On our 3rd time out sailing our '91 H23 today, I reefed the mainsail as a drill (the wind was only about 10 knots). It went fine, except for one detail which puzzled me a bit. In order to get the reefing cringle (actually a D-ring on a nylon strap) on the luff of the sail down to the reefing hook, I had to remove the thumb-wheel stopper in the sail track on the mast, and move 2 of the slugs from above the widened part of the track to below this. I then put the stopper back in the track and finished the procedure. Not having done this before, this seems like a pretty fussy operation to be performing at a time when you are probably worried about rising wind and seas. Is there something I'm missing here? Like maybe you don't really have to move the 2 slugs, but just fold the sail down far enough that the reefing cringle somehow reaches? When I practiced this, it seemed that I was doing the only thing which would work. I can imagine dropping the stopper overboard at a critical moment, and so on, so I was just wondering if there is a better way. And a 2nd question: I notice that the nylon tape loops which attach the mainsail slugs to the small shackles (or maybe the shackles to the sails???) are quite worn. Has anyone replaced these themselves? I was thinking that I might wait until the winter, and deliver these to a sailmaker to mend. Any idea what this would cost? Thanks, Jay
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R
Ray Bowles
Jay, We have a 95 H26 on which when reefing
the main sail we raise the topping lift, lower the main halyard, pull in the reefing line thru the boom, fold over the 2 or 3 bottom folds of the sail at the junction of the boom and mast and then hook the cringle for the first reef to the rams horn. (Do not remove the thumbwheel, just fold the sail like you are flaking it and then insert the rams horn into the cringle) Make sure that you hook the cringle in such a fashion that the rams horn hook does not dig into the folded sail material when you raise the halyard. (there is an inside and outside to the cringle when flaked) Then tie off the bottom of the sail to the boom. When you reef you do not remove any part of the mail sail from the mast, you just compress it, hook it, tie it and hoist it. Then drop the topping lift. If you look carefully you will see that the rams horn hook can be inserted in a manor that will go from the inside of the fold to the outside of the fold and not touch the sail material. I can't help on the second question. Our H26 has the first reef in the normal position of the 2d reef on other boats. About 6 to 7 feet up from the bottom of the foot. We had an additional reef put in at the third reef position (4 feet higher) as it was highly recommended by other Hunter 26 owners. I have used it probably 6 to 8 times this year when we were sailing in 18 to 25 mph winds against the current on our river while tacking. We have also run downwind on our main alone with the 3 reef in at better that 7.4 mph. Love the boat and it kicks fanny all the time in our inpromptu races. When reefed it flat stomps the competition whether their reefed or not. Smooth winds my friend, Ray s/v Speedy
the main sail we raise the topping lift, lower the main halyard, pull in the reefing line thru the boom, fold over the 2 or 3 bottom folds of the sail at the junction of the boom and mast and then hook the cringle for the first reef to the rams horn. (Do not remove the thumbwheel, just fold the sail like you are flaking it and then insert the rams horn into the cringle) Make sure that you hook the cringle in such a fashion that the rams horn hook does not dig into the folded sail material when you raise the halyard. (there is an inside and outside to the cringle when flaked) Then tie off the bottom of the sail to the boom. When you reef you do not remove any part of the mail sail from the mast, you just compress it, hook it, tie it and hoist it. Then drop the topping lift. If you look carefully you will see that the rams horn hook can be inserted in a manor that will go from the inside of the fold to the outside of the fold and not touch the sail material. I can't help on the second question. Our H26 has the first reef in the normal position of the 2d reef on other boats. About 6 to 7 feet up from the bottom of the foot. We had an additional reef put in at the third reef position (4 feet higher) as it was highly recommended by other Hunter 26 owners. I have used it probably 6 to 8 times this year when we were sailing in 18 to 25 mph winds against the current on our river while tacking. We have also run downwind on our main alone with the 3 reef in at better that 7.4 mph. Love the boat and it kicks fanny all the time in our inpromptu races. When reefed it flat stomps the competition whether their reefed or not. Smooth winds my friend, Ray s/v Speedy
M
mike
Jay, I'm wicha buddy .................
I've had the same problem exactly. It's because my main is a newer, heavier material and with my Z spar mast ('87)it stacks up (the cars that is) higher on the mast so the reefing cringles don't come close to hooking in the ram's horns. I simply keep a line attached through the cringles which I tie down to the ram's horns when I reef. Not pretty but functional. As to the second question, if your straps or D's are worn you might need to have cringles installed there.
I've had the same problem exactly. It's because my main is a newer, heavier material and with my Z spar mast ('87)it stacks up (the cars that is) higher on the mast so the reefing cringles don't come close to hooking in the ram's horns. I simply keep a line attached through the cringles which I tie down to the ram's horns when I reef. Not pretty but functional. As to the second question, if your straps or D's are worn you might need to have cringles installed there.
reefing
when we reef our main we have to remove or two of the slugs as you have described, just like Mike said , many people tie a pieceof fishing line or dental floss to the sail stop ,thumb screw, thing to keepit ffrom falling over board, sounds like Mike Epps solution will work , glad to know others have the same problem I do, , good luck Mike B
when we reef our main we have to remove or two of the slugs as you have described, just like Mike said , many people tie a pieceof fishing line or dental floss to the sail stop ,thumb screw, thing to keepit ffrom falling over board, sounds like Mike Epps solution will work , glad to know others have the same problem I do, , good luck Mike B
Same here
It's just one of the quirks of the H23. Like Mike, I tie my track stop (the "thumbwheel") to the mast with a few inches of dental floss so iy won't fall overboard if I drop it. Actually, I also have a SECOND track stop below the mast gate to keep those two slugs in the rack when the sail is reefed. It keeps the lower portion of the luff from blowing out in heavy air. Peter H23 "Raven"
It's just one of the quirks of the H23. Like Mike, I tie my track stop (the "thumbwheel") to the mast with a few inches of dental floss so iy won't fall overboard if I drop it. Actually, I also have a SECOND track stop below the mast gate to keep those two slugs in the rack when the sail is reefed. It keeps the lower portion of the luff from blowing out in heavy air. Peter H23 "Raven"
J
Jay
Good to hear...
I wasn't imagining things. Tieing the stopper with fine line sounds like a good idea. I was pretty much planning to get a 2nd stopper to have as a spare anyway, so storing it in the track _below_ the widened slot would serve the dual purpose of having it handy when you really need it, and being able to use it to keep the 2 transplanted slugs in place when reefed, as Peter mentioned. (It actually hadn't occurred to me that they might come out, but I don't have much experience yet, and it seems like a reasonable precaution.) As usual, your help is much appreciated! I'm sure I'll be back with more questions soon. Jay
I wasn't imagining things. Tieing the stopper with fine line sounds like a good idea. I was pretty much planning to get a 2nd stopper to have as a spare anyway, so storing it in the track _below_ the widened slot would serve the dual purpose of having it handy when you really need it, and being able to use it to keep the 2 transplanted slugs in place when reefed, as Peter mentioned. (It actually hadn't occurred to me that they might come out, but I don't have much experience yet, and it seems like a reasonable precaution.) As usual, your help is much appreciated! I'm sure I'll be back with more questions soon. Jay
G
Greg S2
Or.....
2 small strips of Al, slightly formed (curve) can be attached with screws to cover the gap in the bottom of the sail track. The sail stays in-track when reefing because it can now slide all the way to the boom. It is a little more trouble to remove the sail. The plates have to be removed. If you're handy, you can make the plates ourself. Otherwise, any sheetmetal fab house will,if you supply a cardboard patern make you a pair for next to nothing Greg
2 small strips of Al, slightly formed (curve) can be attached with screws to cover the gap in the bottom of the sail track. The sail stays in-track when reefing because it can now slide all the way to the boom. It is a little more trouble to remove the sail. The plates have to be removed. If you're handy, you can make the plates ourself. Otherwise, any sheetmetal fab house will,if you supply a cardboard patern make you a pair for next to nothing Greg
Good call Greg!
I've seen that before too, and it's a great idea. It's just a hassle if you trailer the boat and have to take the mainsail off the mast every time. But if you leave the boat in the water... pure bliss! Peter H23 "Raven"
I've seen that before too, and it's a great idea. It's just a hassle if you trailer the boat and have to take the mainsail off the mast every time. But if you leave the boat in the water... pure bliss! Peter H23 "Raven"
J
Joel
Related question - flaking main
When putting the boat away for the day, how many of you leave the main in the mast track? I've tried it both ways and find it's more convenient to leave it in the track but that the sail doesn't flake nicely (and definately can't be rolled). Just wondering if I'm sacrificing sail life for convenience.
When putting the boat away for the day, how many of you leave the main in the mast track? I've tried it both ways and find it's more convenient to leave it in the track but that the sail doesn't flake nicely (and definately can't be rolled). Just wondering if I'm sacrificing sail life for convenience.
Flaking mainsail on boom
I leave my boat in the water with the sail flaked on the boom and the sail track stop in the track above the gate. The first couple of folds (flakes?) don't lie on the boom as well as if the slugs had come all the way down, but the rest are fine. The trick is to get the bottom fold going the right way (in my case the starboard side) and then flake on alternate sides of the boom as you go up the sail. The width of each fold should be about half the distance between slugs, and should be near-constant all the way back to the leech of the sail. I use five ties (each a different length and color) to secure the flaked sail to the boom, and then pull the sail cover over everything. Peter H23 "Raven"
I leave my boat in the water with the sail flaked on the boom and the sail track stop in the track above the gate. The first couple of folds (flakes?) don't lie on the boom as well as if the slugs had come all the way down, but the rest are fine. The trick is to get the bottom fold going the right way (in my case the starboard side) and then flake on alternate sides of the boom as you go up the sail. The width of each fold should be about half the distance between slugs, and should be near-constant all the way back to the leech of the sail. I use five ties (each a different length and color) to secure the flaked sail to the boom, and then pull the sail cover over everything. Peter H23 "Raven"
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