single line reefing setup help

[johnalison]

Single line reefing is a great advantage where it can be fitted, but reefing the tack at the mast can be enormously improved by having a pair of rings at the reefing cringle, whatever they are called. The business of hooking them onto the ramshorn is something that can be done with one hand instead of the two needed to hook the cringle itself down, which leaves most of us short of a hand to hold on with.

 

[TLouth7]

Single line reefing is a great advantage where it can be fitted, but reefing the tack at the mast can be enormously improved by having a pair of rings at the reefing cringle, whatever they are called.

Generally called spectacles. Skip Novak's storm sailing series includes a nice video showing his reefing setup which includes these (obviously many things he has are unnecessary for the majority of sailors).

 

[lw395]

At risk of sounding a negative note my expereience with this seemingly good idea is the sad fact that it seldom works as expected.

The wonderful idea is all too easily overcome by the fricton in the multitude of blocks is all too likely to make the whole system utterly useless in any sort of wind. It is all very well for it to function smoothly in the marina in calm demonstration conditions, but put a real force 4/5 load on it and it simply isn't likely to function as advertised, and that is the last time you want to find that out.

Doubtless many will rubbish that opinion, but I suspect the majority of serious sailors who have tried it will concur...

I'm not saying it can't work, more that it it is unlikely to work reliably or well.

There are simpler solution that are guaranteed to wotk better.

So why not use them?

I've used single line reefing on various other people's boats, and I would say 2 out of 3 were Not Very Good.
It only takes something being subtly not exactly ideal for a great deal of friction to be generated.
Quite often that friction is wearing your sail at the luff.

My preference is to lead back a separate line to pull the tack down. We put it in one of the spinny halyard clutches for short handed sailing. A reef goes in very quickly, bang, bang bang.Ease sheet, Drop halyard to mark, tack down, heave reefing line, tension reefing line, you're sailing again.
At my leisure I can go forwards to put the tack onto the cunningham tackle and then the tack line is ready for the second reef.

I think the worst thing about single line reefing is that you cannot get rid of the excess baggage of string in light weather.

 

[Cactus Sailing]

I've used the system in the sketch extensively on a performance cruiser with laminate sails. There is no issue with getting adequate clew tension. It's simple and it works.

good to hear as this seems the less complicated (easier DIY) route looking at my boom, although if i can fathom out how to get the blocks into the boom, without taking the boom completely apart i may tackle this, so thanks for the help too Vyv_Cox

I think the worst thing about single line reefing is that you cannot get rid of the excess baggage of string in light weather.

yes thats true, our 3rd reef wouldnt be converted to single line reefing partly for this reason, but more so because on ours we need to take out some of the sail runners at the mast to get the reefing cringle & spectacles low enough, otherwise the Tack sits too high so a single line reefing wouldnt make sense for the 3rd as we would need to go to the mast anyway (which is a bit weird as if i need to put in the 3rd reef the mast is the last place i want to go!)

thanks for your help all, even if we're not serious sailors.

 

[Old Bumbulum]

Interested to hear I am not a serious sailor.

So you're not a serious sailor because you don't count yourself in that majority? er - how?

You're certainly not serious at logic or rational reasoning!

 

[Daydream believer]

good to hear as this seems the less complicated (easier DIY) route looking at my boom, although if i can fathom out how to get the blocks into the boom, without taking the boom completely apart i may tackle this, so thanks for the help too Vyv_Cox



yes thats true, our 3rd reef wouldnt be converted to single line reefing partly for this reason, but more so because on ours we need to take out some of the sail runners at the mast to get the reefing cringle & spectacles low enough, otherwise the Tack sits too high so a single line reefing wouldnt make sense for the 3rd as we would need to go to the mast anyway (which is a bit weird as if i need to put in the 3rd reef the mast is the last place i want to go!)

thanks for your help all, even if we're not serious sailors.

the cringle for the third reef needs to be placed such that there is enough sail to pull down past the sail stack . This means getting the sail maker to refit the sliders above and below the reef cringle correctly.
i have single line reefing on 1st and. Second and 2 line on third. This is because : one i do not want to sail about with long lines up the leech which are a pain when dropping the sail. Two because in 16 years i have only been in f9 in this boat once so do not need it very often. Three because my third reef system is set up so that it can double up in first or second reef if something went wrong, ie a reefline broke. Finally i see no sense in going on deck in heavy weather if there is no need. I have been over the side and it is no joke. I sail single handed and overboard at sea is certain death

Whilst i have single line i would not consider blocks in the boom. In an argue ment with others i rigged up a test rig in my shed with fishing scales to show the tensions on the lines. Conclusion was that there is no mechanical advantage and more friction. Claims of less line in the cockpit can be solved with a couple of extra coils when stowing. Maintenance is vastly improved if blocks are avoided in the boom, especially at sea.
however, some swear by them and some swear at them and it is to each his own
many Hanse boats come with single line with and without blocks and very few owners complain on the MyHanse forum so something must be right

 

[johnalison]

Many of the problems with the third reef can be dispensed with by only having two, deep reefs. This is actually my old sail, but my current one is similar. The reefing points are shown. It may not be deep enough for extreme conditions but it makes ordinary sailing much easier.

 

[dgadee]

Many of the problems with the third reef can be dispensed with by only having two, deep reefs. This is actually my old sail, but my current one is similar. The reefing points are shown. It may not be deep enough for extreme conditions but it makes ordinary sailing much easier.

I have deep reefs but still have a third. With single line reeving there's an awful lot of rope to bring in. My main is pretty big (self tacking headsail) so perhaps this all works better with smaller mainsails.

 

[Martin&Rene]

This is a write up I did for another forum some time ago.

https://www.myhanse.com/single-line-3rd-reefing-setup_topic10548_post88610.html?KW=reefing#88610

My newer main has sewn in blocks for the 3 luff reefing points, but only for the first 2 leech points and the third leech reef is just a cringle, so I can still quickly attach the pulley using the soft shackle before we sail, either if I consider I may need it, or if we are doing a long trip.

 

[yerffoeg]

Agree with JohnAlison. We have a similar set up with two deep reefs. There is no law that says there has to be three, especially on a smaller boat (under 30 feet).

 

[lw395]

Agree with JohnAlison. We have a similar set up with two deep reefs. There is no law that says there has to be three, especially on a smaller boat (under 30 feet).

Not a law, but offshore racing regs want a very deep reef sometimes, and reefing that far in only 2 steps is restrictive.
Probably not so relevant under 30ft.
But even on a small boat, I don't like the reefs to be so big that you're reluctant to reef until you absolutely have to, because it slows the boat too much. That applies cruising as well as racing, if the weather is going bad I want to make fair progress to a nice harbour. If the reef is the right size, you can reef on the forecast without losing too much pace and have the flexibility to keep the boat balanced.

 

[RJJ]

I am in the two line camp, all led back to cockpit. The downside is you need lots of switches (2 per reef). Although you could perhaps get away with just bringing the tacklines back to fixed cleats rather than winches, this would negate the "reef downwind" advantage I mention below.

Advantages follow:

1. Simplicity. I don't doubt vyv's advice but I still consider it complicated...not just to rig, but to repair. My setup...everything is intuitive and most of it is visible.

2. Independent operation of both tack and clew, from the cockpit. This means
- no challenges getting tension on the foot (which is the complaint of many regarding single-line)
- reefing downwind, as covered in a cunliffe article somewhere, you can use the tackline to drag the sail down while independently using the clew to pull the sail away from the mast (which reduces friction in the luff)
- reduced lines and friction....single line covers a lot of distance over a series of two 2:1 ratio systems. That's a lot of rope that's not giving you useful mechanical advantage. But it is giving you friction, loads of it, every time you hoist the full sail or shake a reef out.