tross
Active member
I used this successfully for many years and 1000's of miles on my Hunter.
Single Handed Reefing
- Thread starter DOILY
- Start date
PeterV
Active member
I do the same as egbod, halyard has a whipping on it for each reef, that goes in the cleat, halyard doesn’t fall down when I put the crinkle on the ramshorn.
MisterBaxter
Well-known member
On a previous boat I had a similar problem. I threaded a length of 6mm line through each luff reefing cringle, secured by a knot in each side, and simply tied the ends under the boom as with a normal reef point. It felt simple and secure. It helped that the shape of the boom end was such that the knot didn't slip along under the gooseneck.
So the routine was topping lift on and halyard slacked off from the cockpit; go to the mast, pull down luff and tie off; pull on leach reefing line and cleat; back to cockpit, tension up halyard and slack off topping lift.
So the routine was topping lift on and halyard slacked off from the cockpit; go to the mast, pull down luff and tie off; pull on leach reefing line and cleat; back to cockpit, tension up halyard and slack off topping lift.
William_H
Well-known member
This is my preferred system except that the line in stead of clipping to a pad eye runs through the padeye down to the deck to a turning block then back to cabin top (winch) Yes lots of extra rope for multiple reefs. (I only fit one reef) but with clew reefing line and halyard going back to cabin top (cockpit) it makes a quick positive reef. (forget tieing up the bunt of the sail if it is too rough to reach up. (or just do one or 2 ties). Note in the picture the padeyes (known to me as a saddle) are mounted well forward on the mast to pull tack forward as well as down. I can pull a reef in, in seconds without luffing (must be close to wind) or use of topping lift. All from cockpit. IMHO the only way to go especially for single handed sailing. ol'will
Daydream believer
Well-known member
You never really directly answered my question
steveeasy
Well-known member
Well I tried too. I get your point. Are you saying that no single line system is effective if the reefing eye is not held towards the mast by a fixed point then?. Everything is a compromise and lots of people I suspect use single line systems without going to the mast and hook the reefing eye on a fixed point. I defeats the point of single line reefing.
Steveeasy
MontyMariner
Active member
Hooking crinkle over the rams horn is far too much like hard work!
I use about a 9 inch length of 10 mm rope with an eye spliced into one end.
Push the eye through the crinkle, hook it over the far side horn then tie the bitter end to the near side horn with a couple of half hitches.
Job done.
If you then need to put in a 2nd reef, repeat the process with an 18 inch length of rope. No need to mess with the 1st reef.
I use about a 9 inch length of 10 mm rope with an eye spliced into one end.
Push the eye through the crinkle, hook it over the far side horn then tie the bitter end to the near side horn with a couple of half hitches.
Job done.
If you then need to put in a 2nd reef, repeat the process with an 18 inch length of rope. No need to mess with the 1st reef.
dansaskip
Well-known member
On my first boat it was set up like Doily's and you had to switch between mast to hook the tack to the reefing hook and the cockpit. Didn't take me long to realise what a stupid arrangment that was for single handing. I am a big fan of keeping things simple so rearranged main halyard at mast along with reefing hooks and reefing lines. I prefer reefing at the mast. to avoid all the complications and extra friction etc that single. line reefing brings and an extra benefit is it is cheaper to set up that way. I have never found it a problem going to the mast either on my first boat, a 25ft or my current boat at 28ft and I hate to admit but no spring chicken these days.
geem
Well-known member
We have our reefing at the mast. I wouldn't change it. Its fast to reef, vastly reduced friction and we don't have string everywhere. It suits us but won't suit everybody who won't step out of the cockpit at sea
Daydream believer
Well-known member
It is normally difficult to get the luff down hard into the gooseneck. Particularly on the second reef where there is a stackof sail slugs in the groove preventing the sail coming down. This can be overcome by having spectacles in the luff ( no one has mentioned that yet !!) & these can be made to reach past the sail stacked on the boom such that the ring in the spectacle is anchored into the internal corner nice & tight.
However, if the position of the adjacent slug on the sail does not allow the sail cringle to come down enough ( This has also not been mentioned yet) The danger is that the pull on the clew will pull the luff away from the mast.
To solve this one needs a saddle on the mast through which the part of the reef line going down to the block on the deck passes. That serves a number of purposes
1 keeps the luff in to the mast
2 prevents the sail being nipped in tight in the mast/gooseneck corner nipped & damaged
3 Prevents the stack of redundant slugs being compressed against the mast gate
4 Allows the outer boom end to ride a little higher which could be a bit safer in dangerous conditions
Of course every owner has their individual preferences & when they read this thread they may decide to experiment further, or not as they wish.
There are may ways to do this & what suits one does not always suit another & it would be wrong for anyone to say that theirs is the best
Only my way is the best
MontyMariner
Active member
My system is more a monocle
2nd and 3rd reef makes for very long tails using spectacles which can catch on things.
srm
Well-known member
I first put "spectacles" in the three reef cringles on a 42ft sloop way back in the early 80's. Knowing no better I sewed each webbing piece to the same short length. Never had any problem hooking on and tensioning the luff with any of the reefs. Exactly the same for my next three boats, the last having a fully battened main, so can not understand why you need very long tails. Obviously the reef point needs to be mid way between the two mast slides/slugs to allow the fold of sail to reach over those stacked below.
However, on all of these boats hoisting and reefing was done at the mast which greatly simplifies things.
TLouth7
Active member
Don't mind me...This can be overcome by having spectacles in the luff ( no one has mentioned that yet !!)
boomerangben
Well-known member
One of these on the mast, just below where the halyard exits the mast (assuming it does well above deck level). You would have it offset from the line of run of the halyard. Slacken the halyard in the cockpit, go to the mast, hook the rams horn, take up the slack and put it in the cleat. Return to cockpit, re tension the halyard which will cause the rope to pop out of the cleat. 
steveeasy
Well-known member
thinwater
Well-known member
That's a little boat, like my F-24 (I have a full batten main, so similar weight), so easy.
Take the tail of the halyard around a winch and then forward to the mast with you. Release the jammer and lower the sail (easy to control with the halyard in your hand), put the jammer on ratchet (cam just catching) with your toe so the the sail cannot go down. Hook the ram's horn, and give the halyard a good tug. Walk back to the cockpit. I do it this way every time, very easy, very fast.
It's just sequence thing. And take the halyard tail to the mast with you.
garen
New member
My teacher had a small looped bungee tied to the mast. Once you put the cringle into the ram's horn, pull the bungee loop over that horn to lock the cringle in. That cringle is not gonna go anywhere.
KISS = Keep It Simple Sailor!
KISS = Keep It Simple Sailor!
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Slowboat35
Well-known member
And post #7!So post #2 it is then
Daydream believer
Well-known member
No, first it proposed a silly ball, which gets in the way & is not needed, when one needs only bit of bungee and it was also 7 posts in to the thread.- Too late- . people get bored by then & start writing all sorts of c..p without even reading the OP's post.
