THis month's edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

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Mirelle

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THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

Dear Tom,

Knowing the boats that you own and have owned, I am a little disappointed that you did not include worm drive round the boom roller reefing of a gaff mainsail in your test.

Should you wish to do so, and for some reason don't want to use your own boat, you are welcome to try mine.

I claim that I can put a reef in, or take one out, in three minutes, from leaving the cockpit to getting back into the cockpit, in up to F8. (In F9 I've probably stowed the mainsail anyway!)
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

And here's a tip:
In the article, one of the flaws of the boom roll reef system occured after a few rolls. It was found that the sail couldn't maintain it's shape.

With worm drive round the boom, you can roll in a towel or other piece of cloth in the sail, thus improving the shape.
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

I read the article with great interest and I know this sounds ignorant – I know what a worm drive is and I know what a boom is but I am having trouble imagining both these item (as I know them), associated with the reefing of a sail.
Can someone add a explanation or a diagram please.
[PS does tom Cunliffe read this stuff ? ]
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

Some years ago I had a small boat with roller reefing main.

My uncle who sailed with me and was deaf got a frequent bang on the head .

I found some 1/4 inch thick self adhesive foam rubber tape used by duct erectors to seal flanges.Stuck 3 foot strips to the boom 2/3 back from the mast.
This saved my uncle from brain damage and hey presto the main now set nicely even when well reefed.

I know it was the wheel reinvented but I think that roller reefing booms have gone out of favour largely dueto ignorance.The problem of sail shape can be overcome.
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

The main sail foot is held in the track on the top of the boom and the boom can rotate on its axis, held by a swivel at the clew end and the worm-drive at the mast end. So the goose-neck has its normal "universal joint" function but can also rotate. The topping lift goes to the top of the swivel and the main-sheet to the bottom.

Reefing is simply a matter of turning the handle at the mast fitting (or hauling the line from the cockpit if a system similar to a genoa furler is fitted) and the boom rotates and wraps the main around it.
Smaller boats can use a direct drive from a folding handle on the front of the mast.

The kicker is fitted to a "claw" which has rollers in it so that the boom and sail can rotate inside it. The claw is held in position along the boom by a line back to the main-sheet shackle on the clew end swivel.

Does that explain it adequately...? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif)
Unfortunately I couldn't find any pictures...

-steve-
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

I think is is always the 'kicker' attachment that is the weak point with any roller system.

Mirelle being gaff doesnt have a kicker ( I assume) so need not be concerned by this.

Regds Nick
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

I quite agree. The kicking strap attachment via a claw ring is the weak point in the system.

A gaff mainsail needs no kicking strap (our boom is 21ft x 5 1/2" dia and weighs rather over a hundredweight!) and the leech being closer to the vertical the sail rolls up nicely.

The worm drive system was developed for working craft rather more than a hundred years ago; it was very common, indeed usual, on Bristol Channel pilot cutters, where it was known as "Appledore gear". It was fitted because it allowed them to save a crew member, reefing being so much easier.

Which is why I was surprised that Tom Cunliffe did not mention it, he being a pilot cutter buff...

I can just remember worm drive round the boom reefing being "the thing" on offshore racers, which it certainly was in the 50's and into the 60's - they often used rather posh cast bronze units with the worm drive in an oil bath, which were made by Merriman, I fancy. Saw one such at Beaulieu a few years ago.

Readers of "Swallows and Amazons" will recall that the "Goblin" had worm drive roller reefing, and indeed the "Nancy Blackett" has it to this day, and those who sail aboard her can use the actual handle that John Walker used!
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

Yes there were also the roller systems that had the handle driving through the mast from the front, these appeared to be only on more expensive rigs and i never looked closly at how they worked.

I had several roller systems none of which really worked as they should.. probably due to old age and wear. I used several different methods to take up the slack on the clew end of the boom, but generaly found that chucking yer sweater in to the roll wasnt so good as it usually co-incided with wanting to put it on ( due to the nature of things).

Regds Nick
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

I reckon that round boom reefing , like gaff rig, is not fitted to modern boats because its not as good as the alternatives.

There are always enthusiast for anything, from colonic irrigation to haggis, but I'm a great believer that the collective decisions of all us punters putting our hands in our pockets gives a good indication of what works. Hence the demise of Rover
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

'There are always enthusiast for anything, from colonic irrigation to haggis',

Does one follow from the other - is so in which order?
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

I have a roller boom and use slab reefing.

Put the little winder in wind like a hamster on steroids and watch the sail drop down at a rate of 1 cm per hour.

Want to shake it out, put handle back in and wind up at same rate.

It is probably more to do with the boom, but since playing with it I have fitted lazy jacks so it is now defunct unless I untie them first.

This without even considering sail shape.
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

[ QUOTE ]
'There are always enthusiast for anything, from colonic irrigation to haggis',

Does one follow from the other - is so in which order?

[/ QUOTE ]

Definitely. Colonic irrigation is used to flush Haggi out of hiding!
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

I have a roller boom. I've used it once. It was OK. On the other hand I'm sometimes too lazy to set my downhaul and kicking strap properly, so the chance of me reefing the main is slight.
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

So, do we assume that you apply these principles to the point where you drive a Ford Focus, own a Beneteau, live in a Barratt Home, eat Big Macs, drink keg beer, read the Sun and vote New Labour whilst supporting Manchester United?
 
Re: THis month\'s edition: Reefing systems. a challenge to Tom Cunliffe

[ QUOTE ]
I reckon that round boom reefing , like gaff rig, is not fitted to modern boats because its not as good as the alternatives.

[/ QUOTE ]After a satisfactory 9 years of using our boom roller reefing, we eventually elected to change the boom and system to slab reefing last year when the mainsail really needed changing. However, the reason was for a larger roach for racing, and whenever we are cruising two-handed I still regret not having the roller reefing.

Both have their merits.
 
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