in cockpit reefing - straw poll for single line or seperate lines

[Seajet]

I always specify 3 reefs on mains.

Ball bearing blocks throughout for low friction and separate luff & leech reefing lines for reefs 1,2,3, but I have to transfer reef 1 lines to 3 to fit the ball bearing 4 lines a side deck organisers if things are really looking hairy; transferring is quick and easier than it sounds and I've rarely used the second reef so far in 36 years but it's nice to know the 3rd is there.

Even with ball bearing blocks and / or winches I don't think a single line system would give the sail set I wish for in such tough conditions.

 

[charles_reed]

My experience, with an oversize FB (32m2) main on a lightweight (3K kg) 3/4 rigged boat, has been:-

I definitely need all 4 reefs, though the boom was only set up for 3 conventional jiffy reefs.

The first two are single line reefs. I'd support the advice to only use low-friction blocks - I used the largest of the then Carboblock range the 40mm with textile lashings on luff and leach. They were at the limit of their performance envelope, but I had a lot of advice and support from Harken US and they subsequently published the system on their website. The Carboblock range have been extended (see here http://www.harken.co.uk/productcategory.aspx?taxid=415). I used the same blocks in cheek form. The first reef was an external one, on the side of the boom. The cheek blocks were fixed with class-filled epoxy, to level and bond, and self tappers for preliminary fixing.
The 2nd reef, running through the boom on the original leech line, is considerably inferior and more difficult to use than the 1st external one. Proving that the main enemy of single-line reefing is frictional loss, hence thin lines all ball-bearing blocks.
IMHO more than two single-line reefs are almost impossible due to the sheer volume of string you end up in the cockpit, with any reasonable-sized sails. All my reef lines have been reduced to 8mm UHDPE, about the lower limit for handling. The last two reefs are conventional jiffy. The biggest problem with putting them in is getting the luff of the main down to the ram's horn. Handling by a 10 self-tailer on the mast and all single lines back to the cockpit handled by 2-speed size 34 self-tailers on the cabin top.
It has worked well for 15 years and about 20K nm single-hamding around the Med

 

[niccapotamus]

Really really helpful, thanks. I'll print this thread soon and keep it in my boat file. might come in handy at the boat jumble