Morning Joe -
Penelope knows how to man the tiller, she just finds it more entertaining to sit back !
Using the horn and topping lift from the mast may be best for Mitch. Then he can simplify the reefing line routing by eliminating the luff cringle point, which might solve his whole issue.
This weekend, I am going to try replacing the reefing line to see if this doesn't free up the action. New line always works better because my billfold is hundred dollars lighter. I'd like to retain the benefit of being able to pull the luff cringle slightly below the boom; it flattens the sail and makes the reefing points lie on the boom.
I use the horn for the Cunningham, why not for reefing? I'll post an update next week after the holliday.
Question for you - the slug under the boom where the reefing line attaches under the leach cringle - is its position fixed ? Mine slides and I wonder if I can get a better purchase on the cringle to bring it closer to the boom if I made it fixed about four inches behind the cringle. Your thoughts ??
Thanks
Dan J
Ahoy Dan,
I just recently replaced the reefing line in my boom with a 5/16" line and it works better than the line that I had in there so don't make the mistake that I made years ago when I first replaced my line with a thicker diameter line. The other line was running through the sheave at the end of the boom and forever getting hung up. I made that same mistake years ago when I bought my halyards. It's true that new line always works better, but so can an old line of the correct diameter. I guess that we learn through our mistakes and I've been guilty of that many times.
If you have a ram's horn on your goose neck fitting, it should be used for reefing unless you are reefing from the cockpit, then you can rig a line that will hold the reefing cringle close to the mast and boom.
My gooseneck is fixed to the mast on my boat. I have no tack downhaul. Also, I need to remove the last sail slide from the mast track before reefing my main.
I have never used a Cunningham on my boat, but most Cunninghams are attached to either a bale at the bottom of the mast or one of the holes in the utility plate under the tabernacle.
Some of the O'Day sloops like the 272 are set up so that you can reef from the cockpit. They even come equipped with a mainsail jack line which is designed to put slack in the last sail slugs in the mast track so that the sail won't bind when it's reefed. This is why I don't like halyards led back to the cockpit. I can get the job done a lot easier and faster at the mast.
What I would do Dan is replace the reefing line in the boom with the right diameter line and when you reef your sail take up on your topping lift and lower your main and remove one or two sail slides out of your mast track. Then stick the reefing cringle on the horn. Pull your main sail up and pull on your reefing line. Let your topping lift off and roll up the loose bunt of your sail. That sail should lay pretty close on the boom when it's reefed.
I have sail slides on the foot of my main sail which makes it pretty easy to tie my reefing points around the bunt of the sail in between the top of the boom and the bottom of the sail foot.
For a sail slide stop, I'm using a short piece of 3/16" braid line above my mast winch. I tie a slipped reef knot in this line to keep my sail slides from falling out of the mast track. I never liked those knob type sail stop thingies that they sell and it wouldn't work on my mast anyway.
For those who don't have a mast winch to hold the braid line sail stop in place, a nylon wire clip screwed to the mast would work for them.
Outside of that, I've been lubricating all my sail slides including the ones on the sail foot, with Dawn liguid dishwashing detergent. What a difference it makes. My mainsail comes flying down the mast whenever I let off the main halyard. I hope that I was able to answer your question.
Let me know how you make out.
Joe
