Help.......?! When I purchased my 23.5 a number of years ago the jiffy reefing lines were not set up, and I have (for too long that I care to mention) messed with them to get them right. My sail has two reef points. When I take two reefs everything works fine. when I take one, the foot of the sail is loose and I can't snug it tight without pulling down the second cringle point on the leech. There are no diagrams (duh) in the manual and contacting Hunter has gotten me nowhere. At this point I'm feeling like a lame sailor..........
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Jiffy Reefing
Two things have to happen with the single reefing line. It has to pull the reef point aft, as an outhaul would, and it has to pull the reef point down against the boom. To pull it aft, the bale (U-shaped loop) on the bottom of the boom has to be further aft than the reef point. I have only a single reef point which is likely the same as your 2nd (higher) point. The reefing line terminates at the bale under the boom, which slides in the track. Do both of yours slide? Of course, the first reefing line should terminate at the aftmost bale. Slide the bale to be a few inches aft of where the cringle meets the boom when the sail is pulled down. As obvious as it is, I could never get my reef cringle down against the boom until I realized one needs to ease the boom vang and mainsheet! Try lifting up the end of the boom and even set the topping lift to hold it there if need be while you harden and cleat the reefing line. The reefing line itself goes from the under-boom bale, up through the reef point grommet, back down and around the sheave and the aft end of the boom, then through the length of the boom and down and out one of those horrible jam cleats at the front of the boom. ...RickM...
Two things have to happen with the single reefing line. It has to pull the reef point aft, as an outhaul would, and it has to pull the reef point down against the boom. To pull it aft, the bale (U-shaped loop) on the bottom of the boom has to be further aft than the reef point. I have only a single reef point which is likely the same as your 2nd (higher) point. The reefing line terminates at the bale under the boom, which slides in the track. Do both of yours slide? Of course, the first reefing line should terminate at the aftmost bale. Slide the bale to be a few inches aft of where the cringle meets the boom when the sail is pulled down. As obvious as it is, I could never get my reef cringle down against the boom until I realized one needs to ease the boom vang and mainsheet! Try lifting up the end of the boom and even set the topping lift to hold it there if need be while you harden and cleat the reefing line. The reefing line itself goes from the under-boom bale, up through the reef point grommet, back down and around the sheave and the aft end of the boom, then through the length of the boom and down and out one of those horrible jam cleats at the front of the boom. ...RickM...
More Information, Please
Great information. I just bought a 1993 23.5 this year and have the same question. I am still not sure how to use the sliding bale under the boom. Do I knot the reefing line at the bale under the boom? Does anyone have a detailed picture of the line at the aft part of the boom before reefing? I am especially interested in the sliding bale. Thanks for your help!
Great information. I just bought a 1993 23.5 this year and have the same question. I am still not sure how to use the sliding bale under the boom. Do I knot the reefing line at the bale under the boom? Does anyone have a detailed picture of the line at the aft part of the boom before reefing? I am especially interested in the sliding bale. Thanks for your help!
Scott
As I think is shown in the diagram from the manual, I just tie a stopper knot in the line at the bale. The picture doesn't show that the bale slides. I set the bale back maybe 2 or 3 inches from where the gringle comes down to the boom. I don't think the distance is critical, but you want the gringle down to the boom and pulled aft to flatten the sail. While we're at it, newer manuals than we have show the outhaul not shackeled directly to the mainsail clew, but looped through it and tied off back at the aft boom end. This gives a 2:1 purchase, but with a lot of friction. I put a couple of small blocks between th clew and the aft boom sheave to make a 3:1 purchase. It's not ideal, as the blocks are held tighly against the boom when hardened, creating more friction. But, at least it's usable now. I also lengthened the outhaul line. I only had a foot or two dangling from the jam cleats at gooseneck. ...RickM...
As I think is shown in the diagram from the manual, I just tie a stopper knot in the line at the bale. The picture doesn't show that the bale slides. I set the bale back maybe 2 or 3 inches from where the gringle comes down to the boom. I don't think the distance is critical, but you want the gringle down to the boom and pulled aft to flatten the sail. While we're at it, newer manuals than we have show the outhaul not shackeled directly to the mainsail clew, but looped through it and tied off back at the aft boom end. This gives a 2:1 purchase, but with a lot of friction. I put a couple of small blocks between th clew and the aft boom sheave to make a 3:1 purchase. It's not ideal, as the blocks are held tighly against the boom when hardened, creating more friction. But, at least it's usable now. I also lengthened the outhaul line. I only had a foot or two dangling from the jam cleats at gooseneck. ...RickM...
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