So, I've been talking to folks about setting up my reefing lines to run back to the cockpit mainly so that I can: A: use a winch to draw them tight and B: run them through a rope clutch. Some folks are of the opinion that it is better to install a winch at the mast or boom with a cleat and draw them tight while you are up forward anyway. The upside to this is less clutter in the cockpit. The downside is that you have to install another winch or two. I would like to hear from folks who have experience with this issue.
Reefing lines: mast or cockpit? which is better?
- Thread starter markwbird
- Start date
My boat is rigged with two cabin-top winches and cleats near the mast for the reefing lines - I'm still okay with going forward to do the work of getting the ring around the cringle. (Guess I should point out that I'm solo most of the time.) All my other lines are rigged to the cockpit. I also go forward to raise the main - have to do some weird iterations to get all that line back into the cockpit!
I use 2-line reefing on our boat. I don't use the reef hook. The front reefing lines are run down to blocks at the base of the mast and can be cleated off on the cabin top near at the cockpit. I cleat off the rear reefing lines on the same cleat. I've never felt the need to use any winches when reefing. Just tension the sail up with the main halyard when done.
We do, too.
A Hunter 34 is by far a large enough boat to run all lines aft. Heck, I did it on our C22 and our C25.
Why do it?
It's bloody SAFER, that's why.
With double line reefing, we can reef on the run, actually sailing upwind on the jib, dumping the traveler to luff the main, and using the double line reefing. I use a winch for the clew line, don't need it for the tack line.
My vote is to run the lines back to the cockpit. In the great lakes we contend with closely spaced waves more akin to steep chop. This makes moving around on deck a bit dicey when it's time to reef.
My boat Is rigged with two slab reefs each with a single line through blocks at the clew end of the main, through the boom and up through blocks at the tack end. Then down through blocks at the base of the mast and led back to the cockpit. It takes a lot of line, but it works easily. Luff the main, drop the halyard, pull in the reef, tighten the halyard, sheet in and go. Actually, the blocks at the clew end of each reef function in the same manner as an outhaul and serve to flatten the sail even in a reefed condition.
My boat Is rigged with two slab reefs each with a single line through blocks at the clew end of the main, through the boom and up through blocks at the tack end. Then down through blocks at the base of the mast and led back to the cockpit. It takes a lot of line, but it works easily. Luff the main, drop the halyard, pull in the reef, tighten the halyard, sheet in and go. Actually, the blocks at the clew end of each reef function in the same manner as an outhaul and serve to flatten the sail even in a reefed condition.
I sail solo a lot also, and like the reeling lines run to the cockpit. As others have said, I have 2 cabin top winches and rope clutches for the reeling lines. I typically do have to go to the mast to hook the reefing ring on a hook, but if I think I will need to reef, I usually do that at the dock before I shove off. This next summer, I am going to try to set it up for single line reeling. I think the PO had it set up that way once, and I would like to reef from the cockpit if the unexpected happens. Or change the reef point on the fly. My previous boat was set up similarly, and I had a hard time pulling the sail tight evenly on that boat. But I think I know why, and will try to fix that this summer on the new boat.
Greg
Greg
I use the hooks on the gooseneck for the tacks and the single lines run back to the cockpit for the clews for the two reef points. I can normally judge just how much halyard slack I need to secure the tack cringles without them slipping off before I get back to the cockpit and tighten the halyard; but, a better way would be to simply mark the halyard at the precise point on the clutch. I think the less time spent at the mast, the better, so I would run the lines aft. I don't find line clutter for 2 reefing lines to be an issue.
Tally ho, single-line reefing may create too much friction in the system with all the extra blocks that are necessary, I think. It's worth a try, but don't be surprised if you are not satisfied.
BTW, how many perform slab reefing while on a broad reach or run? Last day out, I was in a situation where I might have tried it, but was not certain I could bring the main down and single handing, I didn't want to spend too much time wrestling with it. So I turned upwind to luff the main. I was concerned about a broach, but found that a quick, smooth turn upwind negated any problem. I still wonder ... what if I let conditions get a little too much out of control? As it was, I had a bail out option if I had to seek shelter from the wind on the lee side of a point of land.
Tally ho, single-line reefing may create too much friction in the system with all the extra blocks that are necessary, I think. It's worth a try, but don't be surprised if you are not satisfied.
BTW, how many perform slab reefing while on a broad reach or run? Last day out, I was in a situation where I might have tried it, but was not certain I could bring the main down and single handing, I didn't want to spend too much time wrestling with it. So I turned upwind to luff the main. I was concerned about a broach, but found that a quick, smooth turn upwind negated any problem. I still wonder ... what if I let conditions get a little too much out of control? As it was, I had a bail out option if I had to seek shelter from the wind on the lee side of a point of land.
My boat came from the factory with a main halyard winch at the mast and a second winch mounted just under the gooseneck for reef lines, so for me reefing is done at the mast. So far, no real scares, and I have enough lines in the cockpit anyway. That being said, I wouldn't go to all the trouble and expense of mounting a winch for reefing if I could just run the lines back to a cabintop winch instead.
I wouldn't do it on a broad reach or run - main would get tangled in the lazy jacks. I know, there's an APP for that!
Speaking of bailing out of bad situations, I recently had a situation where the wind came way up unexpectedly and I needed to get to the 2nd reef in a hurry. Didn't happen because the main didn't cooperate. Fell off the wind (made the boat safe) and sat in the cockpit to figure out what went wrong. After 5 min or so, had it sorted out, went back on the wind, and got the reef in.
Speaking of bailing out of bad situations, I recently had a situation where the wind came way up unexpectedly and I needed to get to the 2nd reef in a hurry. Didn't happen because the main didn't cooperate. Fell off the wind (made the boat safe) and sat in the cockpit to figure out what went wrong. After 5 min or so, had it sorted out, went back on the wind, and got the reef in.
Our single line reefing system (single reef) runs thru the boom from near the gooseneck...an all internal single line system and it is long enough that I don't need to leave the helm to use it, but I do find I need to use a winch which means I use the cabin top winch and the line stopper.....It works slick unless it is really blowing....if that is the case I'll start the engine, and lock off the wheel and motor dead into the wind so as to pull it tight using the winch/winch handle.....I had Doyle sails set up the stack pac so as to acomodate the single line reef.....which they did quite well. Pat
What SESmith and Stuart said.
I am a big proponent of single-line reefing. The system I devised (certainly not original to me) looks exactly like the one in the back of the printed Schaefer catalogue. I have done it to every boat I've been entitled to affect, including the most recent Cherubini 44. Female significant others tend to get acute heebie-jeebies whenever they see the guy going forward to effect a sail-rattling reef in the wild motion of gnarly weather. Doing it from the safety of the cockpit has many benefits.
On my boat I lead one jib halyard and two main halyards aft. The fourth line (on the jib side) is the reef line. I can sit on the threshold of the hatchway and ease the halyard and take up the reefing line, using two separate winches if necessary. I also have a loose gooseneck and in bad weather can lower the boom to retension the sail, instead of only being able to raise the halyard back. Though in big weather it's often advantageous to have a higher center of effort (the wind gets lost in big troughs), when using only your regular mainsail (not a trysail) you might want to spare it the abuse and let what wind you do get spill off with its being set lower (instead of peaking the halyard).
My single-line system is external along the boom's side. I wanted the internal one but can't afford the very trick boom-end fittings from DAMCo. Maybe in another life!
I am a big proponent of single-line reefing. The system I devised (certainly not original to me) looks exactly like the one in the back of the printed Schaefer catalogue. I have done it to every boat I've been entitled to affect, including the most recent Cherubini 44. Female significant others tend to get acute heebie-jeebies whenever they see the guy going forward to effect a sail-rattling reef in the wild motion of gnarly weather. Doing it from the safety of the cockpit has many benefits.
On my boat I lead one jib halyard and two main halyards aft. The fourth line (on the jib side) is the reef line. I can sit on the threshold of the hatchway and ease the halyard and take up the reefing line, using two separate winches if necessary. I also have a loose gooseneck and in bad weather can lower the boom to retension the sail, instead of only being able to raise the halyard back. Though in big weather it's often advantageous to have a higher center of effort (the wind gets lost in big troughs), when using only your regular mainsail (not a trysail) you might want to spare it the abuse and let what wind you do get spill off with its being set lower (instead of peaking the halyard).
My single-line system is external along the boom's side. I wanted the internal one but can't afford the very trick boom-end fittings from DAMCo. Maybe in another life!
If you install a jiffy reefing system, it will depend on where your main halyard is led. If it is led aft to the cockpit, then the reefing lines need to be led aft to cockpit. Likewise, if the main halyard is cleated at the base of the mast, then the reefing lines need to follow.
We find that the need to reef coincides with rough weather. Therefore, it is much safer and easier to perform the task in the cockpit rather crawling forward to the mast and back.
We find that the need to reef coincides with rough weather. Therefore, it is much safer and easier to perform the task in the cockpit rather crawling forward to the mast and back.
One should reef before it is necessary. I definitely see some safety benefit to leading the lines aft to the cockpit. However, if one loses the confidence to head outside the cockpit when the going gets tough... What happens when there is a genuine need to leave the cockpit and one is mentally unprepared to leave the safety zone.
One must never lose the confidence to command their vessel no matter what conditions are present, and if conditions are beyond your comfort/safety level...it is time to find a safe harbor.
There are news reports every year of people out in conditions that are beyond their skill level in the conditions that are too heavy for them and they need to be rescued...the stories sometimes end well, and sometimes not.
One only learns by pushing their comfort level, but one also needs to know when it is time to call it a day.
Me personally, I have a long way to go before calling myself an expert, but I have been out in conditions that were beyond my safety comfort level and I needed to go out past the cockpit, and I was comfortable with that aspect because I had done this many times. I have a single line reef that is controlled at the mast along with the main. Once the boat is in control, there are no issues heading up to the mast.
One must never lose the confidence to command their vessel no matter what conditions are present, and if conditions are beyond your comfort/safety level...it is time to find a safe harbor.
There are news reports every year of people out in conditions that are beyond their skill level in the conditions that are too heavy for them and they need to be rescued...the stories sometimes end well, and sometimes not.
One only learns by pushing their comfort level, but one also needs to know when it is time to call it a day.
Me personally, I have a long way to go before calling myself an expert, but I have been out in conditions that were beyond my safety comfort level and I needed to go out past the cockpit, and I was comfortable with that aspect because I had done this many times. I have a single line reef that is controlled at the mast along with the main. Once the boat is in control, there are no issues heading up to the mast.
reefing
2 line system for me I'm for simplicity A one line system has too many blocks turns places to snag etc
What I do for forward is run a line from a cleat up to a cringle and down the other side so I can put the reef in on either side of the mast Eliminates fooling with a hook which most of the time will be on the wrong side. for aft I use a standard slab system
works for me
2 line system for me I'm for simplicity A one line system has too many blocks turns places to snag etc
What I do for forward is run a line from a cleat up to a cringle and down the other side so I can put the reef in on either side of the mast Eliminates fooling with a hook which most of the time will be on the wrong side. for aft I use a standard slab system
works for me