Installing single line reefing ... Questions for the collective

[gregcope]

Hi

I am thinking about fitting single line reefing to reefs one and two. Reef three will remain dual line.

I must credit and thank Vyv Cox for his diagrams and notes (http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Singlelinereefing.aspx). Thanks Vyv!

So ideas;

1. Is it sane for the clew line to be smaller - ie 6 or 8mm? This line will not be handled. I intend to have the tack line as 8 or 10mm as it will be handled / go through a clutch.

2. Would dymema help here by reducing line size and weight?

3. Would a block help at the clew cringle to reduce friction? This does mean I need to adjust the tack cringle knot loop size to ensure their respective heights off the boom are the same, or a soft shackle and soft eye splice.

4. I have taken to whipping markers on lines through clutches to show where they should be set to approximately. In this vein specific knot sizes are required to keep the maker points consistent. Would having a soft eye splice instead of a bowline of the clew line boom attachment be sane?

5. I need to work out how to affix the clew line to the end of the boom, internally, where it comes back from the balance block. Ideas? Present one is a drop nose pin through the boom.

Ta.

 

[sailorman]

what size boat
thinner line chafe through faster

 

[gregcope]

what size boat
thinner line chafe through faster

35ft

Is chafe an issue on single lines compared to dual?

 

[vyv_cox]

8 mm Dyneema seems fine to me, same size boat.

I don't have a block at the clew but my cringle is large and smooth, so I don't find friction there to be a problem. The reality is that in winds that need the sail to be reefed you will always have to winch at the last, so some friction doesn't really matter a lot.

I only have whipped markers on the main halyard, not sure why you would want any others?

The Kemp boom end fitting has holes internally through which my pennants are passed, then stopper knotted.

 

[tawhiri]

I reduced my lines from 10mm to 8mm and have no problems with chafe and much less friction.
My boom is Selden and they have a slightly different set up. The clew is connected to the clutch/winch.
see picture

 

[jakeroyd]

I have a much smaller ZSpars setup on my 25 footer.
Always had major problems with friction until I experimented with blocks to replace the line going through the eyelet at the luff points.
This makes a big difference.
I plan to do the same with the eyelets on the leech

 

[gregcope]

I have a much smaller ZSpars setup on my 25 footer.
Always had major problems with friction until I experimented with blocks to replace the line going through the eyelet at the luff points.
This makes a big difference.
I plan to do the same with the eyelets on the leech

With Vyv's design you do not need luff eyelet blocks as that ends in a knot.