I posted a photo article on how to reef the H216 since my manual didn't say how to. Apparently the article only shows up in the photo-article section of the H216 page if you click that it was a boat improvement (which I didn't click). You can see the article, though, if you navigate to the photo-forum or follow this link:
reefing H216
- Thread starter Jeff Prideaux
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Great info on reefing - what hardware?
Fantastic - this kind of info and pics are invaluable. Question about the hardware - What did you use on the port side of the mast - you show a yellow reefline with a bowline around some kind of bail. And likewise, what did you use on the port side of the boom - at the 'bitter end'? Lastly, did you use rivets or did you tap screws in? I hope to get some improvements done now or in the spring, and will document with photos what I do. I will be using details posted here by you and others - thanks! (Kinda makes you wish Hunter would just build the boats this way - the 146, 170, and 216 all come without reefing hardware! Guess they have to hold their price points down.)
Fantastic - this kind of info and pics are invaluable. Question about the hardware - What did you use on the port side of the mast - you show a yellow reefline with a bowline around some kind of bail. And likewise, what did you use on the port side of the boom - at the 'bitter end'? Lastly, did you use rivets or did you tap screws in? I hope to get some improvements done now or in the spring, and will document with photos what I do. I will be using details posted here by you and others - thanks! (Kinda makes you wish Hunter would just build the boats this way - the 146, 170, and 216 all come without reefing hardware! Guess they have to hold their price points down.)
H216 Reefing
Jeff, Very interesting set of pix. I do my quite differently (accomplishing the same thing of course)! I had never reefed and never seen a boat reefed before I got my H216 so I invented my own way of doing it (I came from the dinghy world and my old Geary and all the other dinghies in my club have no reefing capability). At West Marine I found large SS hooks with an eye loop at the end. Think of a SS eyebolt with the threaded end bent into a hook shape. Diameter is approximately 3/8". I used my vise to form the loop more to my liking. I purchased two of these things. I replace the cleat where you cleat your reefing line (cunningham also) on the starboard side of the mast with a clam cleat. I rigged one of my hooks with a short line. For reefing at the clew end of the main, I hook the hook into the reefing grommet, pass the short line through the clam cleat and cleat it. I have attached the other hook to a longer line and I have run the longer line thru the sheave on the end of the boom, starboard side, forward to another clam cleat. I leave this line w/hook on the boom at all times. When reefing, I put the hook in the grommet on the leech of the main and cleat it down. For gathering the sail up on the foot to get it out of the way using the other smaller grommets, I have attached nylon wire ties to my favorite red bungee loops with the black ball on the end (available at Wal-Mart). The wire tie is simply to help me thread the bungee through the grommet, after which I pull the loop over the ball. I have been looping the bungee around the boom also so it makes the sail look like a closed foot main. I never thought of doing it your way and keeping the main an open foot main! Here were my thoughts: 1. For the clew end of the main: I figured inserting the hook and cleating it would be easier and take less time then unthreading the cunningham and re-threading it through the cleat. If I drop my hook with the short line or lose it, I can always fall back and use the cunningham. 2. For the tack of the main: If reefing may be in order, I plan on placing the hook in the crinkle before I raise the sail. This way, I only have to tighten it and cleat it off. If I don't plan on reefing, I have no extra garbage hanging on the main and the hook and reefing line are tidy on the boom (I have installed a couple extra small cleats I use to tidy up the line). 3. Most of the time I reef before splashing and, if the wind subsides, I shake it out. I have as yet to have to reef while out on the water so I don't know how convenient it will be. I had some concerns about the hooks shaking out but this does not appear to be an issue. Other: I am considering moving the reefing sheave (is this technically called a "cheek block"?)on the end of the boom more forward. I'm thinking I might be able to get a flatter sail shape this way???
Jeff, Very interesting set of pix. I do my quite differently (accomplishing the same thing of course)! I had never reefed and never seen a boat reefed before I got my H216 so I invented my own way of doing it (I came from the dinghy world and my old Geary and all the other dinghies in my club have no reefing capability). At West Marine I found large SS hooks with an eye loop at the end. Think of a SS eyebolt with the threaded end bent into a hook shape. Diameter is approximately 3/8". I used my vise to form the loop more to my liking. I purchased two of these things. I replace the cleat where you cleat your reefing line (cunningham also) on the starboard side of the mast with a clam cleat. I rigged one of my hooks with a short line. For reefing at the clew end of the main, I hook the hook into the reefing grommet, pass the short line through the clam cleat and cleat it. I have attached the other hook to a longer line and I have run the longer line thru the sheave on the end of the boom, starboard side, forward to another clam cleat. I leave this line w/hook on the boom at all times. When reefing, I put the hook in the grommet on the leech of the main and cleat it down. For gathering the sail up on the foot to get it out of the way using the other smaller grommets, I have attached nylon wire ties to my favorite red bungee loops with the black ball on the end (available at Wal-Mart). The wire tie is simply to help me thread the bungee through the grommet, after which I pull the loop over the ball. I have been looping the bungee around the boom also so it makes the sail look like a closed foot main. I never thought of doing it your way and keeping the main an open foot main! Here were my thoughts: 1. For the clew end of the main: I figured inserting the hook and cleating it would be easier and take less time then unthreading the cunningham and re-threading it through the cleat. If I drop my hook with the short line or lose it, I can always fall back and use the cunningham. 2. For the tack of the main: If reefing may be in order, I plan on placing the hook in the crinkle before I raise the sail. This way, I only have to tighten it and cleat it off. If I don't plan on reefing, I have no extra garbage hanging on the main and the hook and reefing line are tidy on the boom (I have installed a couple extra small cleats I use to tidy up the line). 3. Most of the time I reef before splashing and, if the wind subsides, I shake it out. I have as yet to have to reef while out on the water so I don't know how convenient it will be. I had some concerns about the hooks shaking out but this does not appear to be an issue. Other: I am considering moving the reefing sheave (is this technically called a "cheek block"?)on the end of the boom more forward. I'm thinking I might be able to get a flatter sail shape this way???
H216 Reefing
Er... More thoughts. 1. At the clew end of the main: I do not lower my "sail slug stopper" (or whatever it is called) so all my slugs stay in the groove in the mast making it easier to shake out the reef and raise the main. I had trouble doing this when I used the cunningham to reef the luff end of the main...it became much easier with my "hook" line. 2. What I really want to do at the tack end of the main is to attach the sail to the boom then use the reefing line just like the outhaul...thusly being able to control the draft just like the outhaul does. Hmmmm... Maybe I can attach a sail slug to a snatch block than "snatch" it to the eye on my reefing hook... This would firmly attach the tack to the boom leaving the reefing line to act as an outhaul???? Be less than a boat dollar to try it! I could then spend the rest of the boat dollar buying a couple more micro blocks so I could get a 3:1 or 4:1 advantage on the "reefing/outhaul" line and be able to easily control sail shape. (Axiom: Always spend the change from a boat buck on more boat stuff.) BTW: I invested in a LifeSling2 last week. I almost slid a crew member out of the cockpit last week in heavy winds. Gust hit and he slipped and fell to the lee side of the cockpit. If he has raised up when he slipped he would have gone over the rail. Time for more MOB drills! I didn't get the block and tackle system with the LifeSling as I am hoping for a rigid vang for Christmas and figure I can use my old boom vang with more line as my MOB block and tackle.
Er... More thoughts. 1. At the clew end of the main: I do not lower my "sail slug stopper" (or whatever it is called) so all my slugs stay in the groove in the mast making it easier to shake out the reef and raise the main. I had trouble doing this when I used the cunningham to reef the luff end of the main...it became much easier with my "hook" line. 2. What I really want to do at the tack end of the main is to attach the sail to the boom then use the reefing line just like the outhaul...thusly being able to control the draft just like the outhaul does. Hmmmm... Maybe I can attach a sail slug to a snatch block than "snatch" it to the eye on my reefing hook... This would firmly attach the tack to the boom leaving the reefing line to act as an outhaul???? Be less than a boat dollar to try it! I could then spend the rest of the boat dollar buying a couple more micro blocks so I could get a 3:1 or 4:1 advantage on the "reefing/outhaul" line and be able to easily control sail shape. (Axiom: Always spend the change from a boat buck on more boat stuff.) BTW: I invested in a LifeSling2 last week. I almost slid a crew member out of the cockpit last week in heavy winds. Gust hit and he slipped and fell to the lee side of the cockpit. If he has raised up when he slipped he would have gone over the rail. Time for more MOB drills! I didn't get the block and tackle system with the LifeSling as I am hoping for a rigid vang for Christmas and figure I can use my old boom vang with more line as my MOB block and tackle.
Tereza
My H216 came with all the reefing hardware and lines when I bought it used from another owner back in April. I assume that the dealer where he bought it added the reefing hardware. I'll take a closer look at the hardware and let you know how it was attached (in case you need to add the hardware). I'll have to read Paul's comments more carefully to decide if his variation is better for the way I sail. I noticed I used the term "mast" instead of "boom" a couple of times in the picture showing the port bitter-end of the boom. Hopefully, people simply look at the pictures and ignore my words
The lines are attached on the port side of both the mast and boom through a metal hump (I'm not sure what it is called) but it is shaped like the Greek letter omega. I'll try to take a close-up picture tonight and post it.
My H216 came with all the reefing hardware and lines when I bought it used from another owner back in April. I assume that the dealer where he bought it added the reefing hardware. I'll take a closer look at the hardware and let you know how it was attached (in case you need to add the hardware). I'll have to read Paul's comments more carefully to decide if his variation is better for the way I sail. I noticed I used the term "mast" instead of "boom" a couple of times in the picture showing the port bitter-end of the boom. Hopefully, people simply look at the pictures and ignore my words
The lines are attached on the port side of both the mast and boom through a metal hump (I'm not sure what it is called) but it is shaped like the Greek letter omega. I'll try to take a close-up picture tonight and post it.216 Reefing
On all boats I've owned prior to the 216, the foot end reefing arrangement differed in that the turning block (or eye strap - but not both) were installed just slightly back from a line perpendicular from the reefing grommet to the boom. This allows the sail to not only be pulled back, but also brings it down onto the boom so that the sail's shape can still be controlled without having the foot end of the boom droop down. I am trying to find a "qualified" sail maker somewhere near here and get him to go sailing with me to go over things like this, the placement of the jib fairleads, and the possible additions of some sort of barber-hauler arrangement to use on tight reaches when not using a spinnaker.
On all boats I've owned prior to the 216, the foot end reefing arrangement differed in that the turning block (or eye strap - but not both) were installed just slightly back from a line perpendicular from the reefing grommet to the boom. This allows the sail to not only be pulled back, but also brings it down onto the boom so that the sail's shape can still be controlled without having the foot end of the boom droop down. I am trying to find a "qualified" sail maker somewhere near here and get him to go sailing with me to go over things like this, the placement of the jib fairleads, and the possible additions of some sort of barber-hauler arrangement to use on tight reaches when not using a spinnaker.
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