ianybw
Member
Re: Simplifying \"single-line\" reefing
Gunfleet thats fine, thanks for the explanation.
Gunfleet thats fine, thanks for the explanation.
Simplifying "single-line" reefing
- Thread starter Danny Jo
- Start date
Robin
Well-Known Member
Re: Simplifying \"single-line\" reefing
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks, Robin and others, for lots of food for thought. Freestyle's arrangement of coachtop winches and clutches is remarkably similar to Robin's (except there are eight clutches on each side). You've set me wondering how many of the lines coming back to the cockpit could be made off at the mast.
[/ QUOTE ]
I looked at it from a point of view of where I didn't mind doing the job. For example the roller genoa halyard only gets adjusted in light winds so doing it at the mast is fine. The spinnaker/asymetric on our boat is ginormous so is only used in very light winds, is in a snuffer anyway and so again is easier to handle at the mast. Pole uphaul is the same, at the mast. THe staysail/storm jib halyard is also at the mast as then it is a one person job to raise and lower. Our staysail sheets do come back via the deck organisers and clutches, but when not in use the same leads double for the pole downhauls. We have a rigid kicker which supports the boom when reefing so the topping lift is at the mast, but we have a simple doubler tackle on the boom end with a jam cleat if we want to raise the boom more. Also at the mast is the cunningham and flattener reef, again both light weather adjustments.
We have 14 clutches, seven per side so port side is:-
Genoa reef line
Main halyard
Port staysail/storm sheet (or pole downhaul)
3rd slab luff reef line
3rd slab leach reef line
Mainsheet
Mainsail traveller (port)
Starboard side is:-
Mainsail traveller (stbd)
Kicker
1st slab luff reef line
1st slab leach reef line
2nd slab luff reef line
2nd slab leach reef line
Staysail/storm sheet (or pole downhaul)
Reef lines are colour coded in pairs, ie
Reef 1 luff line is white/yellow fleck
Reef 1 leach line is solid yellow
Reef 2 luff reef line is white/green fleck
Reef 2 leach reef line is solid green
Reef 3 luff reef line is white/red fleck
Reef 3 leach reef line is solid red
The clutches are coloured with plastic shrinkfit tubes on the levers to match the lines AND they are labelled (see the pic above).
I should add that the luff lines are attached to S/S rings on webbing through each cringle and the reef hooks are still there on the boom if needed. Each luff reef line goes through a simple S/S fairlead 'bullseye' riveted on the mast, before going to the turning blocks at the mast base.
The reason I had the pros do the job was that they were already doing the re-rig and Furlex overhaul. I was aware that getting a fair lead for each line to follow the route back was important and that the lead through each clutch neeed to be at the right angles to the winches, especially for the high load lines. I know I could have worked it out but the guys that did it were experienced racers as well as riggers so got it right first time to maybe my 2nd or 3rd! Also we had just bought the boat and had 1,001 other jobs on the list so I just gulped and opened the wallet again!
Food for thought?
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks, Robin and others, for lots of food for thought. Freestyle's arrangement of coachtop winches and clutches is remarkably similar to Robin's (except there are eight clutches on each side). You've set me wondering how many of the lines coming back to the cockpit could be made off at the mast.
[/ QUOTE ]
I looked at it from a point of view of where I didn't mind doing the job. For example the roller genoa halyard only gets adjusted in light winds so doing it at the mast is fine. The spinnaker/asymetric on our boat is ginormous so is only used in very light winds, is in a snuffer anyway and so again is easier to handle at the mast. Pole uphaul is the same, at the mast. THe staysail/storm jib halyard is also at the mast as then it is a one person job to raise and lower. Our staysail sheets do come back via the deck organisers and clutches, but when not in use the same leads double for the pole downhauls. We have a rigid kicker which supports the boom when reefing so the topping lift is at the mast, but we have a simple doubler tackle on the boom end with a jam cleat if we want to raise the boom more. Also at the mast is the cunningham and flattener reef, again both light weather adjustments.
We have 14 clutches, seven per side so port side is:-
Genoa reef line
Main halyard
Port staysail/storm sheet (or pole downhaul)
3rd slab luff reef line
3rd slab leach reef line
Mainsheet
Mainsail traveller (port)
Starboard side is:-
Mainsail traveller (stbd)
Kicker
1st slab luff reef line
1st slab leach reef line
2nd slab luff reef line
2nd slab leach reef line
Staysail/storm sheet (or pole downhaul)
Reef lines are colour coded in pairs, ie
Reef 1 luff line is white/yellow fleck
Reef 1 leach line is solid yellow
Reef 2 luff reef line is white/green fleck
Reef 2 leach reef line is solid green
Reef 3 luff reef line is white/red fleck
Reef 3 leach reef line is solid red
The clutches are coloured with plastic shrinkfit tubes on the levers to match the lines AND they are labelled (see the pic above).
I should add that the luff lines are attached to S/S rings on webbing through each cringle and the reef hooks are still there on the boom if needed. Each luff reef line goes through a simple S/S fairlead 'bullseye' riveted on the mast, before going to the turning blocks at the mast base.
The reason I had the pros do the job was that they were already doing the re-rig and Furlex overhaul. I was aware that getting a fair lead for each line to follow the route back was important and that the lead through each clutch neeed to be at the right angles to the winches, especially for the high load lines. I know I could have worked it out but the guys that did it were experienced racers as well as riggers so got it right first time to maybe my 2nd or 3rd! Also we had just bought the boat and had 1,001 other jobs on the list so I just gulped and opened the wallet again!
Food for thought?
Blue Fox
Well-Known Member
Re: Simplifying \"single-line\" reefing
I did away with the single line - as others say too much resistance - and hook now the front eyes in the cringles. What I never see mentioned is the problem of taking out the sail slides during reefing. I have one sail slide always out, so the first reef is easy. After that I have to free another one for the second reef. And with unreefing I always have to go to the mast to insert the slides. Anyone have a solution for this?
I did away with the single line - as others say too much resistance - and hook now the front eyes in the cringles. What I never see mentioned is the problem of taking out the sail slides during reefing. I have one sail slide always out, so the first reef is easy. After that I have to free another one for the second reef. And with unreefing I always have to go to the mast to insert the slides. Anyone have a solution for this?
MoodySabre
Well-Known Member
Re: Simplifying \"single-line\" reefing
My old boat was like that because the mast groove finished above the boom and the sail slides were held in by an R-pin. Current boat has a mast track all the way down so sail slides don't get in the way. There is a sprung gate on the mast for clipping the slides in (standard Selden kit). I can't think of anything to help when you have your sort of mast groove - blooming nuisance.
My old boat was like that because the mast groove finished above the boom and the sail slides were held in by an R-pin. Current boat has a mast track all the way down so sail slides don't get in the way. There is a sprung gate on the mast for clipping the slides in (standard Selden kit). I can't think of anything to help when you have your sort of mast groove - blooming nuisance.