Went out to play in what was likely small craft warning conditions (~10-15 gusts to 20 and about a two foot swell with small white caps). I was solo, so I put up the main with two reefs in at the mooring before I dropped the mooring. My S2 is rigged with single line reefing run back to the cockpit and I must say that it was informative to go out in such conditions and it caused me to re-evaluate the reefing rigging and how I had rigged the boat.
The lines go from the cockpit through clutches to blocks at the base of the mast. From there the lines (for the first and second reef) go up to cheek blocks mounted on the side of the mast on the side just below the boom. The factory jaws / and blocks on the boom have been removed. The liines run through the boom to its end. I ran the lines up, through the reefing cringles and down to metal loops screwed to the boom.
Mistake #1 was terminating the reefing lines by putting figure 8 stopper knots in the lines. This was made worse by mistake #2...which was really courtesy of the previous owner. The reefing lines are 1/4 inch and really should be larger...perhaps 3/8.
I was close hauled on a port tack with two reefs in the main and the genoa furled in to about a jib. Suddenly a gust hit and my reef came out. At first I thought the line parted, but later I determined that the stopper knot pulled through the loop. I quickly decided to prioritize getting the boat under control and safe versus making any repairs. I furled the jib and let out the main sheet. The boat started tossing in the 2 foot chop so I started the engine to get some way on her to cut through the chop.
It was near dusk and conditions were such that I coudn't easily hold her into the wind to drop the main enough to access the cringle for the second reef to re-run the line. I considered going to the first reef, but again, I would have had to raise the main to do so. I decided it was late and better safe than sorry. I dropped the main and headed for home. Fortunatley I picked up the mooring first try, which was a relief.
In speaking to my friend Chris, he suggested that I secure the reefing lines to the boom with bowlines and just use the two loops (one on either side of the mast) to keep the two bowlines in fixed locations. He said his last boat had no place to secure the reefing lines on the boom and used a similar approach. This would work for me, as my main is loose footed. It will also work for a boat with slides in the boom, but not for a main with a bolt rope connection to the boom.
So it is definitely time for an upgrade. I need to better secure the cheek blocks. The previous owner used self-tapping stainless screws...which don't work well with aluminum. I bought a tap and die set so I can put some fine thread stainless machine screws instead. I also want to upgrade to 3/8 for my reefing lines. It was very difficult to get purchase / sufficient force to pull the main aft and the boom up as the reefing line is (I believe) supposed to function as an outhaul. There seemed to be a lot of stretch in the small line compared to larger OD lines on my boat.
I was cool, calm and collected for the most part. Which is an achievement in itself. Some may think I am crazy to go out in conditions like this, but I view it as a learning experience. Far better to get all the bugs out and gain experience in my home harbor now than to be far from it and encounter it unexpectedly.
The lines go from the cockpit through clutches to blocks at the base of the mast. From there the lines (for the first and second reef) go up to cheek blocks mounted on the side of the mast on the side just below the boom. The factory jaws / and blocks on the boom have been removed. The liines run through the boom to its end. I ran the lines up, through the reefing cringles and down to metal loops screwed to the boom.
Mistake #1 was terminating the reefing lines by putting figure 8 stopper knots in the lines. This was made worse by mistake #2...which was really courtesy of the previous owner. The reefing lines are 1/4 inch and really should be larger...perhaps 3/8.
I was close hauled on a port tack with two reefs in the main and the genoa furled in to about a jib. Suddenly a gust hit and my reef came out. At first I thought the line parted, but later I determined that the stopper knot pulled through the loop. I quickly decided to prioritize getting the boat under control and safe versus making any repairs. I furled the jib and let out the main sheet. The boat started tossing in the 2 foot chop so I started the engine to get some way on her to cut through the chop.
It was near dusk and conditions were such that I coudn't easily hold her into the wind to drop the main enough to access the cringle for the second reef to re-run the line. I considered going to the first reef, but again, I would have had to raise the main to do so. I decided it was late and better safe than sorry. I dropped the main and headed for home. Fortunatley I picked up the mooring first try, which was a relief.
In speaking to my friend Chris, he suggested that I secure the reefing lines to the boom with bowlines and just use the two loops (one on either side of the mast) to keep the two bowlines in fixed locations. He said his last boat had no place to secure the reefing lines on the boom and used a similar approach. This would work for me, as my main is loose footed. It will also work for a boat with slides in the boom, but not for a main with a bolt rope connection to the boom.
So it is definitely time for an upgrade. I need to better secure the cheek blocks. The previous owner used self-tapping stainless screws...which don't work well with aluminum. I bought a tap and die set so I can put some fine thread stainless machine screws instead. I also want to upgrade to 3/8 for my reefing lines. It was very difficult to get purchase / sufficient force to pull the main aft and the boom up as the reefing line is (I believe) supposed to function as an outhaul. There seemed to be a lot of stretch in the small line compared to larger OD lines on my boat.
I was cool, calm and collected for the most part. Which is an achievement in itself. Some may think I am crazy to go out in conditions like this, but I view it as a learning experience. Far better to get all the bugs out and gain experience in my home harbor now than to be far from it and encounter it unexpectedly.
