Reefing lines

[capt jake]

Saw this on another board and though I would pose this question here. A simple line that dangles through the grommet, ad use it when needed???

Thoughts?

http://media5.hypernet.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=009462

[Ken]

Ray -

Being a guy - and most of us guys are visual - pics of that reefing would be great!

Ken

[Dave R1]

Jake, I have those on my main. As Todd Bradshaw indicated, mine are inserted in the the grommet with an overhand knot on each sideof the sail. They are tied around the foot of the sail not the boom with a reef knot (also known as a square knot).

Actually, I removed mine last fall and need to reinstall them if the wind would ever quit so I can hoist the sail while the boat is on the trailer.

Ken, Jiffy reefing is neat. Gives you a single line to tug and cleat but I decided that I already have enough lines to deal with and these little reef pennants are easy enough to deal with.

The following is from a Catalina 25 manual. It shows the rigging of the jiffy reefing system. The lines numbered 5 and 4 pass through their respective reef cringles and belay to the boom. I've seen setups in which a single line is used. The forward end belays to a cleat on the mast or maybe to an eye. (Or on the boom.) The line is lead up through the forward reef cringle down to a cheek block on the boom. From there the line goes aft along the boom to a cheek bkock set slightly aft of the aft reef cringle. The line goes up through the aft cringle and then contines as no. 5 in the drawing to a cleat.

Sorry about the size

[Steve Day]

And, if you have a cruising boat out on blue water, you might even have all of that led back to the cockpit to keep you off the weather deck while you are at sea.

I have two sets of jiffy reefs on "Day's Dream" for the racing sail which are both led to the cockpit. Really cool, and probably needed, but we have not flown the racing main yet and probably won't until we take the boat off charter. The previous owner rigged the boat for offshore racing and put a lot of "bells and whistles" on her. Great stuff, but not what you want to have a bare boat charterer messing with.

Steve

[capt jake]

Being as it is extremely windy here today...

Jake, I have those on my main. As Todd Bradshaw indicated, mine are inserted in the the grommet with an overhand knot on each sideof the sail. They are tied around the foot of the sail not the boom with a reef knot (also known as a square knot).

Actually, I removed mine last fall and need to reinstall them if the wind would ever quit so I can hoist the sail while the boat is on the trailer.

So a simple line through each point, is the line knoted closely to keep it in place, or at the end of each line??

Probably a line at the Tack and Clew are in order also....?

[Barry Pyeatt]

Have you looked at how Phil Gowen has rigged his with his loose footed main?

Pretty simple, effective and easy to use.

www.pragdata.com

[capt jake]

I like Phil's set-up; as there are multiple reef points, how is the whole thing rigged up?? I can understand the two photos there on Phil's site, but the other points in the middle???

[Phil Gowans]

I have a line at the luff of the main and one on the leech which runs up through a grommet and back down that I draw down and tie off. As Ray mentioned some use a hook at the luff to hold the grommet down. I have not needed to reef very often, so I'm not too practiced at it. In fact I have only done it once with my new loose footed sail. I don't even have any pictures (if you can imagine that :roll: ). I still need a better way to tie off the lines fore and aft. A couple of weeks ago I was out in gusts of up to 30 kts. It was rather exciting. I waited a bit long to reef, but I was amazed at how well ALOHA handeled the high winds once I reefed. The steering came back, and I was able to sail much more upright and under control. Everybody ought to have a way to reef your main.

Here's a picture of tying off the reef points in the middle. This is with my old sail that was laced to the boom. I kind of roll up the sail and tie it. These are slippery reef knots. The same procedure is done with a loose footed sail. This leaves the sail still loose footed. The reef points just keep the sail out of the way.

[capt jake]

OK, I think I follow; one line at each 'point'. The fore and aft are handled in the pictures on your site (with the block and the wooden blocks) while the 'middle' ones are simply tied off.

Paraphrasing, but am I close??

[capt jake]

OK, I have copied Phil's idea and have it installed at teh gooseneck. Now, unfortunately, i don't have full range of motion side to side with the boom because of interference with the little wooden block.

Thoughts? Is it really a concern? I could get longer eye bolts and shim it, but then all of the mast hoops will need to be extended as well. :?

[capt jake]

Well, I re-drilled the holes and placed it about 2" aft. Not perfect, but pretty durned close.

I have all of the lines placed in the grommets and knoted on either side. Left enought to tie off in the event that I really need to reef.

now I really need to go sailing again!!

[Tidmarsh]

Here's another description of a simple jiffy reefing system from Jim Michalak (it describes a lug sail, but would work for a gaff as well):

http://marina.fortunecity.com/breakwater/274/2000/0615/

[capt jake]

Thanks, that is a great description. Very nice diagrams also help out in understanding the rigging.