[Public-List] Reefing

[J Bergquist]

Gord you are awesome. I have precious little time to read this stuff
these days, but I love reading your posts.

Later,

JB

On Wed, Nov 5, 2008 at 11:09 AM, Gordon Laco <mainstay at csolve.net> wrote:
> If you want to reef before installing the hook, you can rig yourself a quick
> tack downhaul of a piece of 3/8" line.  Make one end fast around your
> gooseneck; run the line up to the reef cringle.  If you make the line about
> 6" longer that the vertical distance just described, you can handily fix the
> line in the cringle with a stopper knot.
>
> When you need to reef, haul down the sail until you can reach the knot.
> Pull the tack line through until it is holding the sail down - in effect a
> new tack.  Make it fast to any old cleat...then haul the halyard taut again.
>
> For the clew, you will have had to install fittings on the boom, easiest is
> a pair of cheek blocks (Ronstan makes one that fits our booms perfectly)
> mount perpendicularly beneath each clew reef cringle.  Rig yourself #1 and
> #2 reefing lines of 3/8" ... Make the bitter end of each fast to the extreme
> end of the boom.  Run the line up through its respective reef cringle, back
> down vertically to its respective cheek block then forward along the boom to
> near the gooseneck.  We make those lines fast with large clamcleats with
> fairleads both to hold the inboard end of the lines captive and to make
> hauling them taut easier.  Just inboard of those cleats are regular horned
> spar cleats.  The principal to keep in mind when placing them is to make the
> lines workable from standing at the mast.
>
> Remember that there should never at any time be any load on the intermedeate
> reef points - their only purpose is aesthetic, keeping the bunt of the sail
> up close to the boom.
>
> So the reefing drill goes like this...(old salt version)
>
> Call
> "all hands all hands, do you hear there...we shall reef the mainsail!"
> One person goes to the mast.
>
> Put the yacht on a point of sail above a broad reach (so the main isn't
> pressing on the shrouds)
>
> Call
> "Ease the main halyard!"
> "cast off boom vang, cast off main sheet!"
>
> Person at mast eases halyard down until he/she either puts the selected reef
> cringle over reefing hook or makes fast tack reefing line.
>
> Call "hoist away on the main halyard"
>
> When halyard is taut and cleated...
>
> Call
> "haul away your reefing line"
>
> When reef clew is pulled right down to boom, and a crease appears along the
> new foot of the sail, person at mast cleats line securely.
>
> Call
> "trim the main, vang on!  Coil down lines"
>
> You have now reefed the mainsail.  It should take only slightly longer to do
> than to read.
>
> If you want to do up the points, do this after the boat is settled down
> sailing again and the main is drawing; this avoids fighting with a flogging
> sail.   Tie the points loosely and with shoe-lace bow knots so that they
> can't jamb.  A jammed knot in a point when shaking out a reef will tear the
> mainsail.
>
> Some people say that you 'must' accordian-fold the bunt of the sail... We
> just roll it.  Rolling it will allow water to accumulate in it but foredeck
> monkeys so rarely get to discomfort the slugs in the cockpit, I am loath to
> remove from them a chance to have a little fun soaking an inattentive
> helmsman when the reef comes back out.
>
> Well that's a long email, but way more fun to write than the quote I am
> supposed to be working on...
>
> Gord #426 SURPRISE
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 11/5/08 10:26 AM, "bydel at bellsouth.net" <bydel at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
>> I have just purchased a new sail that has a reef at 4 and 9 feet. My old sail
>> was the origional roll on the boom system, so that is the gooseneck I have. I
>> would love to get some advice about what I should do next.
>>
>> Bill
>> SallyB #441
>>

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