Single Line Mainsail Reefing

[bigmart]

I would like to install single line Mainsail Reefing & lead the lines back to the cockpit. Currently I have a stackpack system with lazyjacks & Slab reefing. Three questions seem relevant. How to lead the lines through the sail? Does the Sail require any alterations? Currently I have to remove sliders from the Mast Track to get the cringle onto the horn. Will this still be necessary with the single line setup?

Any other advice would be warmly appreciated.

Martin

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[jimi]

Martin, the removal of the slides should not be necessary. The cringle the line passes through on the luff should be a reasonable distance from the slides. You're welcome to have a lokk at my boat where I've got it set up.

Jim

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[bigmart]

Thanks Jimi I'll take you up on that. At the moment I am collecting the parts, as cheaply as possible, to make the required mods. The Mercury meet was my first sail with the Stack Pack so this is very much a work in progress. I've no doubt that we'll meet up some other time over the season & I'll take you up on your offer to inspect your setup.

Thanks again

Martin

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[andy_wilson]

1. Bowline tied to end of reefing line, which then goes round aft end of boom and through the bowline, up and through the clew cringle, down into boom over end pulley and back to the becket on a block inside the boom (or use a double block, in which case round the block and back to a becket at the end of the boom. Other line from tack cringle to pulleys on top of front of boom, back to aforementioned block in boom, then back to front of boom, exit and lead to cockpit jammer. Multiply by 3 if you have 3 reefs.

2. No, but spectacles in the cringles can help attachment of reefing line.

3. Yes. I had a main like that and had it altered by attaching lacing in place of the bottom 3 or 4 sliders, and attaching a reduced number of sliders to the lacing. The lacing was an absolute pain with ramshorns but you will be able to remove them so that's OK.

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[snowleopard]

some sailmakers don't think carefully before positioning the slides relative to the reef cringles. you could get them moved so that the cringle is as far as possible from the nearest slide. you may well find life easier with the reefing line as it's no longer essential to pull the cringle right down.

i use lanyards instead of hooks on my slab reefing and it's a lot easier.

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