Maiden Voyage

[Hydro Therapy]

I purchased my 22 back in December. I've been working on her just about every weekend. Needless to say I have been anxious to take her for a shakedown run. Saturday was the day, mid to upper 50s and 10 to 15 knot wind.

Took me about an hour to set her up at the ramp. Splashed in and sailed for 3 hours. The wind picked up to about 20 knots so I returned to the ramp and put her back on the trailer. About another hour to break her down.

I sailed her to the inlet and wanted to venture outside. The seas were calm, maybe a foot. My wife wasn't to keen on the idea so I kept her inside.

I was very pleased with the way the boat handled. Very easy to sail.

 

[centerline]

sounds like a great day. you should have reefed the main and sailed on... 20kts is just getting into the fun
as for heading out into open water in an unfamilier boat on a maiden voyage, I gotta agree with your wife on this one....

 

[Hydro Therapy]

I need to learn how to reef the main. I noticed eye holes at each end of the main sail at equal height. I also noticed some small pulleys and cleats on the boom. I've noticed some main sails have strings that are attached to the sail running between the eye holes. My main does not have that.

I guess I could roll the sail around the boom. It is apparent that she is set up for another system. I just need to figure it out.

Would you reef the main and keep the jib out. I figured I would lower/roll the jib before reefing. Which order is preferred?

Thanks

 

[Brian S]

Generally on bigger boats, there is a reefing hook attached to the gooseneck at the front of the boom. It's an upside down J, sometimes there is a hook on each side, sometimes only 1. Then, in the leech of the sail at the end of the boom, there is an eyestrap on one side, and a cheek block on the other side of the boom. You tie a line in the eye strap, run it up in to the cringle on the leech of the main sail, down in through the cheek block on the other side, and forward on the boom to a cleat.

Sequence is to tighten the topping lift so the boom doesn't fall into the cockpit (for a true masthead topping lift, NOT a backstay pigtail), slack off the halyard and hook the luff cringle onto the reefing hook, then tension halyard appropriately. Turn to the leech reef line, and pull snugly, so that the reef cringle is down on the boom, and the foot of the reef is tight, just like you'd set your outhaul. (You want a tight foot to flatten and depower the bottom of the sail.) For this reason, I prefer to have my reef line cleat very far forward on the boom. It makes it easier for me to turn from the halyard at the mast, and have the leech reef line right to hand. Further to this, with the boat hove-to in order to reef, the end of the boom is likely to be out, possible over the side of the cockpit, but a cleat further forward on the boom will still be over the boat. This is a particularly big deal on my 15' centerboard dinghy, where I do not go to the leeward side while hove to. Finally, loosen the topping lift appropriately, and away you go.

Hope this helps.

Brian

 

[NICK NAPPI]

I use the roller reefing on my 22, pull out on the boom and rotate, a lot easier than messing with reefing lines. I put stops in the sail track so the boom stays in place. I prefer to sail with the main reefed and the jib up as it balances the boat and she goes to windward much better.

 

[Hydro Therapy]

Thanks for the responses

 

[ruidh]

I have some photos of reefing on my 23. http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=56677234@N00&q=reefing

I find 10-15 kts is the sweet spot for my 23. Above 15, the sails want to drive the boat faster than the hull can cut through the water. You need to depower. I sometimes sail main only in those conditions.