I bought my 2000 H240 from the original owner two years ago. The Hunter Manual I received says almost nothing about reefing the main. I need to know how the reefing line is set up on the sail and boom, and also how the process of reefing is carried out. Appreciate any help (especially in the strong winds we sometimes get on Canandaigua Lake).
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Reefing a 240
You will definately get farmiliar with reefing the 240. At sea level you are going to want to reef at about 15-18 knot winds. I do the majority of my sailing at 8000 ft and can let it go to about 22 knots. The boat will sail much more comfortably and faster reefed in a stiff wind. My 240 had a reefing line that went through the reefing eye on the leech and back down to an eyelet on the starboard side of the boom. The bitter end cleated to a jam cleat on the port side of the forward end of the boom. A reefing loop on the luff of the main went over a hook on the gooseneck. Two reefing lines on the sail were tied around the boom to gather up the loose sail material. To reef the sail release the mainsheet, tension the reefing line, release the halyard and hook the loop over the hook on the gooseneck. then retension the halyard and set the mailsheet. when you tie the two lines around the boom that gather up the excess mainsail they should only be tight enough to clean up the excess sailcloth. DON'T tie them so tight that they are pulling the main down, that will tear the grommet that they go through. I was going to modify some aspects of the system. Difficult to keep the loop on the hook until you had tension on the halyard, and then it would still fall off. A downhaul would be nice. Also the reefing point took off about 4 1/2 feet of main. Thats alot of reef. I was gong to add a second reef point at about 2 1/2 feet up the main and a downhaul so I could reef from the cockpit. It's no fun standing on the cabin trying to get the reefing eye over the hook and tensioning the halyard by yourself in a 20 knot wind. I learned alot sailing my 240 and loved (almost)every minute, but I sold the boat and bought a 260, so I guess I'll start over again.
You will definately get farmiliar with reefing the 240. At sea level you are going to want to reef at about 15-18 knot winds. I do the majority of my sailing at 8000 ft and can let it go to about 22 knots. The boat will sail much more comfortably and faster reefed in a stiff wind. My 240 had a reefing line that went through the reefing eye on the leech and back down to an eyelet on the starboard side of the boom. The bitter end cleated to a jam cleat on the port side of the forward end of the boom. A reefing loop on the luff of the main went over a hook on the gooseneck. Two reefing lines on the sail were tied around the boom to gather up the loose sail material. To reef the sail release the mainsheet, tension the reefing line, release the halyard and hook the loop over the hook on the gooseneck. then retension the halyard and set the mailsheet. when you tie the two lines around the boom that gather up the excess mainsail they should only be tight enough to clean up the excess sailcloth. DON'T tie them so tight that they are pulling the main down, that will tear the grommet that they go through. I was going to modify some aspects of the system. Difficult to keep the loop on the hook until you had tension on the halyard, and then it would still fall off. A downhaul would be nice. Also the reefing point took off about 4 1/2 feet of main. Thats alot of reef. I was gong to add a second reef point at about 2 1/2 feet up the main and a downhaul so I could reef from the cockpit. It's no fun standing on the cabin trying to get the reefing eye over the hook and tensioning the halyard by yourself in a 20 knot wind. I learned alot sailing my 240 and loved (almost)every minute, but I sold the boat and bought a 260, so I guess I'll start over again.
Reefing H240
Here's something from the archives by TomD. Works for me. 1. Heave to and slack the mainsheet, release boomvang 2. Take in clew reefline which raises the aft end of boom 3. Release main Halyard and lower sail to reef point and harden 4. On way back to cockpit reset boomvang and tie off reeflines 5. Bear off and sail.
Here's something from the archives by TomD. Works for me. 1. Heave to and slack the mainsheet, release boomvang 2. Take in clew reefline which raises the aft end of boom 3. Release main Halyard and lower sail to reef point and harden 4. On way back to cockpit reset boomvang and tie off reeflines 5. Bear off and sail.
Two more cents...
Russ, There should be three lines fed aft through the boom - the topping lift (holds the boom up when sails are down), the outhaul (tightens/stretches foot of sail to power down as winds increase), and the "jiffy reefing" line. The latter should be fed through the reefing grommet in the clew of the sail and attached back onto the boom. My 240 has a padeye for this at the end of the boom on the starboard side. Your boat may have a cleat instead. (The reefing line should be fed through the grommet and tied off always - otherwise you have to rig it up with the sail halfway down in the dreaded 20 knot wind.) Now, when you're ready to reef, heave to, wrap the main halyard twice around the winch and take it forward with you. I slide up under the boom on my butt - don't want to stand up there with the boat pitching all over the place. There is (should be) a sailcloth hook sewn into your mainsail - mine is on the port side of the sale. I use one hand to gently pull down the sail to that point while slacking off on the halyard with the other hand. Wrap that cloth hook around the metal rams-head hook on top of the gooseneck - where the boom meets the mast - and tighten back up on the halyard. Now grab the jiffy reefing line that (should be) hanging out of the boom and tighten that sucker down. You now want to slide back to the cockpit, tighten and tie down the halyard, roll up the excess sail and tie it off with a piece of string and off you go. That is how I do it singlehanded. I'd practice in light winds - it's real easy and if you've got crew to man the halyard it's a cakewalk. You'll find control of the boat vastly improved when reefed in hight winds - the 240 will also claw it's way to windward a darn sight better than a whole host of supposedly more "seaworthy" boats. Good luck and have fun. Drew
Russ, There should be three lines fed aft through the boom - the topping lift (holds the boom up when sails are down), the outhaul (tightens/stretches foot of sail to power down as winds increase), and the "jiffy reefing" line. The latter should be fed through the reefing grommet in the clew of the sail and attached back onto the boom. My 240 has a padeye for this at the end of the boom on the starboard side. Your boat may have a cleat instead. (The reefing line should be fed through the grommet and tied off always - otherwise you have to rig it up with the sail halfway down in the dreaded 20 knot wind.) Now, when you're ready to reef, heave to, wrap the main halyard twice around the winch and take it forward with you. I slide up under the boom on my butt - don't want to stand up there with the boat pitching all over the place. There is (should be) a sailcloth hook sewn into your mainsail - mine is on the port side of the sale. I use one hand to gently pull down the sail to that point while slacking off on the halyard with the other hand. Wrap that cloth hook around the metal rams-head hook on top of the gooseneck - where the boom meets the mast - and tighten back up on the halyard. Now grab the jiffy reefing line that (should be) hanging out of the boom and tighten that sucker down. You now want to slide back to the cockpit, tighten and tie down the halyard, roll up the excess sail and tie it off with a piece of string and off you go. That is how I do it singlehanded. I'd practice in light winds - it's real easy and if you've got crew to man the halyard it's a cakewalk. You'll find control of the boat vastly improved when reefed in hight winds - the 240 will also claw it's way to windward a darn sight better than a whole host of supposedly more "seaworthy" boats. Good luck and have fun. Drew
Two more cents make four...
The success of this may depend on how your sail hooks to the ramshead hook... On a calm day, lower and cleat the main halyard until you can just hook the reef grommet to the ramshead hook (or equivalent). This will take some trial and error until you can pull it down far enough to hook, but not so far that it falls off the hook. Then mark this place on the halyard with a waterproof marker, at some known place such as just aft of the halyard clutch. Now you can preset this position before you go to the mast and have another free hand to hang on with. If over time you find the mark is in the wrong place, just remember where it needs to be. For example 3 inches aft of the clutch, or whatever. I suppose if the sail just won't stay on the hook you could snug it up by pulling on the halyard that is exposed on deck between the mast base and clutch. This may or may not be better/safer/easier than having the bitter end in your hand. I have similar marks on my mooring lines at the point where they make their first wraps around cleats so I can instantly reproduce the right amount of play in each every time I tie up. ...RickM...
The success of this may depend on how your sail hooks to the ramshead hook... On a calm day, lower and cleat the main halyard until you can just hook the reef grommet to the ramshead hook (or equivalent). This will take some trial and error until you can pull it down far enough to hook, but not so far that it falls off the hook. Then mark this place on the halyard with a waterproof marker, at some known place such as just aft of the halyard clutch. Now you can preset this position before you go to the mast and have another free hand to hang on with. If over time you find the mark is in the wrong place, just remember where it needs to be. For example 3 inches aft of the clutch, or whatever. I suppose if the sail just won't stay on the hook you could snug it up by pulling on the halyard that is exposed on deck between the mast base and clutch. This may or may not be better/safer/easier than having the bitter end in your hand. I have similar marks on my mooring lines at the point where they make their first wraps around cleats so I can instantly reproduce the right amount of play in each every time I tie up. ...RickM...
Not that complicated
These excellent suggestions read harder than they really are. Suggest you ask the guy in the next slip to show you how, on a calm day in the slip. Warning: never tie the two or three short lines first, or the main may rip under stress. Always secure both ends first. And don't be shy about reefing early, like 12-14 mph or whenever whitecaps appear. Reefing will not reduce your speed, amazing but true.
These excellent suggestions read harder than they really are. Suggest you ask the guy in the next slip to show you how, on a calm day in the slip. Warning: never tie the two or three short lines first, or the main may rip under stress. Always secure both ends first. And don't be shy about reefing early, like 12-14 mph or whenever whitecaps appear. Reefing will not reduce your speed, amazing but true.
reefing 240
A refinement of sorts if you have a furling jib. Put a cleat on the mast for the jib halyard for raising the mast. This frees up one of the jam cleats which I now use to take in the clew reef line. Still have to go forward for the reef loop on the rams horn, still working on that one but not to much
A refinement of sorts if you have a furling jib. Put a cleat on the mast for the jib halyard for raising the mast. This frees up one of the jam cleats which I now use to take in the clew reef line. Still have to go forward for the reef loop on the rams horn, still working on that one but not to much
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