Hunter Pilot single line reefing

[ak7274]

A friend is in the Clyde this week with his Pilot and rang me to ask if anyone has actually got their single line reefing working on a Hunter Pilot 27...............and if so .............how?
His is forever jamming up with all the blocks, cleats corners and such like that he always has to go forward to clear it.........Would it be as well to stick to reefing from the mast? HELP HIM Please

 

[Hermit]

Anyone got a feeling of Deja Vu?

 

[Talbot]

I like the Zzpars system , perhaps this will make it clearer:

 

[William_H]

Without criticising Z spar system the beautiful diagram shows up a weakness very nicely in that there is an inability to get sufficient outhaul tension on the sail. This is because one leg of the pull at the gooseneck pulls in fact slightly aft before going into the boom, the other goes straight down, while one leg at the clew pulls straight down with no aft pull component. (The clew end possibly works ok because the net pull is 45 degrees.)
I would advocate that at the clew both ropes pull from coresponding points each side of the boom (pulley and becket [tail attachment]) which are correctly sited to give a pull equally aft and down.
This pulley and becket can be on a track to permit adjustment. (with the tail running under the boom to the pulley)

likewise the pull at the gooseneck needs to be both ropes from a point forward and down from the tack eyelet. This should firmly pull the eyelet in line with the luff of the sail to avoid wrinkles and it should hold the tack down against the powerful halyard tension you need in strong winds.
To acheive this I believe the pulley and becket should be mounted on the mast forward and below the gooseneck. (one each side)

Which brings me to my last point that 2 line reefing is simpler and permits more tension and the option to bring the 2 different lines down at different rates.

ie I usually drop the halyard about half way. pull down the tack line then pull on the clew line to lift the boom then do the whole process again to finish the reef. All without need of the toping lift.

Just keep experimenting.............olewill

 

[blackbeard]

Yes, do a search on single line reefing and you get plenty of information.
Friction is your foe. On my Hunter 245 the lines supplied were too heavy and have been replaced by much lighter kevlar ones. Also I have put small lightweight ball-bearing blocks on the cringles in the luff. System is now far from perfect but is usable, and it's really useful being able to reef easily from the cockpit.

 

[steve_cronin]

On our last boat, a hunter 30, we changed the oversized reefing lines for 8mm and this had a marked effect. The simple Hunter system is too blighted by excess friction as well as not having the in-boom shuttle of other systems.

Steve Cronin

 

[fastjedi]

Converted mine back to a conventional system after it pinched the mail sail ..... the single line reefing system is more trouble that it is worth IMHO. Now I don't have to spend time on the deck pulling and tugging bits of reefing line. I used reef 1 line for reef 2 and bought a new shorter reef 1 ... so I can convert back (unlikely)

 

[ditchcrawler]

I have a Pilot & the reefing system works OK.I can pull the tack down by hand & the last bit of the clew needs the winch( I have a 16 self tailer instead of the little 6 provided on standard boats).It is important to have no pressure on the mainsheet & the end of the boom must be lifted well up from the horizontal with the topping lift or a rod kicker to ease the pressure on the leach of the sail.You may find that shaking out the reef is harder & I usually have to haul the reefing lines out from the end of the boom when hauling the main all the way up .Some boats have blocks fitted at the cringles,either the flat type sewn to the sail.or via a line attached through the cringle.