I am interested in determining if there are any good single line reefing (jiffy reefing) systems for the main sail on my 1981 C30 tall rig. I have found a couple single line kits being offered. One by Harken for boats up to 27'. The other by Barton for boats up to 30'. Both Harken and Barton informed me their kits would be undersized for a C30 tall rig. The slab reefing kits are a good compromise but, I would prefer not to have to go forward to the goose neck to complete the reefing process. I am hoping I can find an appropriately sized jiffy reefing kit and be able to reef entirely from the cock pit.
Single Line / Jifffy Reefing Main Sail
- Thread starter Blue Hull
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I'm surprised that Barton thought their system would be too small. The C30's IOR-style rig means big gennys and small mains, so even with the tall rig your main is what, 230 sqr feet? Thats not a lot of main by modern standards for a 30 footer. My guess is that it would be fine.
Make your own.... instead of one line, build a two line system.. one for the tack, the other for the clew.... much better control of luff tension and faster than a one line system.
http://www.pineapplesails.com/articles/reefing.htm
Otherwise, the Barton system is rated for thirty foot boats.... what's the issue with using it for yours?
If you build your own, you can save money by not installing the boom track and sliding cheek block..... just fix a standard cheek block on the boom in the appropriate place for each reefing point.
http://www.pineapplesails.com/articles/reefing.htm
Otherwise, the Barton system is rated for thirty foot boats.... what's the issue with using it for yours?
If you build your own, you can save money by not installing the boom track and sliding cheek block..... just fix a standard cheek block on the boom in the appropriate place for each reefing point.
Single line reefing can be improved a lot, reducing friction by not running the line through the sail cringle holes. Attach soft shackle, 40mm Harken carbo blocks at the cringles instead. I use a 3/4" stainless triangle on one side of the cringle hole and tie the carbo block on the other side of the sail, and tying it through the hole. For sail protection, put a small sacrificial patch of sail tape under the block locations. One on the leech cringle and the other at the luff cringle. On a double reef main, both single line reefs can come down to a double block at the base of the mast, out to a Garhauer double deck organizer and then run back to jammers at the cockpit.
Rob
Rob
Barton simply said they would not suggest it with their 41130 system. Their point was that I would experience to much resistance. Barton pushed me towards their slab reefing system. My main sail dimensions are P=37, E=12. I shared the dimensions with both Harken and Barton. Harken simply said their hardware would be undersized for a sail my size. I like the idea of the track on the side of the boom even though this is a more expensive approach. It allows me to easily move the blocks without having to drill new holes. Some day when I can finally afford a new main sail, I will not have the project of trying to design the sail to existing cheek block locations or drill more holes in the boom to move the blocks. I have an aversion to drilling holes all over a boat to add and remove things. Being the 3rd owner of my boat, it sometime seems like it was used for shot gun practice by PO's.
Joe's right. Single line reefing doesn't work. Why? First, 'cuz if you think about it, the basic setup from the factory is DOUBLE LINE REEFING: separate tack and leech lines, right? Second, the amount of pressure required on the tack is almost nothing, whereas the leech needs LOTS of pressure to hold it down.
You can Google "double line reefing" and read for days. I highly recommend it.
You can Google "double line reefing" and read for days. I highly recommend it.
jr, every single Catalina manual has a picture of the double line reefing that came from the factory. Most all slab/jiffy reefing IS double line IF you have a separate tack line and leech line. And Joe's suggestion to check out the various websites like Harken will show you sketches and pictures, as well as my suggestion to Google the term.
There are a few different ways to do it, and much depends on how your boat is currently rigged with hardware on your boom and mast near the gooseneck, and the "depth" of your deck organizers.
The clew is relatively easy: most Catalina 34s came with the Schaefer sliding blocks on a track with bails on the bottom to connect both sides of the reefing lines, and then up and over through the clew cringles. If the track is long enough, and you only have one reef point, you should be able to add another block and make it into two.
You can run these clew lines either through the boom or outside. We have small blocks, like Harken bullet blocks, with the clew lines led down to & through the deck organizers from our "inside the boom" clew reefing lines. Does make it a challenge to change or clean the lines, though.
The standard C34 boom fitting makes you go to the mast to (do the first & only standard) reef, using the cleat on the starboard side of the boom. You can improve this by running the tack line(s) aft, by going down from the gooseneck to the deck organizers and then aft to sheetstoppers.
What we have at the boom/mast is the tack lines led to the organizers and then back. Our deck organizers are "two story" affairs, with five blocks on each side! We use most of the ten blocks: to port - cunningham, rigid boom vang, first and second reef clews, second reef tack; to starboard - lazy jacks, main halyard, first reef tack. We do have a lot of lines led aft!
Each of the two tack lines starts at a bowline at a cleat on the mast, is run up & through the tack cringles for the both first and second reef lines, and then down to the deck organizers and then back to sheetstoppers on the coachroof.
There are a few different ways to do it, and much depends on how your boat is currently rigged with hardware on your boom and mast near the gooseneck, and the "depth" of your deck organizers.
The clew is relatively easy: most Catalina 34s came with the Schaefer sliding blocks on a track with bails on the bottom to connect both sides of the reefing lines, and then up and over through the clew cringles. If the track is long enough, and you only have one reef point, you should be able to add another block and make it into two.
You can run these clew lines either through the boom or outside. We have small blocks, like Harken bullet blocks, with the clew lines led down to & through the deck organizers from our "inside the boom" clew reefing lines. Does make it a challenge to change or clean the lines, though.
The standard C34 boom fitting makes you go to the mast to (do the first & only standard) reef, using the cleat on the starboard side of the boom. You can improve this by running the tack line(s) aft, by going down from the gooseneck to the deck organizers and then aft to sheetstoppers.
What we have at the boom/mast is the tack lines led to the organizers and then back. Our deck organizers are "two story" affairs, with five blocks on each side! We use most of the ten blocks: to port - cunningham, rigid boom vang, first and second reef clews, second reef tack; to starboard - lazy jacks, main halyard, first reef tack. We do have a lot of lines led aft!
Each of the two tack lines starts at a bowline at a cleat on the mast, is run up & through the tack cringles for the both first and second reef lines, and then down to the deck organizers and then back to sheetstoppers on the coachroof.
I also added a double line reefing system to my Catalina 34 (previous boat). I did it basically the same as Stu. It was pretty easy to install, and works really well. The two line system (four lines for two reefing sets) has better control for sail shape and also does not pull the luff back and put stress on the slugs. Here are some pictures on another thread that I posted:
http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6929.msg46496.html#msg46496
http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6929.msg46496.html#msg46496
All, Thank you for the advice. I will take it and work with the two line slap reefing approach. 4 lines total for me as I have 2 reef points. I was hoping to avoid 4 lines in the cockpit but, it isn't a show stopper. In my view the priority needs to be functionality. Better to be inconvenienced with some extra lines than not be able to reef properly when the weather demands it.
Stu,
My 94 C30 manual shows single line reefing which is how my boat was equipped when I bought it last year. It has a line that goes through the leech cringle then travels through the boom, exits at the tack cringle and makes its way through blocks and deck organizers to the port sheet stopper. I've only used it a couple of times but it seems to work.
My 94 C30 manual shows single line reefing which is how my boat was equipped when I bought it last year. It has a line that goes through the leech cringle then travels through the boom, exits at the tack cringle and makes its way through blocks and deck organizers to the port sheet stopper. I've only used it a couple of times but it seems to work.
Lou,
Thanks for that update. Yes, the Mark IIs were different. Could be for our C34s, too, don't know.
Thanks for that update. Yes, the Mark IIs were different. Could be for our C34s, too, don't know.
My 84 C30 has the new mast and boom, internal halyards and internal main reefing. Rather than routing the single reefing line through the cringle, I used a small Harken block, shackle through the cringle to an "O" ring. This reduces the friction created by going through the cringle. Simple and inexpensive.
I like this method too. The Harken T2 (40mm) soft shackle blocks are a good choice. Dragging the reef line through cringle holes has a good deal of friction, but using blocks at the cringles is like butta. The direction of force of the line on the sail can be made identical to two-line reefing (even at the luff) so it pulls the mainsail down and flat.
Double line reefing is best, allows one to adjust the reef outhaul for increase/decrease of the amount of draft.
With Single line reefing all you can attain is a flat, less drafted, sail which is not really good for 'punching' into heavy chop and/or big waves.
Regardless, a good way to reduce friction is to apply Goïot (Rutgerson) cringle blocks to the sails ... cringles with internal 'rollers' (pricey)
http://www.nautic-outlet.com/lang-en/rigging-and-protection/706-quick-reef-goiot.html
http://www.goiot.com/pdf/p48a.pdf
With Single line reefing all you can attain is a flat, less drafted, sail which is not really good for 'punching' into heavy chop and/or big waves.
Regardless, a good way to reduce friction is to apply Goïot (Rutgerson) cringle blocks to the sails ... cringles with internal 'rollers' (pricey)
http://www.nautic-outlet.com/lang-en/rigging-and-protection/706-quick-reef-goiot.html
http://www.goiot.com/pdf/p48a.pdf
The article Joe linked to was the clearest explanation on reefing and the pros cons of the three types of reefing setups I have read.
I have read several this winter and still was planning to use a one line system. Forum discussions on reefing just didn't sink in why the two line system was better. That article convinced me.
Thanks Joe.
Ward
What scenario are you going to need all your reefs led aft? We have a cunningham rigged at 2:1 at the mast head that leads aft to the clutch and then we have our largest aft reef point ran to the cockpit as well. If I feel the need I can re rig the cunningham to the same reef point while at the dock or at anchor or on the water. It seems like if you are in a spot where you need to reef twice on the water you are going to have the ability to rig whatever needs to be rigged. The cat 30 should have two cleats on the mast for the front reef line and then your boom should be rigged for the other two.
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