It seems clear in the first picture from H34, it seems I have to remove 2 cars to reef, help
that an immediate problem is the luff reef ring is not installed at the correct point in the luff. If it were installed three inches lower in the luff, then the strap ring would reach the hook with the slides still in the mast. If its an an optimum position, there would also be enough strap streech to hold the ring in place on the hook...
For the OP, you should in fact secure the clew reefing line before re-hoisting the main. One solution to the ring dropping off the hook, is keep a pair heavy elastic bands stored over your hooks. When reefing, slide the ring under one of the rubber bands, which should then hold the ring in place until the luff is tensioned. If that does not work satisfactorily, you might try switching to a rams horn hook (below) or snapshackles.
that an immediate problem is the luff reef ring is not installed at the correct point in the luff. If it were installed three inches lower in the luff, then the strap ring would reach the hook with the slides still in the mast. If its an an optimum position, there would also be enough strap streech to hold the ring in place on the hook...
For the OP, you should in fact secure the clew reefing line before re-hoisting the main. One solution to the ring dropping off the hook, is keep a pair heavy elastic bands stored over your hooks. When reefing, slide the ring under one of the rubber bands, which should then hold the ring in place until the luff is tensioned. If that does not work satisfactorily, you might try switching to a rams horn hook (below) or snapshackles.
