Securing the roller reefing line

[KeelsonGraham]

Hi all,

On our boat, the roller reefing line is secured by a cam cleat alone. Is it normal to trust the reefing of the foresail to a single cam cleat, or should there be another cleat to OXO round?

 

[James_Calvert]

We trusted just the cam cleat until the 87 hurricane, after which we found the reefing line had slipped a bit, happily not enough to unroll the sail.

Since then I've always taken the reefing line to a proper cleat when leaving the boat for any length of time.

I'd recommend a locking hitch on your oxo, it could unwind itself in a gale else.

 

[pandos]

Hi all,

On our boat, the roller reefing line is secured by a cam cleat alone. Is it normal to trust the reefing of the foresail to a single cam cleat, or should there be another cleat to OXO round?

In addition to tiring off the furling line I always put a small strop with a few turns around the furler and tie it off to the pulpit. Just in case the furling line breaks for any reason...

 

[LittleSister]

Yes, definitely not sufficient when leaving the boat, but I'd assumed the OP was asking about when the sail was in use.

Whether cam cleat adequate when sail in use would, I think, depend on the size/type of boat. (And also size and quality/age - i.e reliability - of the cam cleat.)

 

[roaringgirl]

Not sufficient. Tie it to something.

 

[jwilson]

Do not trust a clamcleat. My reefing line is secured by a Spinlock clutch instead of a camcleat. Nevertheless when leaving the boat for more than a few hours my reefing line gets a knot just after the clutch, so any undoing/releasing must be deliberate. Also the sheets at the clew are wound round the sail a couple of turns, and if leaving long-term I also tie yet another line round the furled sail.

My house overlooks the harbour and almost every really windy day sees someone's genoa unrolling and shredding. The current "fashion" for leaving a pretty little triangle of headsail clew out is plain stupid, but I seem to see it done more and more.

 

[johnalison]

Mine is secured by a camcleat that I have never got around to changing for a clutch. When leaving the boat I always form a knotted loop in the line and put it over the winch. Even this is secured by a couple of turns of the jib sheet over it on the winch.

 

[Neeves]

I sometimes worry about questions like this one.

If you have any doubt, belt and braces.

It does not matter what we think or do - if in doubt double up - in some form or other.

We do exactly as jwilson describes, clutch, double wrap round the sails with the sheets, we don't knot but the furling line goes into a cam cleat, If you don't have a spare cam cleat take johnalison's practice - wrap the tail round a winch (what else do you do with sheet or halyard tails?)

We too overlook our mooring filed and, exactly the same, every blow a sail unfurls shreds itself and ruins the sleep of the resident audience. I know we should support our neighbouring yacht owners and launch a dinghy - but at 2am......?

Jonathan

 

[Stemar]

The current "fashion" for leaving a pretty little triangle of headsail clew out is plain stupid, but I seem to see it done more and more.

Whenever I furl the genny, I pull it far enough for a couple of turns of sheet around it. It's stood up to some fairly severe winds like that and I reckon that a sail that has foot and leach loose enough to be at risk when tightly wound must be close to the end of its life anyway.

I know we should support our neighbouring yacht owners and launch a dinghy - but at 2am......?

In the kind of winds that will shred a genny, that could be a fairly risky business, especially in the dark. I'm all for looking after other people's boats, but I'm not going to risk my life for it.

 

[johnalison]

Whenever I furl the genny, I pull it far enough for a couple of turns of sheet around it. It's stood up to some fairly severe winds like that and I reckon that a sail that has foot and leach loose enough to be at risk when tightly wound must be close to the end of its life anyway.

I always furl mine fully, and even wrap the spinnaker halyard round it if it seems necessary, being more effective than a tie lower down. I sometime see boats with no jib in place but a small triangle hoisted about halfway up. I am told that this is to prevent vibration and the mast from tramping, and wonder if some of those who don't fully furl are trying to do the same. On second thoughts, probably not.

 

[Daydream believer]

I do not have a cleat on my furling line because I never sail with a furled sail. When stowed the line goes around a self tailing winch. I use that to furl the sail anyway so it is convenient & gives a nice tight furl at the end if I give a light nudge, against the sheet, on the handle after the clew has fully furled
I do not leave my boat on a mooring , but if I did, I would add a sail tie.

 

[mikegunn]

In addition to tiring off the furling line I always put a small strop with a few turns around the furler and tie it off to the pulpit. Just in case the furling line breaks for any reason...

That's good advice. I've adopted that practice since seeing a furling line that had abraded where it passed through a guide. Not on my boat fortunately, but I have noticed that most furling lines have too many possible abrasion points to ensure any form of security. Best to prevent the drum rotating if at all possible.

Mike

 

[KeelsonGraham]

Sorry, I should have made myself clearer. I was thinking more about what do do when sailing in stong winds with much of the foresail reefed away. The results of a rapidly unfurling genny don’t bear thinking about. This probably answers my own question but, in all the boat charters I did before owning my own , I can’t remember if any of them had a backup for the cam cleat.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Fit a clutch - I've fitted a Lewmar clutch to my current and previous boat - well worth it. I reckon the Lewmar clutch is better than other well known makes but that's only my opinion! I also tie the tail off around the winch.

 

[[2574]]

Sorry, I should have made myself clearer. I was thinking more about what do do when sailing in stong winds with much of the foresail reefed away. The results of a rapidly unfurling genny don’t bear thinking about. This probably answers my own question but, in all the boat charters I did before owning my own , I can’t remember if any of them had a backup for the cam cleat.

I reckon the other thing to keep in mind is the condition of the furling line itself, if it is looking a little shabby then demote it to dinghy painter and fit a new one for the furler - it's critical kit.

 

[Stemar]

if it is looking a little shabby then demote it to dinghy painter and fit a new one for the furler - it's critical kit.

I think I'd find another use for it. I reckon the dinghy painter is also critical kit.

On that subject, don't trust that horrible twisted line that comes with some inflatables; it doesn't hold knots very well, as I discovered when my new flubber was a few weeks old. I was lucky, I saw it leave, but I was aground (tidal mooring) so getting it back became a bit of an expedition