Replace single line reefing?

[beancounter]

Our single-line reefing system has now jammed on a couple of occasions. Apparently, (according to our local riggers) the old boom design (she's a 1989 boat) is not ideal for in-boom SLR, as the little travelling blocks can easily get snarled up on protruberances within the boom.

So, I suggested to them that we go back to straightforward slab reefing - this would simply entail a new boom end with reefing horns, and replacing those lines which cannot be re-used.

An alternate proposal from them was to go for a two line system back to the cockpit. I'd initially vetoed this, as it would involve buying a lot of new hardware (new deck organisers and 2 new clutches). The proposal was, however, to re-use existing hardware by cleating off the topping lift at the mast (we've got a rod kicker, so it doesn't get much use); and to secure the genoa halliard through a clutch on the mast (there's still a winch on the mast to haul it up). Quite clever, ....but I'm not sure.

What does the team think?

 

[Malcb]

My single line reefing system deliberately did away with any blocks in the boom as (the rigger said) they can jam. However with the system on mine you do need to lift the boom on the topping lift first to ensure that the boom end tensioning is done first (if that explains it) before the tack.

 

[MoodySabre]

Have you read the technical article on this on MOA website? Seems not too difficult and users of it seem very happy. I haven't done mine (yet) but it is tempting. Leaving the genoa halyard at the mast seems sensible. I still have a winch there but it is under the boom (for the old reefing method). I'm not sure how I would arrange this as the halyard comes out at the foot of the mast so doesn't line up with the winch. Do you think that I could fit a jammer on the side of the mast and tie the genoa halyard to the main halyard in order to crank it up hard enough?

 

[EdWingfield]

Definately, get rid of it.

My own SLR system was poor. Due to friction losses I could never get good tension at the clew, and therefore the sail shape was always baggy.

After chuntering on for a whole season I've ditched the SLR for a slab system by re-routing the cockpit SLR line to clew only, a dinghy mainsheet type arrangement takes care of the tack. OK, I have to go on deck to carry out a reefing operation, but it's so worth it. You will then have a nice flat aerofoil when you most need it!

 

[William_H]

I have 2 line reefing which works really well. It is just a lot of rope for more than one reefing point.
I have a fixed topping lift just a rope from the mast crane down to the boom end. I remove it and attach to the backstay when the sail is up.
I do not use the topping lift when reefing. By letting the halyard half way down then taking the boom up by tightening the aft reefing line then dropping the halyard down to the reefed setting I can can manage the boom quite easily.

Do not buy those little horns for the tack of the main. A seperate rope system for pulling down the tack is doable from the cockpit and will not inadvertantly disconnect. The trick is to position the rope so that it pulls forward as well as down to hold the tack in close to the mast. ie against the outhaul (reef) pull.

I use bolt rope on the mainsail in the mast track with a feeder so can pull a reef in or out from the cockpit in very short time.

So from here I can't see much additional hardware needed except turning blocks cleats for the additional reefing lines. Horn cleats may suffice for the tack line as you pull it tight by hand then tension up the halyard and the outhaul reef line against it.

good luck give it a go at least on the first reef. olewill

 

[Norman_E]

I converted plain slab reefing to twin line reefing for the deeper of the two reefs only. This required minimal extra hardware. The first reef still needs to be put in at the mast, which is easy enough if I do it early enough. If not then the deep reef can be easily put in from the cockpit. The individual rope loads in twin line reefing are much less than the single line system and I consider it the best compromise between different systems. It scores well for ease and safety of use, at the expense of slightly more complication and hardware than reefing the sail at the mast.

 

[jakeroyd]

I have a Hunter Ranger 245 , with SLR , have struggled with it getting the last foot of the main up, tried lots of PTFE spray etc. However I would agree with Malcb that if you lift the boom up with the topping lift (really quite high) mine seems to work.
I always worried about be having to winch up the last foot of so of the main and get some tension in the luff. This meant I was only concentrating on this and was unaware of what was happening around the boat for say 45 seconds, (whilst the SWIMBO was steering).
I think I have this sorted now but I find the whole system very sensitive to the lines all being routed properly , one rubbing on another , even a little but seems to put lots of friction in the system.
Going to persevere with it

 

[Robin]

We rearranged the system on our boat to a 2-line one for all 3 reefs and it is excellent.

In our case we too fixed the genoa halyard at the mast using an existing clutch and the same too with spinnaker halyard and pole up/downhauls. We have a roller reefing genoa and I'm very happy to play with the halyard tension on deck if needs be as it only be in light conditions, the same goes for the spinnaker/asymetric stuff. Our topping lift is tied off at the mast too as we have a rigid kicker but I have put a short adjuster (line from boom end through block on end of topping lift back to a cam cleat on the boom end) in to allow me to raise the boom above it's usual at rest position.

We have 3 full reefs using separate luff and leech lines all led back through clutches to self tailing winches (these were existing) on the coachroof. We have an additional 'flattener' reef which with the cunningham allows us to flatten the bottom of the sail, ours is loose footed but not important, this is handled at the mast but of course again in benign conditions. With 2-line, the luff lines are taken up under no load at all as the halyard is released, the leech lines are winched in but with the sail let off and de-powered,kicker and mainsheet off, this is no sweat either. Shaking out a reef is simply a case of making sure all the clutches are open and the lines free to run before taking up the halyard.

We had to add clutches and extra organiser sheaves but our rigger used existing reinforcement mountings, we took the opportunity at the same time to upgrade the clutches and have matching banks of them.

If you look at the pic below you will see one half of our system, the starboard side is the same. However we also control the roller reefing line, mainsheet traveller (2 clutches), mainsheet and staysail/storm jib (when used) sheets at the coachroof so we have 14 clutches in all, rathermore than you would need!

 

[beancounter]

Roger,

I didn't mention in the original post, but the proposal was also to re-mount the winch on a new pad at the side of the mast, to pick up the lead of the genoa, which is from the foot of the mast on the Starboard side.

 

[beancounter]

Thanks...

...guys - good advice as ever.

Looks like twin line is the way to go. A bit more faff to install, but the benefits will be in the operation.

It will also be more expensive, but my boaty budget is already shot to pieces this year, so what the hell.... (typing this in the sure knowledge that SWMBO will not be reading it /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)