Reefing the Main

[Jacque]

My husband and I hit some stiff gusts of wind this past weekend. We are new to sailing, only 1 1/2 years. We have heard you can reef the main but our concerns are with rolling the main on the boom, wouldn't the sail have a tendancy to ride up toward the mast? What keeps the boom level until you get some wind. I'd appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks, Jacque

 

[Timm Miller]

Reefing

You flake the mainsail on the boom and then use sailties to tie them down on the boom.....you don't wrap it around the boom....I guees you could. YOu need a topping lift or boom crutch to support the boom while you do this. To keep the boom form rising up you would use a boom vang.

 

[Doug Rodrigues]

Depends.........

I have rolled my mainsail around the boom to reef it, because my mainsail cannot be reefed any other way. Of course, the vang has to be disconnected first.

 

[Tim Bastian]

If you rap the sail around the boom...

If you rap the sail around the boom you will cover the vang. Just an observation.Tim

 

[Tim Bastian]

How to reef the main...

First turn into the wind to unload the sail. This give you access to the boom while you reef. Drop the main until the reefing point closest to the mast is level with the boom. Tie it to the boom. Then go to the out haul and remove it from the sail and move it up to the most rearward reefing point. Pull it tight. Now tie the rest of the reefing points to the boom. This will keep the rest of the sail from flogging. Tighten the main halyard and then the boom vang. You are now reefed. Good sailing, Tim Bastian Zephyr’s Aura Hixson, TN

 

[Brian M]

Mac 25 original boom rigs reef by rolling

Guys, with the original MAC25 to reef it you do actually spin the boom and it rolls the main sail around the boom. To to this unload the sail by turning into the wind , remove the thumb screw just above the boom on the mast. If the boom is not level it will not roll square. Adjust the halyard to level the boom and the turn the boom to reef in how ever much you desire. Make sure to stop turning with the bracket the thmb screw was in on top and reinstall the thumb screw. Raise the halyard and then get moving again. The orignal MAC25's have no boom vang. I have put one on as well as completly changed the main sheet rigging and had reefs put in my main.Brian M

 

[Jacque]

Thanks

We reefed the main this past Sunday. Worked great. We made a shade top and the bar helps hold the boom until it gets wind. Thanks again. Jacque