Tips for Using Kenyon Gooseneck Reefing Line Jam Cleats?

[rardiH36]

Hi:

I thought to ask the Cherubini crowd for usage tips in repect of the spring loaded reefing line jam cleats that are located at the forward end of the Kenyon boom right below the gooseneck. (As shown in the photo below.)

Of course when putting in a reef, the cleats are useful to hold line tension when drawing the reef point clews onto the boom.

But when shaking out a reef, the auto spring closure prevents the line from going in the opposite direction as the sail is raised.

The only solution I have found so far is to slide the line to the side off the sheave so it by-passes the jam cleat as the line is drawn into the boom. But the hole for the line in the goose neck is small (see picture), and now the off center entry angle causes lots of friction and jaming which prevents me from raising the sail without constantly trying to free the line as it enters the hole.

I am thinking to remove the spring action on the jam cleats and then just jam it closed by hand; or to remove the jam cleats all together; or to devise some sort of arrangement so the jam cleat is forced to stay open when I want to shake out a reef.

I don't think that the jam cleats are really necessary for my case, but maybe I'm not seeing somehting. From the gooseneck sheave, I've led the two reef point clew lines down to blocks at the mast base. So for reefing. I can pull up on the line quite taught by hand, then tie off at a normal cleat on the mast. As an inland waterway sailor, goiing on deck up to the mast isn't usually a major danger, so I am not planning to run the reef lines back to the cockpit just yet.

Thanks for comments/ideas on how to solve.

regards,
rardi

 

[sandpiper10471]

I share your frustrations completely. Your thoughts of going to the deck then up make total sense as you can then get far more leverage and muscle into the mix. Will think about that one next time I reef under way. Many vessels have the same sheave setup below the boom but then run the line to a small winch on the aft side of the mast. This works well but it has to be situated such that the winch handle doesn't foul the boom or the vang.

My second reef is run externally down the boom to a cleat near the gooseneck. Interestingly, if I tie the reef in before leaving anchorage, the foot tension keeps the lowest luff slide from traveling up the mast. The clew can only be "reefed" down after the luff has been tensioned. Geometry at work - same as the reason the staysail hanks are set up with jacklines.

 

[Ed A]

I think that is why they dont use them anymore. Every time i wanted to use mine they were frozen. My maint problem but they are a pretty ill concieved idea. i finaly went to external reef lines.

 

[Allan12210]

That looks just like the Kenyon gooseneck on my Hunter 34, except no springs. That would be a problem to shake a reef out single handedly as the halyard winch is back by the hatch cover. I'm able to pull back the jammers and thanks to just the right amount of corrosion, they stay down while I crank the sail back up to full hoist.

I posted earlier today for a fellow who was rerigging his H34 about the need to use the topping lift when putting in a reef. I hoist the boom up as far as I can first, so it is easy to pull the reef line in with basically no resistance and get the aft clew right down on the boom. Sometimes I make a loop and stick my foot in it for that last bit of tension and then lock the jammer on the line. Once the topping lift is back down it stays tight until time to shake out the reef. I don't believe I have ever felt the need for a reefing winch or cleat at the mast once an old timer showed me how to do that when we bought our boat in '85...and now the old timer is me.

Rardi, maybe we'll cross on the Bay sometime.

Allan

 

[Ed Schenck]

Maybe your reefing lines are too heavy. . .or old. It is a pain but when I pull mine out of the cleats sideways they do not hang up in the hole. Have you tried a little chamfer? The edge of the hole can be sharp which will catch the line. I never needed a winch or a lot of leverage to reduce sail. Maybe I am not getting the main tight enough to the boom?

 

[rardiH36]

Hi guys:

A lot of quick responses. Thanks:

Ed S: Thanks for the line condition thought. For putting in/tensioning a reef, the original Kenyon setup works great. For my second reef point, I've got a 3/8" line that's new and extremely flexible. It jams up anyway when trying to feed back into the hole when shaking out. Actually the line for the first reef point (the one in the picture) is in fact an old/stiff 7/16" line. It does feed better back through the hole: probably because its so stiff it can't kink. The rigging spec sheet for my H36 calls for 3/8" for the reef clew lines. Even with newer hi-tec lines, it would still feel inadequate to have anything less than 3/8" to hold up the boom end when under tension from high winds and the main sheet haul-in.

Allan: Yeah, my jam cleats also were a bit more suitable before I put some PB blaster on them. That's why I'm thinking to find a way to mechanically restrain them in the open position. You are definitely correct about keeping the boom up with the topping lift as you put in the reef. Same applies for the any raising of the sail. Got to keep tension off the leech ... and to a lesser degree the foot in order to properly tension the luff. As for encountering each other while sailing on the bay, look for the profile of a Cherubini Hunter with a fully battened the mainsail often reduced to the second reef. This setup was perfect today in the slot with average wind speed of 25 knots and gusts to 30 in the central bay between Treasure Island and the GG bridge. Have you heard yet about super-yacht "A" that has been anchored off Sausalito for the last several days? The below picture was taken from my boat two days ago. Owned by a Russian gazillionaire. It is over 400 ft long. Has bomb proof windows. The main swimming pool (the largest of three) is situated over the ballroom and is made of plexiglass. Nude ladies probably swim in it for the amusement of the guests below. Scuttlebut this morning in my marina was that people (without clothes) on the "A" were tossing cans of caviar from the deck at any boat close enough. Gelcoat was damaged. On Wednesday, we saw a Huey (sp?) type Army/Marine helicopter doing circles around it for about five minutes ... the government must have some interest. Its been a great source of wonder to see this site. As to Cherubini Hunters, also on Wednesday we saw an H27. It was clean and neat with good looking well trimmed sails. Definitely a pretty boat. And today, in Racoon Straight, we kept intersecting with a Cherubini 37: "Natasha". It definitely looks more substantial than my H36.

Ed A/Sandpiper: I probably won't go "external" for the reef lines if I can avoid it. But pending any further responses, I am thinking that a modification is in order along the lines of the alternatives mentioned in my original post. Actuation might take a few weeks, but I'll post about what I've done ---- and if it works better!

regards,
Rardi

 

[sandpiper10471]

The more I think on it, the more I like your idea of deck blocks with the clew earings coming up to a mast cleat. I never use the topping lift as it is wire, dead ended at the truck to a swaged eye and rope tail through the boom, and is too long since I raised the boom nine inches. I would rather a topping lift which runs externally and the second reef then could go inside the boom. The other problem with the Kenyon system is getting the power to tension things. When I have used the topping lift to raise and lower the boom end (easier to get the sail cover on) it has been very hard as you can only pull your own weight minus the awkward position of squatting under the gooseneck.
I agree that the mainsail isn't really big enough to warrant an extra winch on the mast.

 

[Ed Schenck]

If tensioning and snags were that much of a problem I think that I would remove the cam cleats. Run the lines down to small blocks with cam cleats mounted on the mast partner or to cleats on the mast. My topping lift is adjustable because I have a spare halyard attached to it. Easier than the original blocks attached at the boom end.