H23.5 but what you describe is familiar, but things are missing. As you would suspect, there should be gringles at equal height above the boom both at the luff and leech. The 2 foot high one at the leech sounds like a reef point, but there would be a corresponding one at the luff for a ramshook at the gooseneck or a line to attach to it and tie it down. There would also be short lines attached to the sail itself, at about the same 2' height, one on each side, maybe 12 to 18 inches. Two sets equally spaced between the cringles. They just dangle when the main is full up and are used to loosely tie up the folds of sail when reefed so they don't fill up with air. The reefing line goes up from the aft sheeve to the cringle, then straight down to the boom. On mine, there is an extra pad-eye (I think that's what it would be called) on the bottom of the boom. There is one for the boom vang and one for the mainsheet. On mine, these two don't move, but the third one for the reef is free to slide along the bottom of the boom and probably is best placed just aft of vertically down from the cringle so the "new" foot is pulled tight somewhat (as the outhaul would do). Is there any chance that this third one is slid forward and parked near the main sheet attachment and you haven't noticed it? When I got my boat the reefing line was run incorrectly. From the aft sheeve it went up to the cringle and then back to the aft end of the boom near the sheeve again where it was tied off. That doesn't work as well because the angle is such that I couldn't get the reef cringle any closer than 6 to 8 inches from the boom. Using the proper location (pad-eye) under the boom it easily goes right down to the boom.
I have a H23.5 but what you describe is familiar, but things are missing. As you would suspect, there should be gringles at equal height above the boom both at the luff and leech. The 2 foot high one at the leech sounds like a reef point, but there would be a corresponding one at the luff for a ramshook at the gooseneck or a line to attach to it and tie it down. There would also be short lines attached to the sail itself, at about the same 2' height, one on each side, maybe 12 to 18 inches. Two sets equally spaced between the cringles. They just dangle when the main is full up and are used to loosely tie up the folds of sail when reefed so they don't fill up with air. The reefing line goes up from the aft sheeve to the cringle, then straight down to the boom. On mine, there is an extra pad-eye (I think that's what it would be called) on the bottom of the boom. There is one for the boom vang and one for the mainsheet. On mine, these two don't move, but the third one for the reef is free to slide along the bottom of the boom and probably is best placed just aft of vertically down from the cringle so the "new" foot is pulled tight somewhat (as the outhaul would do). Is there any chance that this third one is slid forward and parked near the main sheet attachment and you haven't noticed it? When I got my boat the reefing line was run incorrectly. From the aft sheeve it went up to the cringle and then back to the aft end of the boom near the sheeve again where it was tied off. That doesn't work as well because the angle is such that I couldn't get the reef cringle any closer than 6 to 8 inches from the boom. Using the proper location (pad-eye) under the boom it easily goes right down to the boom.
Look for a strap and D-ring
Some H23s don't have a reef cringle at the luff, instead there's a strap with a D-ring sewn into the sail on the starboard side. It should be about the same height as the reef cringle in the luff. Yours may have ripped off. Rick described the right way to run the reef line from the boom end. This makes sure that both the leech and the foot are properly tensioned when reefed. If you're going to be reefed for a long while, add a second line to secure the clew of the sail and ease the reef line a bit. That way the second line takes the abuse and if it happens to break, you still have the reefing line intact. Peter H23 "Raven"
Some H23s don't have a reef cringle at the luff, instead there's a strap with a D-ring sewn into the sail on the starboard side. It should be about the same height as the reef cringle in the luff. Yours may have ripped off. Rick described the right way to run the reef line from the boom end. This makes sure that both the leech and the foot are properly tensioned when reefed. If you're going to be reefed for a long while, add a second line to secure the clew of the sail and ease the reef line a bit. That way the second line takes the abuse and if it happens to break, you still have the reefing line intact. Peter H23 "Raven"
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Jim Kolstoe
Sort of agree
with the proceeding replies. I have an UlmarKolius main, with the same design boom as you describe. The reefing line goes up to the reefing cringle and directly down to a padeye FIXED on the side of the boom directly below the cringle. This gives some advantage in reefing as a 2-1 system, less friction loss. You should have some cringles spotted at the same hight along length of the main, so that you can tie the midsection of the sail down. I keep a couple of lengths, about 15-18", of line for that purpose. You also need to have a cringle that can be hooked on one of the rams horns at the gooseneck. I have not seen the D-ring on a strap that Peter describes, but that would work. If nothing else, you can take the sail to your local sailmaker and have a cringle added. By the way, practice the reefing sequence before you need it. The middle of a fight with the power of too much wind in your sails is a lousy time to ponder how it works. Did it once, no more, thank you. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
with the proceeding replies. I have an UlmarKolius main, with the same design boom as you describe. The reefing line goes up to the reefing cringle and directly down to a padeye FIXED on the side of the boom directly below the cringle. This gives some advantage in reefing as a 2-1 system, less friction loss. You should have some cringles spotted at the same hight along length of the main, so that you can tie the midsection of the sail down. I keep a couple of lengths, about 15-18", of line for that purpose. You also need to have a cringle that can be hooked on one of the rams horns at the gooseneck. I have not seen the D-ring on a strap that Peter describes, but that would work. If nothing else, you can take the sail to your local sailmaker and have a cringle added. By the way, practice the reefing sequence before you need it. The middle of a fight with the power of too much wind in your sails is a lousy time to ponder how it works. Did it once, no more, thank you. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
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Mac Bentley
Right on the mark, gentlemen.
Everything was there, I just didn't know what to look for. It has the D-ring, don't know that I've noticed it before but wouldn't know what it was for if I did. There's a pad-eye on the boom, but I couldn't envision tying off on a padeye (guess a shackle is in order) and it's not where I (and perhaps you) thought it should be anyway. It's on the port side of the boom, all the way aft. Guess that gives the reefing line a little outhaul action. The three lines dangling from both sides of the sail are there, but I knew what they were for so I didn't mention them before. Thanks very much, Mac
Everything was there, I just didn't know what to look for. It has the D-ring, don't know that I've noticed it before but wouldn't know what it was for if I did. There's a pad-eye on the boom, but I couldn't envision tying off on a padeye (guess a shackle is in order) and it's not where I (and perhaps you) thought it should be anyway. It's on the port side of the boom, all the way aft. Guess that gives the reefing line a little outhaul action. The three lines dangling from both sides of the sail are there, but I knew what they were for so I didn't mention them before. Thanks very much, Mac
Try not to use the padeye on the port side
It'll give you plenty of outhaul but probably won't hold the leech down tight enough on the boom. If you don't have a sliding bail under the boom, you might consider installing a padeye on the starboard side directly below the leech cringle. It's easy enough to do, pretty inexpensive and you'll have the proper setup. Good luck. Peter H23 "Raven"
It'll give you plenty of outhaul but probably won't hold the leech down tight enough on the boom. If you don't have a sliding bail under the boom, you might consider installing a padeye on the starboard side directly below the leech cringle. It's easy enough to do, pretty inexpensive and you'll have the proper setup. Good luck. Peter H23 "Raven"
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Jim Kolstoe
Outhaul a good thing
Peter, I have to disagree to this extent - using the padeye on the port side does give the effect of an outhaul. You are correct, that it does not bring the reef point all the way down to the boom, but using the tie-down cringles in the middle of the sail make that less of a problem than it might otherwise be. The effect of the reefing line as an outhaul flattens the bottom part of the sail, substantially depowering it. Which is desireable if you need to reef it in the first place. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Peter, I have to disagree to this extent - using the padeye on the port side does give the effect of an outhaul. You are correct, that it does not bring the reef point all the way down to the boom, but using the tie-down cringles in the middle of the sail make that less of a problem than it might otherwise be. The effect of the reefing line as an outhaul flattens the bottom part of the sail, substantially depowering it. Which is desireable if you need to reef it in the first place. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
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Rick Macdonald
I agree with Peter
My 23.5 came with the reef line strung incorrectly: from the cringle back to the aft end of the boom. Couldn't get the cringle down to the boom. When I ran it straight down from the cringle to the bottom of the boom (there is a sliding loop to attach it to, so I put it straight down from the cringle) it made all the difference in the world. Because the pad-eye, bale or whatever it is called moves, I can control the outhaul effect as well.
My 23.5 came with the reef line strung incorrectly: from the cringle back to the aft end of the boom. Couldn't get the cringle down to the boom. When I ran it straight down from the cringle to the bottom of the boom (there is a sliding loop to attach it to, so I put it straight down from the cringle) it made all the difference in the world. Because the pad-eye, bale or whatever it is called moves, I can control the outhaul effect as well.
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