Hunter 34 Reefing and; Lines led to Cockpit?

[Brian Hope]

Looking for information regarding the original reefing system, (or something better) for the Hunter 34
I have a 1985 Hunter 34 with no reefing system except the hooks at the fore end of the boom.
I understand that the boats originally had a reefing system.
Also;
The boat has provision for four lines to the cockpit, but only the boom vang is currently led to the cockpit.
What lines originally came to the cockpit?

 

[shemandr]

Can we assume that the provision for four lines leading to the cockpit are from the boom? If so I would guess one outhaul line and two reef lines.
The hooks suggest it was designed for slab reefing and not for "Single line reefing" (Defined as using one line to bring both the tack and leach down to the boom). But you can re-design the system to fit your intended use - single line, two lines, reefing from the helmet from the front of the cockpit, single handed, crewed etc.
I had a H 356 2002 and whatever I had on that would not translate to a 1985 H34.
H34 owners will chime in with details. You can search the net to see a large variety of ways to do reef. Try key words "Slab reefing, Mainsail"

 

[Brian Hope]

The provision for the lines is from the area just aft of the mast.
There are also four sheaves at the base of the mast; coming from within the mast, but no lines coming through.
Thanks;

 

[shemandr]

They still could be for reef lines but they could also be for halyards. Do your halyards run to th cockpit or do you tie them off at the mast?

 

[Brian Hope]

Currently, the halyards come out of the mast a few feet up, and there is a winch plus a cleat on either side of the mast.
Looking at a few later Hunters, there is a folding step where my winches are; the halyards come out of the mast, go to a turning block, and back to the cockpit.

 

[kloudie1]

Hey, Brian.. Here is what I have on my '85 model H-34. The previous owner raced the boat and had the jib halyards, port and starboard, exit the mast a couple of feet up and go down to a pair of added turning blocks bolted to the mast base. The port side lower mast base has the spinnaker halyard which enters the mast a few feet from the top. The starboard side mast base has the spinnaker topping lift and the main halyard. The reef lines are the lines aft of the mast that go down to the blocks on the pad eyes on port and starboard. These are all led aft to the cabin top by the winches. The reef lines go to a cleat and the others go to rope clutches. I have no winches on the mast.

 

[Brian Hope]

Thanks for the info.
I would appreciate some sort of diagram of how the reef system/lines work or are led.
The boom is a Harken unit; not sure if it is original.
There are no blocks etc on the boom; nothing apparently for a reefing system.

 

[kloudie1]

On my boom, The reefing lines go from the cabin roof cleat through the "tunnel" to the deck organizer. From there, to the small blocks on the eye just behind the mast, up to the sheave on the forward end of the boom that directs the line inside the boom to the sheave on the aft end of the boom. From there up to the reef cringle (grommet) on the sail then back down vertically where it is tied around the boom. There are no external sheaves on the boom. I am pretty sure that my boom fittings aren't Harken castings.
This is the forward end of the boom; the small line exiting on top is the reef line. There is a cam cleat at the sheave but I leave that open. The bottom line is the outhaul; it has a 2:1 purchase on the outhaul which exits the aft end of the boom.
.

 

[kloudie1]

To reef the main, the main halyard is slacked to hook the reef tack onto the reef hook at the front of the boom; someone has to go to the mast to do that. . Next the appropriate reef line is pulled to bring the reef point down to the boom. The reef line is cleated off, then the main halyard is tightened using the cabin top winch. Hope that helps
EDIT: Here is a picture that shows the end of the reef line tied to the boom. Its kind of a janky set-up but is commonly done that way. Some folks have a little eye screwed to the boom and the line is tied to the eye..

 

[Brian Hope]

Ah; I will have to look closer to see if those sheaves are on the boom.
Presently, the only line in the boom is the outhaul.
There were the remains of an eye on the port side of the boom.
It appears to have been chrome plated zinc, which corroded away;
The (machine) screws were stainless, and subjected the aluminium boom to galvanic corrosion.
Took me some hours to get the remains of the two screws out; impact screwdriver, other tools and persistence!