New sails ..... reefing system.... boom...et al

We're going for single line reefing sometime soon and have a Z Spars boom which can be converted (most types can be the Skipper tells me) quite cheaply with a kit for single line reefing without the need to buy a new one....don't suppose yours is made by them issit?
 
Jimi, we can't all own Contessas, and it would be a very boring world if we did. Variety is the spice of life, and all that.
 
Re: Seeing as I hate to spend money unnecessarily...

Agree, that's the system I've got. Three slabs plus luff Cunningham means 7 strings back to the cockpit but it's not as bad as it sounds. I too have left the hooks at the gooseneck "just in case" and meanwhile they provide convenient turning points for the slack reefing lines when tucking them along the stowed sail.
 
We only bring the halyard back to the cockpit, the rest are at the mast. Hate all the cockpit clutter of a zillion lines.

halyard is marked at each reef point with coloured whipping so person in cockpit can drop to the correct point.
 
Sorry big boy, did'nt mean to offend you. But surely its unrealistic expect any boat you are on to be competitive? Have you thought about applying for the personal handicap given in special circumstances for the seriously overweight?
 
Nick,

Let off mainsheet, let off kicker.
Drop main halyard sufficiently (pre-mark it to show various reef points if you're fussy)
Go to mast, hook luff reef point to horn.
Return to cockpit, wind up main halyard.*
Return to mast, wind in reef pennant
Return to cockpit, harden mainsheet, reset kicker.

If you think that sounds like a lorra walking, it is. I reckon it makes more sense to have everything except mainsheet available at the mast (and less friction as well).

PS, if it's a bit boisterous, you can do all this while hove-to.

(oh, and hook on your lifeline while your at it.)

*good odds the luff cringle will have fallen off the hook by the time you get back to cockpit - might be worth adding a mast jammer on the main halyard so you can tweak it down by hand before returning to the cockpit and wenching. Oh and 'spectacles', rather than plain cringles, are easier to hook on.
 
Agree with Tome, slab reefing mainsail, stackpack, 3rd reefing point as sods law when you might need it you'll be kicking yourself that you never had it in the 1st place, hooks at the goose-neck and Cunningham etc, Option 2 definitely

What about having the 1st reefing line at the mast and then 2nd + 3rd leading back into the cockpit?
Just a thought cos if the weather did take a turn for the worst at least you are not going forward on a 'rocking and rolling' deck no doubt someone will say why this isn't possible.

Just rereading your prices to save £900 couldn't those that like verbally abusing you - maybe give you a hand in taking the old system off. I am thinking of the 'neighbour from hell' in this instance, that might keep him quiet and if there were dramas then we would be able to read all about it afterwards??? and view the photos that you will take of the event...................

Ducking...........
 
No, I can put the reef in solo. As Ken suggests, I have a second clutch for the main halyard at the mast which allows me to harden up enough to stop the spectacles dropping off the horn.

The only change I'd make is to perhaps bring the topping lift back to the cockpit- it's on the mast.

And you'd probably want some sodding great granny bars.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have a second clutch for the main halyard at the mast which allows me to harden up enough to stop the spectacles dropping off the horn.


[/ QUOTE ]

Brings tears to the eyes does that Tome! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

We have big granny bars at the mast and they are superb, very reassuring these days when hoisting the courtesy flag etc. What a wonderful thing it is to have all 3 slab reefs controlled from the safety of the cockpit!

I can sympathise though with someone setting up from an inherited system because we have 2 self tailing winches 14 clutches and colour coded lines with matching organisers and turning blocks, though that includes 2 for staysail/storm jib sheets and one for the genoa reefing. We have a 2-line system with all 3 slab reefs in place ready to be deployed, that way us budding wrinklies can still handle a big fully battened main with turbo boost. I once mentioned in-mast to our sailmaker and he said 'you like to sail too much so not until you are really old enough, the year you buy a mobo will be about right' /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Our topping lift DOESN'T come back to the cockpit but we have a gas kicker. However reefing is easier if the boom is a tad higher than this gives with the mainsheet/kicker just off, so we have a short line through a block on the boom end of the topping lift, taken from the boom end through the block and though a cam cleat on the boom and this is easily reached from the cockpit. Pulling this in about 18" raises the boom to the clew reef height and saves some effort and load on the leech in pulling the reef line in and raising the boom as well. It also raises the boom in harbour a bit more without having to mess with the topping lift which really could be just a fixed line now, other than it is a spare halyard.


Robin
 
I didn't think this thread would come to an end without you making a contribution, Robin! I know it to be one of your favourite subjects.

Not sure I could cope with up to 14 lines in the cockpit - I plan to limit it to 6 if possible. Also your points about the gas kicker support what I have been thinking about for the longer term.

Re granny bars, I thought Tom was using the term as a nickname for Granola energy bars - I prefer good old fashioned chocolate digestives myself!
 
Nick

Well I miscounted! SIX of ours are not needed in your set up (2 staysail/storm jib sheets, 1 roller genoa line, 1 mainsheet and 2 traveller lines) so it is only 8 or 9 with topping lift. Then again the 3 tack reef downhaul lines are under no load when reefing at all since the halyard tension is released first, these three don't need clutches and could just go to normal cleats. The length of line is exactly the same as in a single line system, just that each line is in 2 parts. The advantage IMO is that it is actually much simpler and with much less friction. In our case the clew reef lines run through straight the boom but not via special sliding block systems that attempt to even up the tension, we can run all 3 lines and an outhaul line inside whereas single line systems only usually have room for 2 reefs.

Robin
 
I'm a bit late on this thread as I'm just back from taking Hana to La Rochelle - report hopefully in another thread.

Anyway I was faced with the same problem as you and ended up replacing my sails with a new main and genoa from White Sails in Warsash. The main has 3 short, non-overlapping battens that give the roach, but without the furling difficulties of full length battens. The performance improvement has been dramatic and I'm very happy with the setup. You're welcome to take a look when Hana gets back to the UK, courtesy of a 16 day cruise starting next Saturday.

Richard
 
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