How to rig Reefing Lines

[asj1]

I have forgotten how to do it, but I am sure Forum members can help !

I need to put back in place all the running rigging for my Fulmar, but just can't remember how the reefing lines go back together ( I removed them last year and replaced with mousing lines for the re-fit).

My problem is that, unlike the another boat I am familiar with, there is no point to tie the reefing line to on the boom, therefore what do I with this end of the reefing line. Presumably ... out of the end of the boom, up to the reefing point in the mainsail... then where?

Hope you can all help , well one or two of you anyway.

Regards

Andrew

 

[Johnjo]

I have mine tied around the boom itself as i have no attachment points strong enough...

 

[Neil_M]

Not familiar with the boom on the Fulmar, but the lines on mine go from jammers by the mast through the boom, out the end, up through reef points on the leech & then down to sliders in the track under the boom, where they're knotted off.

Need to get the right combination of pull out & down for a good flat sail shape when reefed - mine works well.

See you out on the river when you're rigged!

 

[GeoffW]

The Westerly owners manual for the konsort shows the lines tied off around the boom.

 

[jerryat]

HI asj1,

Neil_M is right if you have the sliders, that are normally fitted along both sides of the boom for the purpose of tying off the reefing line ends. If your boom does not have these (as implied in your post) it is almost certain that apertures (slots) will have been formed in the foot of your mainsail in the appropriate places.

In the absence of sliders then, the reefing lines are taken (as described by Neil) round underneath the boom, through these slots, and are tied to themselves. This is not as good as having the proper sliders (which enable you to place the 'pull' in the optimum position) but is a standard way of dealing with reef-lines.

Interestingly, the North main for my Fulmar was made with these slots in the foot, even though I hadn't specified them. When I queried this, they said they always did it for use as a fall-back in an emergency. Made a lot of sense to me!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hope this helps

Cheers Jerry

 

[john_morris_uk]

How you tie them round the boom as also critical.

IMHO the best way is for the reefing line to go through the reef point, down round the boom and then tied back on itself with a bowline. In other words, the bowline doesn't go round the boom, but goes round the reefing line itself. This makes the whole attachment to the boom able to slip and take up its most advantageous place on the boom as the reef is pulled in. It also means that the reef can be pulled in properly. The reefing line should be pulling down and back at the same time to reduce the sail area and flatten it.

Hope this makes sense - much easier to demonstrate than explain.

 

[jonjo]

I understand the bit about allowing the reefing line to take up the best location on the boom but I think a fixed bowline around the boom would be the answer? You seem to be recommending a noose arrangement that could bind to the boom too early in the wrong location.

 

[john_morris_uk]

In practice it doesn't bind to the boom. The problem with putting a bowline round the boom is that you can never wind the reef in tight enough. Occasionally you have to give it a bit op encouragement to slide into the right place (you certainly don't want it forward of the reefing point).

You can take you pick, but (IHMO) I know which one I use.

 

[jonjo]

[ QUOTE ]
The problem with putting a bowline round the boom is that you can never wind the reef in tight enough.

[/ QUOTE ]
Got it, in sync with your views on this now.

Not on my boat this weekend but you have got me wondering what technique the agent used when rigging my loose footed main, I have yet to put in a reef.

 

[Swagman]

I've tried to find this tip elsewhere on the web - but can't - so maybe I've been wrongly advised?

But I was always taught one should not use a knot to hold in a reefing line, as even with a bowline under serious pressure, any knot can bind up and be hard to work loose.

The hitch shown to me years ago has one turning the bitter end around the boom two / three times (not too tightly) then continuing around with the bitter end winding it around the combined turns - ie between the turns and the boom.

This has worked for me but if the logic can be faulted, I'd like to be corrected.

Regards
JOHN