Reefing configuration for a Catalina 40

[Mirage - C-400]

I bought my 1998 C-400 last summer, and am still learning the ropes, figuratively and literally. I'm puzzled about how to rig the reef points for the mainsail.Both reef one and reef two run from the large eyelet at the rear of the mainsail, into the end of the boom, runs forward to the gooseneck, down the mast to the deck, and back to the cockpit. With this arrangement, for my first reef point, I have about 30 extra feet of line, making me think this line should be running in some other manner, perhaps picking up the forward reef point at the mast as well, but I don't see how that would work. Can someone enlighten me. Thank you.

 

[Mario Pasquini]

Reefing lines

I think the line through the sheeve at the aft end of the boom should not be tied to the cringle on the leech of the sail, but run through the cringle down to the boom immediately below the cringle. The line should then pass around the boom, through a slit in the foot of the main and tie a bowline knot where the the lines converge. When the main is fully raised, the line needed to go up to the leach cringle and back will use up the spare line you have.

 

[Mario Pasquini]

PS

Sorry, I forgot to mention...The line that comes forward from the rear reef point cringle and exits the boom at the gooseneck, should pass up to the luff reef cringle and down to the deck block....This should take care of all the spare line oyu have...The second reef point should be configure the same way