William_H
Well-known member
Reefing
As said forget roller reefing.
Get reefing points put in the sail which does not have them or use the old sail.
Reefing gives you performance comfort and peace of mind when the wind comes up. It is especially good if you are taking out nervous people.
I use a topping lift which is simply a cord from mast top down with a snap shackle to hook onto the boom end. However i use it only when raining and lowering the mainsail. In my case not reefing. I have a system of 2 line reefing , a rope for front and another for back of sail that go to winches on the cabin top. I drop the main halyard about half the amount needed for the reef then tighten the clew line which raises the boom. I then tighten the tack line then lower the halyard the rest of the way and pull in the clew and tack reef lines.
I do this close hauled but not hove too.
However for yourself. You should try the sail with reef points. Do this before departure. Pull the sail up till the tack reefing point is level with the gooseneck. Tie a rope through the eyelet and around the mast then back through the eyelet and around the boom. Pull this as tight as possible.
Now do a similar tie with another rope through the clew (back) eyelet around the boom back through the eyelet then out to the outhaul fitting. Pull this as tight as possible. The bunt of the sail can hang down and hopefully won't annoy you. If there are eyelets midway use these to allow you to use some cord to tie the but up. I find the front of the sail is the only part that matters. The front rope should pull the luff into the line of the luff up the mast and down onto the boom. You then adjust the halyard tension. The tightness of the clkew line dictates the outhaul of the foot of the sail. Tight for stronger winds.
With any slab reefing you will find if you use slugs in the track at the luff you will have to remove the bottom slugs either permanently or temporarily. A bolt rope in the mast is not problem.
If you like reefing and want to be able to do it under way then fit the reefing lines back to the cockpit.
good luck olewill
As said forget roller reefing.
Get reefing points put in the sail which does not have them or use the old sail.
Reefing gives you performance comfort and peace of mind when the wind comes up. It is especially good if you are taking out nervous people.
I use a topping lift which is simply a cord from mast top down with a snap shackle to hook onto the boom end. However i use it only when raining and lowering the mainsail. In my case not reefing. I have a system of 2 line reefing , a rope for front and another for back of sail that go to winches on the cabin top. I drop the main halyard about half the amount needed for the reef then tighten the clew line which raises the boom. I then tighten the tack line then lower the halyard the rest of the way and pull in the clew and tack reef lines.
I do this close hauled but not hove too.
However for yourself. You should try the sail with reef points. Do this before departure. Pull the sail up till the tack reefing point is level with the gooseneck. Tie a rope through the eyelet and around the mast then back through the eyelet and around the boom. Pull this as tight as possible.
Now do a similar tie with another rope through the clew (back) eyelet around the boom back through the eyelet then out to the outhaul fitting. Pull this as tight as possible. The bunt of the sail can hang down and hopefully won't annoy you. If there are eyelets midway use these to allow you to use some cord to tie the but up. I find the front of the sail is the only part that matters. The front rope should pull the luff into the line of the luff up the mast and down onto the boom. You then adjust the halyard tension. The tightness of the clkew line dictates the outhaul of the foot of the sail. Tight for stronger winds.
With any slab reefing you will find if you use slugs in the track at the luff you will have to remove the bottom slugs either permanently or temporarily. A bolt rope in the mast is not problem.
If you like reefing and want to be able to do it under way then fit the reefing lines back to the cockpit.
good luck olewill