Mod to Kenyon Boom to Allow Reef Clew Lines to Run Freely

[rardiH36]

A couple of weeks ago I posted a question, and got some good responses, about the reef line jam cleats that are located on the boom just under the gooseneck fore & aft. ( http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=121952 ) The cleats and the small opening in the boom were preventing the lines to the reefing clews from running freely into and through the boom when raising the sail to shake out a reef.

Attached is a picture of my modification to improve the operation. I've shaken out reefs a few times over the last couple of weeks while out on San Francisco Bay, and the lines run nicely now. The sail can be raised without having to constantly free up the line jams at the gooseneck. Some notes:

- My first attempt to improve was to simply remove the springs from the jam cleat so that the jaw would hang down away from the line. Then after tensioning, the jaw could be manually made to engage and it would hold from the backward pressure on the line. This aspect worked, but the line kept jumping off the very small sheave and wouldn't feed consistantly into the small hole in the boom very well.

- I solved this by adding the fender washer shown in the picture. It's 3/8" x 2". Unfortunately I couldn't find a 2" SS fender washer locally, so I had to settle for the hardware store zinc/nickle plated steel variety. I've coated this standard steel with JB weld epoxy. Maybe that will keep the rust at bay for a while. I first tried a 1.5" fender washer which was available at the local West Marine. But the gap between it an the boom casting was enough that the line would still work itself off the sheave.

- The sheave center pin is not long enough to accomodate both the thickness of the sheave and the newly added washer. So I ground down the thickness of the sheave by about 3/32" so both would fit. Fortunately, still enough room for the line to run freely. (Ed, I did determine that the line diameter that a PO had installed and that I'm still using is 7/16". The Hunter spec is 3/8" which certainly would have been better for feeding into the hole ... but I think still not ideal.)

- Unfortunately, the thickness of the jam cleat jaw was too wide to fit into the gap between the new washer and the boom. So I removed the jaws completely. This isn't a problem since I have led the reefing line down to blocks at the boom base which then can be pulled up and tied off of cleats on the mast.

Although simple in concept, after all the futzing around to get it right, this project took quite a bit longer than originally envisioned ... So what else is new?

rardi

 

[Ed Schenck]

Futzed around until you got a nice result! Good looking solution which could become a widespread mod. How about a picture of the blocks at the mast base? Any consideration for running the lines up to the luff cringles then back to the cockpit? Now to find the right size stainless fender washer.

 

[Cpt. Jon]

Thanks for the post.

Last weekend we had to shake out a reef on our H-30 and we had a heck of a time dealing with it for the same reasons. I think running the reefing lines back to the cockpit will be in our future as our previous boat had it set up like that and it was a cakewalk.

Jon

 

[rardiH36]

How about a picture of the blocks at the mast base? Any consideration for running the lines up to the luff cringles then back to the cockpit? Now to find the right size stainless fender washer.

Ed:

Thanks. Soon after I bought my boat, I added a bail to the mast base. Intially to accomodate various stuff that never had been installed on the boat (a boom vang and cunningham) and also to make a better lead for the mainsheet. A picture is attached from back then. So it was a simple matter to add another couple of blocks to the same bail the two the reef clew lines. These aren't large blocks.

Yes, I've thought about also addding reef luff lines and doing the reef clew lines back to the cockpit. But have decided against because of even more blocks, new double-level deck organizers, four more clutches on the cabin top next to the sliding companionway cover and generally a lot more clutter. Since I don't sail out in heavy swell open ocean, I'll just continue to be careful when I need to get out of the cockpit to the mast.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Gotcha'. I keep forgetting that your mast partner is so much different from the H37C. Because of our keel-stepped masts we have the bolt-thru partners. I just replace the bolts with eyebolts where I need a block. I agree with you about the clutter problem. I have all the hardware to lead the lines back but I like my clean cabin roof.

 

[rardiH36]

Update/Correction Re a Previous Post of Mine

Update/Correction Re a Previous Post of Mine

In case anybody has been contemplating duplicating my posted modification to the hardware at the gooseneck so that the reefing lines will run better into and out of that little hole at the forward end of the boom, I thought to update that I've found my original solution wasn't quite adequate. Concept is OK, but the hardware method wasn't robust enough.

Below are pic's of the original OEM fitting and my modification with the removal of the spring cam cleat and the addition of the fender washer to prevent the line from jumping off the little roller sheave.

The weak point of the modification is the little spring clip at the end of the 3/8" center pin. Obviously, it had been adequate for holding the original little sheave in place. But for the fender washer, when I once grabbed the line and inadvertently pulled it to the side, instead of true, the spring clip wasn't up to the task and it popped off. Fortunately the sheave and the fender washer didn't go overboard.

When I contemplated the original modification, I had thought that over a time span of 30 years, galvanic reaction would have virtually "welded" the 3/8" SS sheave pin into the Aluminum gooseneck casting. But while staring at the problem yesterday, I decided to give the pin a few light taps with a hammer just on the off chance that it would break free. Perhaps because I used some PB Blaster to clean the area off when I did the original work, I was pleasantly surprised that the pin came out fairly easily.

I then walked over to West Marine, taking with me the just removed pin and also the sheaves and the various spacer washers. I bought a 3/8" SS hex bolt of the right length (I think it was 4") and two nuts. ($2.99 for the one bolt. Even with the rise in commodity prices, I bet the the markup over WM's wholesale acquisition cost is at least 75% or more. But actually the convenience does make it worth it.)

I reassembled everything using the bolt as the new center pin through the gooseneck. I hand-turned the first nut so there remained just a enough looseness for the sheaves and the fender washers to rotate freely, but also firm enough that things didn't wobble around. Then I wrench tightened the second nut against the first to lock-in the just right amount of free play.

Per my original posting, from the gooseneck, the port and starboard reefing lines are now run down to blocks at the mast base bale. When reefing, I can pull firmly up on them to get a pretty tight mainsail clew and then tie off on mast cleats. When shaking out the reef, the lines have a much better lead into the little hole and they don't jam as readily. Also, it helps if the lines are laid on the deck in a manner that they feed well into the mast base blocks without kinking. Further, I have replaced the reefing lines that are shown in the photos with a slightly smaller diameter.

I think now its done robust enough to stand up to the duty.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Re: Mod to Kenyon Boom to Allow Reef Clew Lines to Run Freel

What?! No picture of the mod to the mod? Love the idea and need to add it to the list. Would a fiber locknut work alleviating the need for two?

 

[rardiH36]

Re: Mod to Kenyon Boom to Allow Reef Clew Lines to Run Freel

Hi Ed:

Sorry, but no camera with me that day. I hope that the written description will be illustrative enough.

Regarding the fiber washer (or maybe one of those self contained locknut with the nylon insert), I don't think that they would allow the right tight/loose tension to be maintained over time. Think of the bearing adjustment for front wheel of a bicycle. Just a bit too tight and it binds. Just a bit too loose and the wheel wobbles. The bicycle front bearing uses the same principle (as what I did on the gooseneck). When the adjustment is right, the second nut is tightened firmly against the first nut (which on the other side has the bearing track). The adjustment stays correct for a long time.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Re: Mod to Kenyon Boom to Allow Reef Clew Lines to Run Freel

What I meant by "fiber locknut" is what you called a locknut with a nylon insert. You think one of those would creep and not keep the tolerance? No exactly what you speak of since I probably have four sets of wheels with old Campy hubs hanging in the basement. But no more of that. Three or four sets of Mavics have sealed bearings.

 

[Blaise]

Re: Mod to Kenyon Boom to Allow Reef Clew Lines to Run Freel

On Midnight Sun, I change the reefing system. About 25 years ago I changed the system to make it easier. My reefing line starts at the boom, goes up to the clew of the reef piont where it goes through a heavy duty block, back to the sheave (I replaced it with a bronze sheave), then exits the boom and goes to a small Lewmar winch mounted on the boom. We can reef or unreef in less than thirty seconds. Putting a block at the reef point clew was one of the best things I ever did. It eliminates the friction of the line going through the cringle.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Re: Mod to Kenyon Boom to Allow Reef Clew Lines to Run Freel

I read it Blaise but I can''t picture it.

 

[rardiH36]

Blaise:

Thanks your description. Being able to cinch up and control the clew reef line with a boom mounted winch would be nice.

I'll never come anywhere close to reefing/shaking as quick as you. Besides being a little bit uncoordinated, my auto pilot doesn't add any extra hands.

I'm currently using a pre-owned full batten Catalina 36 mainsail on my Hunter Cherubini 36. (My first order of business after I got it was to remove the Catalina logo -- just wouldn't do for my own pride nor did I want to cause unnecessary consternation to either or both of the Catalina and Hunter camps.) The sail only had the Catalina standard one reef point and often it wasn't deep enough for the conditions on San Francisco bay; particularly with non-sailor passengers on the ride. I had seen description of using a block for reefing clews. Since I wanted to DIY it, instead of having a grommet pressed in at the 2nd reef clew point, after adding a few additional layers of sailcloth to the area, I've sewn a SS ring directly to the sail using webbing material radiating out in several directions to distribute the stresses. The block is attached to the ring. I know this isn't the normal way. But, it's been working fine (so far). The new hi-tech space age plastic blocks are pretty light.

 

[Blaise]

Re: Mod to Kenyon Boom to Allow Reef Clew Lines to Run Freel

Ed,
I will try again. The reefing line starts at a padeye on the port side of the boom about eighteen inches from the end. It then goes up to the clew of the reef point. Instead of going through the cringle, it runs through a block attached to the cringle with a snap shackle. The line then runs down to the boom and enters the end of the boom on the starboard sheave. On your boat the line runs the length of the boom and exits at the gooseneck. On my boat the line exits the boom about halfway down on the starboard side and ends at a winch and cleat about two feet aft of the gooseneck. Very simple, very easy. To reef Midnight Sun, you ease the main halyard, hook the reef tack on the reef hook, retension the main, move the winch handle to the winch on the boom and tension the reef line. To un reef, just blow the reefing line, un hook the tack and retension the halyard,

 

[Ed Schenck]

Re: Mod to Kenyon Boom to Allow Reef Clew Lines to Run Freel

OK, thanks. I know about clew blocks but did not understand how the line got to the winch. So you cut and added an exit plate on the side of the boom. Do you have a second reef on port? How did you know how to get inside the boom?

 

[Blaise]

Re: Mod to Kenyon Boom to Allow Reef Clew Lines to Run Freel

Only one reef for the last 20+ years. Used to have two, but never used the second. We easily carry a full main and blade (90%) into the mid forties. With the 135%, we reef at 22kts apparent, wihile racing, and 18 kts when cruising, although I can't remember the last time I was cruising. (I think it was 1993 when I brought the boat back from Puerto Rico)

As far as the boom goes, I just took it apart. Everything in my boom has been replaced over the years. It normally gets taken apart once a year to clean out birds nests that in spite of my best efforts, keep getting built.