Reefing the main help

justsomeguy · Mar 30, 2016

You need to be able to draw the tack reef cringle (grommet) down to the boom/mast interface, and the clew reef cringle needs to be drawn down towards the boom end with some type of boom-length (horizontal) tensioning.

The couple of grommets in the center area of the sail are to gather up the excess material, and are not to be drawn too tightly to the boom. The sail may rip if these points are too tightly secured.

I recommend perusing the archives via the quick search box in the upper right of almost every page on this site. Key words "reef" and the like.

I also recommend not sailing when you're not ready to accept the consequences of unpreparedness.

deltaten · Mar 31, 2016

Like just some says; tie it down/off

Only problem I see is the eye at the boom end doesn't have enough room for another line??Wouldn't recommend removing main outhaul to reef; so gotta figger another way.

Know ye'r knots? Familiar with lashing? Easy-peasey!

18" or so of 3/16 line centered though the tack, passed down/around the boom. semi-tight square knot and then snugly brought around the mast and tied off.
Same at the boom ends; but start with linbe centered at bottom of boom, up around and through the reef clew; both ends if possible ( ala' double-stitch), brought back to leech then square knot to lock it down. Put a loop in one end of the line, pass other end through the eye ?) and bring back fwd to loop and pass through that loop. (like a "soft" block). Now pull the end back hard and fasten off to the working line/s with a slipknot or two half-hitches.
Loosely tied off lines through reef grommets and around boom. Sail foot ends are likely to be a bit. sloppy; but not much to be done about that.
It might need to have a split-ring or some sort ofshackle/small carabiner on that eye to facilitate the reef tie-off.

HTH,
Paul

rgranger · Mar 31, 2016

The reefing hook you are missing at the goosneck.... I've seen them at Lowes in the SS hardware isle. I'm sure that Lowes does not call them a reefing hook but I have seen them there. You could replace the bolt at your gooseneck with a longer bolt and put a reefing hook in right there. You can also order one right here on this site for $6.71.

I would then add a small block with SS quick disconnect snap hook and attached that to your out clew grommet...(see pic) and add a small ss cleat to the end of your mast. Run your out haul line through the block and back to the cleat.
Then you would need to lower the main, put the reefed tack grommet in the hook and disconnect the outhaul snap hook from the primary clew grommet block and attach it to your reef clew grommet and ... viola... you are reefed.

Here are the parts you need
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?14287
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?14144
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?13460 (scroll down to Utility Blocks, Single Block, Ferruled Eye Head)
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?14720

SFS · Mar 31, 2016

After you reef, the extra sail that is not being used (the part that hangs off the boom "below" what is essentially a new foot for the sail) is called the bunt. It can be left hanging, or it can be rolled up a bit and tied to itself to keep it out of the way, using the two SMALLER grommet holes closer to the middle of the sail. If you choose to tie it, small diameter line is fine. However, DO NOT run those buntlines around the boom. You can quickly tear a sail that way. Buntlines do not go around a boom. There is even a buntline hitch, if you are interested:

http://www.animatedknots.com/buntli...png&Website=www.animatedknots.com#ScrollPoint

Brian S · Mar 31, 2016

Proper slab reef setup for small boat:

Tack option 1) Reef hook on top of gooseneck. This is probably preferred since you have a sliding gooseneck. Also preferred are 2 welded SS rings on either side of reef grommet at tack, connected to each other with a sewn loop of webbing. These will be FAR easier to hook over the reefing hook than trying to wrestle the grommet over the reefing hook (ask me how I know...)

Tack option 2) Dual duty Cunningham/reef line. This is probably best on a fixed position gooseneck. Below the gooseneck, there would be an eye strap on the port mast. A length of line goes up from here through the Cunningham, and down to a clam cleat on the starboard side, below the gooseneck, at similar level as the eyestrap. This will act to pull the luff down, as one would want for a Cunningham. To reef the sail, pull the line out of the cleat and Cunningham grommet, and slack the halyard. Feed the line through the tack reef grommet port to starboard, and down to the cleat. Re-tension the halyard. This pulls the tack down to the boom and slightly forward.

Out at the clew end, you would mount an eye strap to the port side of the boom, about 3" aft of where the clew reef grommet would line up along the boom, if the tack were fixed in place. Line goes from eye strap up through the clew grommet, port to starboard, and down to a cheek block on the starboard side, about 3" aft of where the clew reef grommet would be. This is necessary to pull the clew reef down to the boom, and apply pressure aft to tighten the "foot" of the reef line. The line is then led forward along the boom, using eye straps perpendicular to the line, or other fairleads, to a cleat at least 2/3rds of the way forward on the boom. I have used alloy clam cleats, or regular horn cleats.

When reefing, hove to on starboard tack. Go to the mast and slack the halyard and set the tack. Since you're right at the mast on the starboard side, you can turn and have the leech reef line right to hand on the forward end of your boom. (I do NOT understand manufacturers who put reef cleats only 1 foot forward of the cheek block at the aft end of the boom!) It's generally preferred to not quite tighten the leech line so the foot of the sail is very tight. Since you have shortened sail, and lowered the lever arm heeling the boat, it's good to leave the foot a bit looser, so that the sail can have some camber, and thus drive and power, to push through waves. You shouldn't need to flatten the foot to depower, because the sail is already depowered because it's reefed. This process can be done in one minute with practice, 2 minutes without

rgranger · Mar 31, 2016

Chris Reisinger said:
There is no avoiding wrapping the boom when tying the sail bunt. I was just planning to just use a length of bungee cord, to give it some give.

If the wind is blowing hard enough to reef, then the bunt will flap and make a very disquieting noise. So you bunch it up and secure it with some line. If you tie it too hard around the boom and your reef comes loose, your sail is toast..... Bungee should work but be careful.

SFS · Mar 31, 2016

My apologies. Sometimes I forget that not all mainsails are loose-footed. Your's being attached would add that issue. I would still not tie the bunt to the boom. Too easy to tear a sail. Nothing wrong with leaving the bunt loose, unless it creates a visual blockage relative to a proper lookout.

See also Jackdaw's comments in this post:
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/reef-ties.178082/#post-1282501

sesmith · Mar 31, 2016

Brian pretty much explained it in his option 2, but google "2 line reefing system" and you'll get some pictures and ideas. A 2 line system is quick and easy to use...beats going up to the mast every time and attaching to the hook.

Brian S · Mar 31, 2016

Chris Reisinger said:
Lastly, SFS stated I am not to tie my sail around my boom. The foot of my sail has a bead that is secured in the channel in my boom. There is no avoiding wrapping the boom when tying the sail bunt. I was just planning to just use a length of bungee cord, to give it some give.

You will note that properly installed reefing grommets have the tack and clew grommets, but the intermediate, lightly reinforced grommets through the body of the sail are set several inches below the line of the tack and clew. The idea here is when you have the reef tied in, all the strain is borne by the tack and clew. The intermediate reef grommets are lower so theoretically when tied up with reef lines or nettles, they don't put any pressure on the sail.

Most people, even VOR racers if you watch the in-port races in the last edition, do not tie up the excess of the first reef. If you choose to do so, do it loosely, with proper square knots - also known as reef knots (guess why?

) Even so, if one of your reef lines (particularly the leech line) were to let go, well, yeah, you're gonna rip your sail. I tie mine up, because my boat only has 1 reef point, which is deeper than most 1st reefs. Mine's maybe half way between a typical 1st and 2nd reef.

You can buy these cool bungees at Home Depot. They have a clam-cleat loop at one end, and no hooks. The idea is that you can make a loop of any size you want. I tried using these on my BW Harpoon 4.6 when I got a new sail with a reef in it (original did not have reef.) They worked, but were kinda a PITA. I eventually realized that some soft, 1/4" parallel strand polyester utility cord I had on hand (not a double braid like Sta-Set, but not too dissimilar, either) knotted on either side of the reef point with an overhand knot, worked better and easier, and probably faster too. I guess there's a reason old salts have been tying up reefs like that for a lot longer than I've been around

Reefing the main help

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.