Can't reef won't reef

[dralex]

Re: The real problem is not the reefing gear

Definately agree with your last paragraph. We're lucky on our boat and can carry full rig up to about 22knots true for close hauled work. Our boat has single line reefing with large blocks and also dyneema to reduce friction further. It works a treat, even in a blow. this is definately the way forwards as I know that I can put a reef in single handed even when things are getting pretty windy. I also think that some people just don't know that reefing will often make the boat sail faster or more efficiently and struggle on being uncomfortable and fighting a demon wheel.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now.

 

[Robin]

Re: The real problem is not the reefing gear

We too often take a lazy option downwind/broad reach of just using the roller genoa unless the wind is really light and even then have used just the asymetric, it avoids the mainsail blanketing the foresail and having to rig the pole and preventers. We crossed from Cherbourg to Poole (60mls) last year with the genny only in 8hrs 20mins so it works well! I wouldn't chose to go genoa only though with a head wind of any strength because I think it puts too much uneven loading on the rig as well as a lot of load on the sail itself which would be reefed down smaller of course if the main were up.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[Robin]

Re: The real problem is not the reefing gear

Initially our clew reef lines were a bit too big so we swapped down a size. The problem was with the un-reefing rather than reefing, now it is fine, all our blocks are roller bearing ones too. There is a nice new French widget sold in the UK through Plastimo which is a roller fairlead that fits into the clew reef cringles which I will probably buy if I see one for sale when we are over there. It is in two parts which screw together from either side of the clew eye and put a roller at the right angle in the eye itself to reduce friction even more.



<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[Robin]

Re: The real problem is not the reefing gear

Other than (on one of our triangular sails of course) the poor set reefed, the through mast roller reefing gears worked very well, even with one of those horseshoe thingies round the boom for the kicker, made for easy stowing too. Still see it in use on Contessas and others.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[dralex]

Re: The real problem is not the reefing gear

We have a similar system already stitched into the main. I think I've said in other posts, but I've just replaced my main halyard with dyneema and this was used in anger for reefing a couple of weekends ago. I knew it was going to make a difference to the reefed main, but was pleasantly surprised at how much. Very easy to get the right luff tension now with no sagging as the wind increases now- it also makes the main drop very easily with no hauling at the mast at all. I think there is a huge advantage in using stronger but thinner lines for running rigging on cruising boats as everthing just becomes easier and more pleasant to undertake. the only downside is the expense and also trashed hands.



<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now.

 

[Mirelle]

The abominable claw ring...

is a huge drawback to this system on triangular sails. On four sided sails, which don't need a kicker and which don't suffer boom droop, it's brilliant. I can put a reef in, from leaving the cockpit to sitting down again, in two minutes, quite routinely.

I like having reef points on the staysail, though. It is not a lot of work to put a reef in, the sail still sets nicely and there is no soggy pile of sails down below! Well, a much smaller pile, in our case, as we have a Wykeham Martin roller furling gear on the jib - roll jib, unclip, dump the sausage, clip on small jib, unroll... Used to have three sizes of jib, but concluded that two are enough.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?