We are relatively new to sailing....we purchased out 25' catalina last summer. saturday we went out in what we thought would be 7-10 knots of wind...ended up encountering gusts to 35.Managed ok...but had small children on board who were a little intimidated. I am interested in any information on jiffy reefing. hgw to set it up on out boat. we have a simple basic rig....not rigged for single handing, and we steer with a tiller. thanks! Dunvegan
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Need some stuff
Welcome to sailing. We started with a Catalina 25. Great boat. Lots of room for the size. Do you have any grommet holes ( called cringles) in your sail about 2 feet above your boom? The cringles allow you to put reefing lines (1/4 inch darcon line: 3 feet long) in to tie down the main to the boom. A sailmaker can install them for you. At the mast you need a reefing tack hook and at the clew you have a reefing outhaul line, cheek block and cleat. I would have a rigging specialist set it up the right way. You don't want to be standing up top fighting your sail and boom in those conditions. Here is the jiffy reefing process from one of the Spurr's boatbooks: 1.) Ease the mainsheet 2.) Take up the topping lift 3.) slacken the main halyard. 4.) fit the luff cringle over the reefing hook 5.) take up the halyard 6.) pull in the reefing line untill the clew is tight to the boom and then cleat it 7.) ease the topping lift 8.) sheet in the sail and tie the lines in the reef points under the boom using a reef knot. They claim the whole process should only take a minute or two with practice. It takes some practice and team work. Good Luck and Happy sailing.
Welcome to sailing. We started with a Catalina 25. Great boat. Lots of room for the size. Do you have any grommet holes ( called cringles) in your sail about 2 feet above your boom? The cringles allow you to put reefing lines (1/4 inch darcon line: 3 feet long) in to tie down the main to the boom. A sailmaker can install them for you. At the mast you need a reefing tack hook and at the clew you have a reefing outhaul line, cheek block and cleat. I would have a rigging specialist set it up the right way. You don't want to be standing up top fighting your sail and boom in those conditions. Here is the jiffy reefing process from one of the Spurr's boatbooks: 1.) Ease the mainsheet 2.) Take up the topping lift 3.) slacken the main halyard. 4.) fit the luff cringle over the reefing hook 5.) take up the halyard 6.) pull in the reefing line untill the clew is tight to the boom and then cleat it 7.) ease the topping lift 8.) sheet in the sail and tie the lines in the reef points under the boom using a reef knot. They claim the whole process should only take a minute or two with practice. It takes some practice and team work. Good Luck and Happy sailing.
Jiffy help
Elena has given good advice. Jiffy reefing is a fairly easy process after you do it a few times. I would recommend the first time or two you put the reef in before you leave the slip or mooring. When reefing under sail, as with all sail changes, you should be going into the wind not running with it when the change is made. I added a "quick link connector" to the luff cringle. It makes attaching to the reefing hook much easier. The site link below displays what this part looks like. You can buy one almost anywhere.
Elena has given good advice. Jiffy reefing is a fairly easy process after you do it a few times. I would recommend the first time or two you put the reef in before you leave the slip or mooring. When reefing under sail, as with all sail changes, you should be going into the wind not running with it when the change is made. I added a "quick link connector" to the luff cringle. It makes attaching to the reefing hook much easier. The site link below displays what this part looks like. You can buy one almost anywhere.
- Jan 22, 2008
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dosen't the quick link get in the way
Dosen't the quick link bang around on the mast when not in use? and how do you attach it if you have a bolt rope? I assume you have sail slugs. What size do you use?
Dosen't the quick link bang around on the mast when not in use? and how do you attach it if you have a bolt rope? I assume you have sail slugs. What size do you use?
quick link
Roger, you are right I have sail slugs. The quick link does not bang on the mast, it hangs down from the cringle and doesn't seem to touch the mast. Size would depend on the depth of the cringle from the sail's edge. I purchased the largest quick link I could find. The reason I went to the quick link was that it was difficult to fold the sail down to get the cringle on the reef hook. For a bolt rope sail maybe links on each side with a third small connecting link in the middle thru the cringle would work. When reefing in a blow any time saving device is worth a try.
Roger, you are right I have sail slugs. The quick link does not bang on the mast, it hangs down from the cringle and doesn't seem to touch the mast. Size would depend on the depth of the cringle from the sail's edge. I purchased the largest quick link I could find. The reason I went to the quick link was that it was difficult to fold the sail down to get the cringle on the reef hook. For a bolt rope sail maybe links on each side with a third small connecting link in the middle thru the cringle would work. When reefing in a blow any time saving device is worth a try.
Get on Cat 25 site
I have a Cat 25 tall rig/swing keel in addition to my Hunter 25. The Catalina 25/250 website is a very active, extremely informative, fun, friendly place to go-- it's like the neighborhood bar of sailing sites! Try it for advise and info for your boat-- you will enjoy it.
I have a Cat 25 tall rig/swing keel in addition to my Hunter 25. The Catalina 25/250 website is a very active, extremely informative, fun, friendly place to go-- it's like the neighborhood bar of sailing sites! Try it for advise and info for your boat-- you will enjoy it.
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