Best way to mark halyards for reefing

[Steve W]

I've tried using a sharpie, but it hasn't lasted. I'd like to pre-mark the main and mizzen to good spots to make reefing quicker. Anyone have a long term solution. This is thin line, either 1/4" or 3/16" and is white with black flecks.

[Captain Tim]

Sew a colored thread into the line (halyard) you need marked.

[Jknight611]

Agree on sewing colored twine ( I snagged some colored tracer twine from an old halyard),  that has worked fine for us.  1 stripe for 1 reef, and well you can see the pattern…..

[Pete McCrary]

Use “rigging tape” of different colors.  You can buy a set of red, green, blue, and white.  1/2” wide.  Use same color on all lines: reefing luff, reefing leech, halyard & throat, and snotter/out-haul.  Use different color for shallow, deep, and extreme reefing.  On my Chessie I used red for the deep reef and green for shallow and blue (indicating “sky high”), meaning no reefing at all.  I wrapped the lines just a couple of inches short of the cleating spot so as to avoid the cleat chaffing the tape.

 

Occasional inspection gives warning as to wear and tear.  Get the sequencing right for releasing each line and setting/trimming in the final steps — and it works like a charm.  See Chessie’s Owners Manual (Part 2, page 14 — the paragraphs on reefing) on her build.

 

 

[Peter HK]

I’ve found paint lasts years and is simple to apply.

Cheers

Peter HK

[Paul356]

Thread, or thread/twine wrapped around the halyard a couple times, then sewn back thru and trimmed, kind of like a whipping.