setting up my jiffy reefing...

[Ross in Tampa]

Don,My boom on my 25 Oday is set up for jiffy reefing. I have a single reefing point installed in the sail. I do not current have a line running through the sail and blocks on the boom. Do I need a reefing hook too? Quite honestly have only reefed the sail once, and did it quite awkwardly. I have a block on the aft end of the boom that I have been using for the outhaul on the main and then tying the line off to a cleat on the boom. I don't think I have been running the rigging correctly. Do you have any hints or tricks so I can get it set up correctly? I can take pictures of the rig this weekend to further illustrate what I have.Thanks in advance.Ross_in_Tampa1979 Oday 25 "Lola"

 

[Warren Milberg]

A typical single line

jiffy reefing system often is set up as follows: A line is run from the aft end of the boom, up to the reefing cringle on the leech of the main, back down the other side to a cheek block on the aft end of the boom, then the line runs forward along the boom to another cheek block near the goose neck, and then up to the reefing cringle on the luff, back down the other side of the sail to a point where it can be tied off, usually a horn cleat on the mast below the boom. On some boats, if you use a long enough line, you can run this line from the foot of the mast thru a deck block or turning block back to the cockpit and thereby be able to reef from the cockpit (assuming your main halyard is also run back to the cockpit). (Picture on pg 1 of the Harken link below is a typical setup for this)Having said that run-on sentence, there are a lot of reefing variations on this theme. While you may not need a reefing hook on your boom, whenever I reef my H28.5, I always use a separate piece of line or webbing to secure the reefed sail to the aft and forward ends of the boom. As Don Guilette stated in another post on this subject, you don't want to use the light lines running through the reefing cringles in the body of the sail for anything other than tidying up the loose reefed sail.

 

[Ross in Tampa]

great link... thanks

Great link, thanks for the help. I will have to check out my rig this weekend. I know I have check blocks on the boom, but now am unsure of what to do with the mainsail outhaul. I have been running a line from the foot of the sail, through the reefing cheek block and cleating it mid boom. I will take some pictures this weekend to illustrate my quandry.thanks again,Ross in Tampa1979 Oday 25, "Lola"

 

[Don Guillette]

Jiffy Reef

Ross: The link that Warren provided is pretty straight forward. I do have a couple of tips for listers like yourself who have not reefed much. Even if one has reefed more than a couple of times, they might find them helpful.First, the last place you want to practice reefing is when it is blowing like stink and the hair on the back of your neck is standing up and your rear end is puckering - I've been there and done that. PRACTICE AT THE DOCK. At the first practice session place a piece of black tape on the mast about 1' or so above the cleat or wherever your halyard is led to. Next drop the halyard to the correct reef spot and place a black tape on the halyard. Now, you don't have to think about it. Just drop the halyard to the point where they match and your home. You have just saved seconds and can move to the rest of the reefing process. The reefing process should be automatic. If you have to thnk about what to do your dead.Next, let's assume it is blowing like stink and getting worse and you suspect the reef is going to be in for a while. The reefing system is not all that strong. If you want a bit of extra insurance, wrap a short piece of line through the aft reef cringle and then around the boom. Some folks may think that is over kill and so be it. My reasoning is I don't want any more problems to develop and I want my mind clear for whatever will come up next.I learned that trick during a night advanced off shore racing course I took one November (froze my rear end off by So Ca standards!!) Things were going nicely. We easily put in a reef. After we sat back to admire our work, the instructor cut the reef line. While we were dealing with that he dropped the halyard. The sail and boom were all over the deck. Then he threw a cushion over board - we never did find that cushion.

 

[Ross in Tampa]

Thanks Don...

Thanks, I will use that advice. We were out a couple of weekends ago with my older brother and his daughter (both never sailed before) good winds, with occassional gusts. We took an unexpected deep heel, didn't even get the rail in the water but was enough of a movement to get all of our attention. He and my wife were sitting opposite me in the cockpit on what would be the high side of the boat. After the heel, both of them were looking up at me from the cockpit sole as the cushions they were sitting on slide when heeling.In hind sight, should have reefed at the marina. But it was a great sail none the less.Ross in TampaOday 25 "Lola"What to do with the main outhaul??? Any hints?

 

[Don Guillette]

Outhaul

Ross: How do you use the outhaul now?Also, during the weekend sail when the gust hit what do you do to counter act the heel? One thing you could have done was drop the traveler. That would have rought the boat back on its feet.

 

[Ross in Tampa]

That is what I did...

That is exactly what I did, I release the mainsheet travelor, and spilled the wind. It worked great, I should have done it sooner, to avoid the novice sailors panic. It was FUN though...

 

[Don Guillette]

Outhaul

Ross: What do you want to know about the outhaul? How do you use it now?

 

[Ross in Tampa]

I took some pictures this weekend...

Don, et al...I took some pictures of my rig this past weekend. I will upload them so you have a better idea of my set up. I will be eager to have it set up the "right" way, and am hoping you can steer me in the correct direction.Thanks in advance,Ross in Tampa1979 Oday 25 "Lola"