BR15

On second thought, couldn't really have handled the problem with the main by working with the sprit. - could I. It had to be out as far as it was in order to get proper out haul on the the full sail.

Sorry for the late response - yours went to spam. I had installed a cleat below the tack on the main in an effort to use a shorter sprit for reefing. The sprit ended up so high at the clew that sail shape was shot. The lower snotter can now be used to to tie off to a cleat on the deck, which should keep the mast from turning more than a couple of inches. The one time I tried it, I didn't tie it off and the sail did not unravel, but that was in, perhaps, 12 knots. That should probably be tied off for anything higher. Guess I'll have to get out and test that center position to see how the helm feels. Maybe I should have tired working with the sprit instead of changing the forward mast step . It would be a shame If all I needed to do is shorten the sprit or move the cleat on it. Moving that hole was a PIA and I may have created some lee helm - nice thing about this rig is that you can balance the helm very easily with sail trim.

My apologies - for being lazy. The question was easily answered by pulling the boat out of the garage and dry sailing it with the mizzen in the center step. As it turns out, it seems to sheet just fine running the sheet back towards the bow and feeding it through the main sail sheet blocks. There was very little wind, so a stress test under more challenging conditions is needed, but can't see why it wouldn't work. I did notice that, intentional or not, there is a lot more rake in the mast from the center position. I assume that is intentional and designed to prevent lee helm. When I bought this boat the main mast was raked too far back, such that the sprit would not pass by the mizzen mast on a tack - plus, the mast was binding and nearly impossible to turn or remove. Cutting the hole about 1/2" forward solved that issue. I think this dual system is going to work out nice - if reefing on the water, pulling the main sprit, rolling the sail two or three turns would be a first step; going with the shorter sprit tied off on a cleat below the tack and rolling the mizzen sail a turn or two would be the second step. Given a chance to reef from shore, mizzen in the center step would be the first choice.

Probably harder on the BRS15, Dale. I would not likely try it in rough conditions unless beached. I'd go to the system I tested on the water. If beached, I'd likely go with the middle step. I'm not inclined to go to the extent of having the sails and masts modified as you did, even thought that is clearly a superior system. Just wondering if I can use the existing sheet routing from the middle step. We have some dry weather coming up later in the week, so I may have to get out and test the middle step system to see what adjustments may be needed. Thanks for the input. Ted

My current reefing system involves removing the main sprit, rolling the sail and sailing without the sprit. I have a shorter sprit for the mizzen which can handle two or three rolls. A shorter sprit doesn't work on the main as, using the new snotter attachment below the tack raises the clew too high. Only one trial of this in moderate winds and it seemed to work. I'd like to try the mizzen in the center step, but am wondering if I need to install some new blocks and cleats. The sprit/clew, from that position would be aft of the current main sheet routing and too far forward of the mizzen sheet routing. Thanks