I'm Sorry, I Haven't A Clew Outhaul

[JumbleDuck]

I have started using my lovely new mainsail from Nicolson Hughes and I have realised that I really need to sort out my clew outhaul, because I haven't got one and the wee bit of rope I used before just doesn't tension the foot enough.

It's a Proctor boom; the end fitting has a a cast loop used for the topping lift and three sheaves of which two are used for the first slab reefing line (one pulley is missing) and one is therefore free. Here's a picture - I'd like to be able to get the clew half way from the position shown to the black band:

I could lash it with lots of turns of light line, but it would be a pain to release the tension, which I understand sails like when going downwind and resting. Small block-and-tackle arrangement using mini blocks, one with a jammer? Something bigger with a camcleat on the boom?

Any advice would be very welcome.

 

[Pye_End]

The original set-up was for centre one as an outhaul, one next to it for first reef, and the other side for second reef.

Why have you got two for one reef?

 

[Javelin]

I'd lash it.
You don't need many turns, if you used 4mm dyneema you would only need a couple of turns for example.
It doesn't need to be tight, just enough so you start to see the formation of a fold in the lower section.
When the sail is up there should be no crease and no play, so just enough.....
You will not gain any significant speed by easing it off the wind, especially on a run where projected area beats shape anyway.
On a reach, if you were racing then you need to back up the slightly eased outhaul with a lot of kickier to power up the leech, which frankly cruising folk don't do.
So lash and forget.

 

[JumbleDuck]

The original set-up was for centre one as an outhaul, one next to it for first reef, and the other side for second reef.

Why have you got two for one reef?

I have three reefs.

For the first one the reefing line (blue in the picture) come out the centre top sheave, through the cringle and back to the port top sheave slot (pulley missing) where it is tied around the axle. For the second reef the line (green in the picture) comes out of the starboard side sheave, forward along the boom to a fitting in the side slot, up to the cringle and down to the boom, where it is tied to a loop underneath. Third reef is the same as the second, but starts on the port side.

It sounds to me as if mine has been modified when a third reef was added. Running another line inside the boom for an outhaul isn't really on, as there are only three clutches at the tack end and they are all occupied by reefing lines.

 

[lampshuk]

I have exactly the same problem. Permanent lashing isn't a solution, since I want to be able to take tension out of the sail when stowed. I have tried using the centre reef line rolling-hitched to a strop to tension the foot, then made the foot fast on a short line to the boom-end, but it's a right faff, and a dog's breakfast on my boom, which doesn't have a nice strong cast backet like yours, JD, just what looks like a Coke can ring-pull riveted to the boom-end.

This evening I gave up and re-purposed the 3rd reef as outhaul. Worked fine, but not a sound general purpose solution.

I was considering moving the 3rd reef to an external line led forward on a block on the outside of the boom, rather than on an internal sheave, leaving the central sheave (sheaf?) for the unreefed outhaul. Rather an expensive solution.

So: no bright ideas yet.

 

[William_H]

On my little boat which I like to race I use a line that comes from a saddle on top of the boom through the eyelet then back to a sheave then down the inside of the boom to a sheave under the boom at the gooseneck down to another turning block and so back to winch /cleats on cabin top. I find there is a fair bit of friction such that after winching on I can move the line to a cleat. Not so easy to reduce out haul and often takes a bit of a tug at the clew.
I appreciate you do not want anything so complex. However I have a big main sail fractional rig and don't like to lean out stand up to work on boom end when sailing. Which is the only other option.
You should try the lashing method as easy to fit and remove if you don't like it. Or replace the sheave that is missing and take a line back to a horn cleat near the gooseneck again using the eyelet as a pulley to get a 2 part purchase. good luck olewill

 

[Robin]

lash it using multiple turns as the 'purchase', Dyneema being stronger needs less for strength but you need the turns for the mechanical advantage to tension. As others say only enough tension required for a light wind setting of no small vertical creases in the foot .When the first reef goes in you can flatten harder with that if you want, no need to change the basic outhaul. My last UK boat had 3 reefs plus a flattener reef and we used a simple lashing for the basic outhaul, the flattener outhaul end ( without pulling down the Cunningham ( tack end) could be used for tensioning the foot without reefing to first slab if we wanted, but rarely did unless racing seriously. Apologies for poor explanation...

 

[Topcat47]

I was taught to re-run the first reefing pennant if it was necessary to drop reduce sail further than the second reef. My current boom has space for a fourth pulley in the casting but only two pennants and the clew outhaul.

 

[lw395]

Some sails respond well to adjusting the outhaul.
Some will not look right in a breeze if the outhaul is set for light airs or v/v.
Some sails will hoist or drop a lot easier if the outhaul is eased a little first.
I'd try a tackle of around 8:1, not just because there is tension needed, and there will be friction when the leach is tight, but also to give fine control.
A cascade of blocks is the most economical. Or using whatever is in the spares box!

Being able to ease the outhaul from its close hauled setting, to get a fuller main, makes a real difference in choppy conditions when you are a few degrees off closehauled. Beating in chop when we are not overpowered, we normally crack the outhaul a bit.
Downwind we will ease so the middle of the foot is about 6 inches from the boom.

OTOH, some sails only really set at one outhaul setting and once you've found that setting you may as well lash it. You will depend on a flattening reef in a breeze or just reef early.
How is the sail made? Looks to have a bolt rope for the foot, but with a slider to take the main load. If there is a 'shelf' of lighter fabric right above the boom, it's intended to have the outhaul eased off wind.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

For thos e of you who mentioned above that you are missing a pulley (sheave) from the end of the boom. These are easily obtainable and easy to replace. On Z-Spars booms, if you insert a big screwdriver forward of the line of sheaves you can lever them loose. I don't know about other brands.
They are obtainable over the counter or on order from good chandeleries. Below is a link for Z-Spars online shop, which does'nt work very well and usually requires an email or phone call to place an order
www.zsparsuk.com/online-store

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I was taught to re-run the first reefing pennant if it was necessary to drop reduce sail further than the second reef. My current boom has space for a fourth pulley in the casting but only two pennants and the clew outhaul.

+1 for re-rigging all the reefing pendants when (or before!) pulling down a third reef.
I have yet to get around to it myself, but I have heard it suggested that one should leave a light line permanently rigged from the boom-end, through the 3rd reef cringle and back to the boom-end, to make it easier to get one of the reefing pendants re-rigged. It does away with the problem of having to work with violently flapping sailcloth

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Some sails respond well to adjusting the outhaul.
Some will not look right in a breeze if the outhaul is set for light airs or v/v.
Some sails will hoist or drop a lot easier if the outhaul is eased a little first.
I'd try a tackle of around 8:1, not just because there is tension needed, and there will be friction when the leach is tight, but also to give fine control.
A cascade of blocks is the most economical. Or using whatever is in the spares box!

Being able to ease the outhaul from its close hauled setting, to get a fuller main, makes a real difference in choppy conditions when you are a few degrees off closehauled. Beating in chop when we are not overpowered, we normally crack the outhaul a bit.
Downwind we will ease so the middle of the foot is about 6 inches from the boom.

OTOH, some sails only really set at one outhaul setting and once you've found that setting you may as well lash it. You will depend on a flattening reef in a breeze or just reef early.
How is the sail made? Looks to have a bolt rope for the foot, but with a slider to take the main load. If there is a 'shelf' of lighter fabric right above the boom, it's intended to have the outhaul eased off wind.

I was taught to always ease the outhaul when reefing, otherwise the tension in the sail will make it very difficult if not impossible to raise the sail.

 

[Major_Clanger]

I was taught to re-run the first reefing pennant if it was necessary to drop reduce sail further than the second reef. My current boom has space for a fourth pulley in the casting but only two pennants and the clew outhaul.

If it's blowy enough to tuck in a 3rd reef, that's exactly the time NOT to be messing about at the end of the boom IMO, especially if a crew member has to go out there!

As others have suggested, I'd use a Dyneema lashing with multiple turns to provide power. Easy enough to let-go when stowed, it's only a rolling hitch keeping it tight.

Great title BTW!

 

[lampshuk]

Not wanting to speak for JumbleDuck, but for my case none of these solutions work.

If you use a simple lashing across the boom, how do you apply tension in the foot? It's fiddly at best.
In my case there's insufficient room to use a miniature "handy-billy" (little willy?) to apply tension before lashing. I do use one of these on the jib, using it to tension on unfurling, then lashing the tack to the roller fitting.
There's too much friction to just use a 6-way lashing to the boom end, plus it can foul the pennants on their sheaves (again, more an issue for my setup than JD's, I suspect).
Perhaps a couple of low-friction rings plus slippery un-sheathed dyneema would be small enough in JD's case.

If you have a new sail and want it to keep some shape for a while it's best (or at least: I prefer) to let it off when not sailing, so this isn't a "fix-it-once-for-the-season" job.

I hate the idea of re-reaving a pennant to get the 3rd reef. Even with a pre-fed line you're going to be faffing about for what will feel like a loooong time. I suppose it should be possible to plan your outhaul/pennant portfolio for the day/trip, but things can change so fast ... having said that, this is exactly what I have done for the moment, having given up on an elegant boom-end solution.

I haven't lost the 4th sheave. It was never there.

So I come back to the idea of either replacing my boom with a 4-sheave one (ridiculous) or fitting an external sheave for one of the reefs.

 

[bedouin]

On what proportion of your trips do you find yourself using both 1st and 3rd reefs?

The idea of switching two reefing penants betweel 3 reefing points is pretty common in my experience. It is a pretty simple operation that can usually be done from the safety of the cockpit. When conditions worsen to the extent that you put in the second reef it is the work of a moment to swap the former 1st reef to the 3rd reef point

 

[JumbleDuck]

+1 for re-rigging all the reefing pendants when (or before!) pulling down a third reef.

I'd prefer to leave the reefing lines as they are, because I like the convenience of having them in place ... a time when I need the third reef is probably not a time when I'd want to be faffing about trying to rerun ropes.

I was taught to always ease the outhaul when reefing, otherwise the tension in the sail will make it very difficult if not impossible to raise the sail.

I need to learn more about sail trim, I can see, because this new sail is going to repay intelligent adjustment a lot more than the old one did.

 

[JumbleDuck]

As others have suggested, I'd use a Dyneema lashing with multiple turns to provide power. Easy enough to let-go when stowed, it's only a rolling hitch keeping it tight.

That's looking like a definite possibility ... but where to attach it to the boom? The casting to which the topping lift is attached is quite sharp edged and I'm a wee bit wary in any case of loading it even more than it is. It may well have to be that, of course.

Great title BTW!

Thank you!

 

[Pye_End]

It sounds to me as if mine has been modified when a third reef was added. Running another line inside the boom for an outhaul isn't really on, as there are only three clutches at the tack end and they are all occupied by reefing lines.

Almost certainly. I added an external reefing line for a 3rd reef. All it needs is a block or thimble, and a cleat at the mast end, perhaps a boom bail if there isn't already one in the right place.

 

[JumbleDuck]

In my case there's insufficient room to use a miniature "handy-billy" (little willy?) to apply tension before lashing. I do use one of these on the jib, using it to tension on unfurling, then lashing the tack to the roller fitting.

If it wasn't for my doubts about loading the end fitting more (quite possibly unnecessary doubts) I would rather like the idea of a small purchase, perhaps ending with a (cam)cleat on the boom. I think there would be room, just.

 

[JumbleDuck]

The idea of switching two reefing penants betweel 3 reefing points is pretty common in my experience. It is a pretty simple operation that can usually be done from the safety of the cockpit. When conditions worsen to the extent that you put in the second reef it is the work of a moment to swap the former 1st reef to the 3rd reef point

My first reef comes out of the top of the end fitting, goes through the sail and heads back to the end fitting. My third reef comes out of the side of the end fitting, forward to a turning piece, up through the sail and down to the underside of the boom. Using the first for the third would be a pain, particularly with the second reefed sail in the way.