[alberg30] Re: slab reefing

[FINNUS505 at aol.com]

From: FINNUS505 at aol.com

Hi Rap 1208,

I guess there are as many ways to reef as there are people reefing.
But just for conversations sake,(and because I have nothing particularly
better to do right now) don't you sometimes find that the folds of the sail at
the leach get caught in the loop of the leachline, ie; the loop formed by the
line dead ended to port, up through the cringle, and back to the cheek block
to stbd, necesitating a crew member to reach back there and straighten the
folds out so the leach line can be tightened without crushing the sail?  When
I've used that system on other boats, I have found that to be a problem.  With
the leach line going from boom to cringle to aft end of boom, as you tighten
the leach line, the sail below the reef just flops over the boom to stbd, and
is not 'entrapped'.

The winch sounds like a good idea.  I think I'll put one on.

The flattening reef is also a good idea.  I used to crew on Ensigns back in
the 70's when it was still a hot class, and the boat I crewed on had a
flattening reef.  On 15 + days it was dramatic what a speed difference that
flattening reef made against boats that did not have one, or were too lazy to
tuck it in.  This Lee main I have doesn't have one, but I may end up putting
one in.  On a main the size of an A30, is it just a cringle at luff and leach,
or are there reef points in the middle of the sail too?

"When is the proper time to tie in a reef?  the first time you think about
it!"  old sailors proverb.

Take care,
Lee Trachtenberg
Stargazer #255

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