reefing without using the cringle at the tack?

[PhillM]

So I still don't have an autopilot on Swift so holding her on any course while I go forward simply does not work. I will resolve this for next season but for now I am living with what I have (or in this case haven't got).

Reefing is a worry as I do not feel confident going to the mast in an uncontrolled boat. However, the previous owner tied in ropes (Pennants?) into each of the reefing points down the length of the mainsail. So I can tie in the leech and the other four so that the main is secured down the whole length of the foot..

What do you think of using that as an emergency measure if I get caught out? What do you think are the chances of tearing the sail? All the holes are reinforced but obviously not as strong as the one at the tack.

 

[Kelpie]

Not a great idea IMHO. A badly set reef without good tension in the right places is not going to doing you any good. You'd be better off just dropping it and motoring.

You may find the boat will lie ahull quite happily, or you could heave to. Or fully drop the main, put in the reef properly, and then re-hoist.

It may also be possible to install a down-haul on the tack, and lead that aft.

 

[PhillM]

Thanks Kellie. Hmm that is what I thought. I will be installing a reefing line at the tack over the winter but was just mulling short term potentially solutions. I am playing with hove-too as that’s my preferred solution to most “oh 5jit I need to …” but not yet confident, so that’s another thing I will be playing with next weekend.

 

[Frogmogman]

Or it may be possible to convert your boat to single line reefing (depending on the boom).

 

[KevinV]

What size boat are you? My littlie has a really simple system of one turning block (either side) on the gooseneck, a couple of fairleads along the boom, and a jamming cleat either side to give two reefs without leaving the cockpit. Centre the boom solid and it works really well. Easy peasy to DIY for experimenting too (assuming your halyard does come back to the cockpit)

 

[Poignard]

Have you thought of heaving-to to reef?

 

[PhillM]

What size boat are you? My littlie has a really simple system of one turning block (either side) on the gooseneck, a couple of fairleads along the boom, and a jamming cleat either side to give two reefs without leaving the cockpit. Centre the boom solid and it works really well. Easy peasy to DIY for experimenting too (assuming your halyard does come back to the cockpit)

21 foot so easy to handle. Agreed that it will be fairly simple to solve but just trying to get to the end of the season without more jobs to do!

 

[PhillM]

Have you thought of heaving-to to reef?

Yes…. But busy Solent and not always not much sea-room. Then along comes a mobo … see the other thread re the Hamble

 

[Poignard]

Yes…. But busy Solent and not always not much sea-room. Then along comes a mobo … see the other thread re the Hamble

But when you are hove-to your speed drops to a knot or so and you don't need much room, and, if you are on the starboard tack, you are the stand-on vessel.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Heaving to would also be my suggestion. Unless you are actually racing, tying in the reef safely holds priority over velocity made good.
While hove-to your sail will be head-to-wind and not under load, and the boat will be very stable.
Regarding the "reefing lines", these are meant to only fitted to loose-footed sails, so that they can be tied under the foot of the sail to tidy up the bunt of reefed sail. They must never be tied under the boom, because, if for any reason the the reefing point (new clew) comes loose from the ramshorn, or whatever it is attached to, your sail will immediately rip. I've seen it happen!
Generally, if conditions require a sail to be reefed, it should be trimmed with a good deal of halyard tension, and the reefing line at the leech should be holding the cringle right down to the boom and applying plenty of rearward tension on the foot, so that it is flattened as much as possible.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

But when you are reefed your speed drops to a knot or so and you don't need much room, and, if you are on the starboard tack, you are the stand-on vessel.

If a boat needs to be reefed it will normally make better speed once the reef has been tied in.
A boat that is hove-to will fore-reach at about half a knot. It will not have gone very far by the time the reefing has been completed, which should only take about 60 seconds.

 

[Poignard]

If a boat needs to be reefed it will normally make better speed once the reef has been tied in.

Sorry. A typo!

I meant to say hove-to, not reefed. Please see my corrected post. (#9)

 

[Supertramp]

You really need to find a way to heave to or stop the boat. And rig a line and block to secure the tack from the cockpit within tiller reach. From one bulls horn, through the reefing tack and back via the other horn or mast base. Don't ask how I know but being on deck on a small boat in reefing weather as it does an uncontrolled gybe is over exciting.

I used to set the helm slightly to leeward held with bungees, ease the jib, let the main flap but it wasn't foolproof.

Strangely a larger (long keel) yacht is much easier despite the larger sails, even without autopilot.

 

[Stemar]

Worst case, could you tie off the tiller and start the engine to keep head to wind while you go to the mast? Heaving to, if the boat allows - some don't like it - would be my preferred option too, but lines aft so you can do it all from the cockpit would be the best solution long-term. Doesn't matter what kind of boom you've got, you can always fit cheek blocks in the appropriate places and run the lines along the side of the boom. I did that on my Snapdragon and it transformed reefing, which meant I didn't put it off until I had to, making things worse. It also kept the Admiral happier than watching me at the mast while the boat was leaping around.

 

[PhillM]

Thanks all. Agreed with all comments. Hove to while going to the mast for now and sort lines so I can do it all from the cockpit, over the winter.

 

[Biggles Wader]

If you are single handing a boat that doesnt steer itself under sail you really need a tiller pilot in order to safely carry out any function on the boat. Including bodily ones.

 

[steveeasy]

Recon that’s the way to go. I got caught out 5 miles of Portland bill, decided not to reef and an hour later it was way too late. Turned in to wind and it’s was utter chaos.

Hove too and you won’t have that problem. It’s a must actually that I need to practice.
Bought my st 1000 second hand and simply could not cope without it. Use it up and down river for getting fenders and sorting the main out. Oh and cooking.
Steveeasy

 

[PhillM]

If you are single handing a boat that doesnt steer itself under sail you really need a tiller pilot in order to safely carry out any function on the boat. Including bodily ones.

I do have for one and a seafeather wind vane too…. But I need to find the time to fit them. That’s a September / winter project. Meantime looking at short term options.

 

[Never Grumble]

Yes…. But busy Solent and not always not much sea-room. Then along comes a mobo … see the other thread re the Hamble

But when its windy and you need to reef those mobos are all tied up alongside sheltering from the conditions

 

[dunedin]

As others have said, a simple rope to pull down the tack should be easy to setup.

The other reef pennants between the tack and the clew can probably be ignored / dispensed with to make things easier.