Reefing

[Lobinson]

Hi All,

I seeking advice on reefing Catalina 309. I needed to reef the other day but struggled to tack upwind as I have to much sail in the rear of the main. Can someone explain in simple terms how this is done. It appears that there is no where to secure the reef on the mast, just the sheet onto the boom bracket.

Also is there a spinnaker setup for this model?

Finally, I'm new to sailing and enjoy reading the posts.

Regards David

 

[justsomeguy]

I've got a couple of diagrams you might like. Hope they help!

 

[kappykaplan]

seeking advice on reefing Catalina 309. I needed to reef the other day but struggled to tack upwind as I have to much sail in the rear of the main.

Did you ease the mainsheet so the mainsail wasn't powering the boat?

 

[JohnVTX]

I seeking advice on reefing Catalina 309. I needed to reef the other day but struggled to tack upwind as I have to much sail in the rear of the main.

Start the motor to tack into the wind, ease the halyard. One of the setups shown by justsomeguy needs to already be in place, then pull sail onto boom and tie in place. Re-tighten the halyard

 

[Meriachee]

David, do you have reef padeyes in the sail and did your boat come with the single line reefing system?

 

[tahomathundr]

David, The C309 came with in mast furling. Is that what you have or was it changed? With inmast furling you just roll it back into the mast the amount that you want to reef then adjust the rod kicker to get better sail shape as needed. You don't have reefing lines on the boom or the mast.

 

[Lobinson]

I have 2 reefing lines and no mast in furling main sail... will check on the padeye setup...

 

[RoyS]

You should be able to ease the main while close hauled and then go forward and reef the main while the jib alone powers the boat. If conditions are really nasty, send the wife.

 

[justsomeguy]

If conditions are really nasty, send the wife.

 

[weinie]

 

[dziedzicmj]

Keep in mind that the only two things holding the sail down have to be the tack and the clew. The reefing ties (going through the pad eyes in the sail) should not have any load on them (they are there only to keep the sail around the boom). If you put any load on them, they will rip the sail.

 

[Stu Jackson]

You should be able to ease the main while close hauled and then go forward and reef the main while the jib alone powers the boat.

Very good advice. Other alternative is to sail on port tack, then heave to. This puts the high side on starboard where the boom reefing gear, at least for the first reef, is usually located.

 

[Lobinson]

Great advice regarding the Wife

 

[tahomathundr]

David, Since you do not have the inmast rig, yours most likely has a rig from a C310 which shares the same hull. You might want to check the C310 forum for rig advice.

 

[Tom J]

I have a C310 with jiffy reefing. One reefing line pulls down both the tack and the clew. Simply head upwind, let the mainsheet go slack, lower the mainsail halyard to the height of the reefed main, take in the reefing line, and re-tension the main halyard, fall off and trim the main. You probably have a rigid vang, so the topping lift shouldn't be needed while lowering the main. This is all done at the cabin top winches, so there is no need to go forward. The Admiral is very happy about that.

 

[Alansails]

Was heaving to a possibility instead of starting the engine?

 

[njlarry]

If conditions are really nasty, send the wife.

Now you tell me!

 

[shemandr]

Lobinson, I did not understand from your OP if you successfully reefed but had trouble going upwind due to the excess sail in the aft of the main? Or were you unable to get the reef in because of the excess material?