Tidy lines for Reefed mainsail.

[pcatterall]

We like to tie up the 'spare' sail when reefed. There are holes in the sail with short lines through and sewn on.
These lines are to short to tie around the surplus sail and the boom so may have been designed for a loose footed set up?
The sail has had holes 'nipped' in a couple of places where the lines have been pulled hard around the boom to tie it off.
We have considered......... Just extending the existing lines ( too much flapping about?)
......putting loops in the lines and using a bunggy or tie of some kind to secure ( extra bits of cordage to manage/loose
.......cutting off the existing lines and threading those bungg cord things with little cleated ends through.... fiddely in a blow and more bits of cordage.
What clever solutions do you employ?

 

[Poignard]

I have a loose-footed sail and simply tie the reef points around the bunt of the sail, never around the boom.

 

[theoldsalt]

I suggest you do not tie reefing points around the boom. They are designed to gather surplus sail only and putting them under the boom is likely to put loads on them that can cause damage to the sail.

 

[rob2]

I guess it depends on how the mainsail is built. If it has a foot rope in a groove on the boom then you have no choice but to go around the boom too. If it has sliders on the boom, then tuck the reefing lines through between the sail and boom. I'm afraid I leave it all hanging out - usually already got my hands full when reefed! You could unpick the lines and do it the old way of fitting new, longer ones through eyelets and putting an overhand knot either side to secure them. These lines should never be pulled up tight, as you've already found, it tears the sail.

I would, however, advise against using bungee cord - it will hit you in the eye one day and will hurt a lot, even if it doesn't do permanent damage. Not a scenario you need when bouncing around on the coachroof.

Rob

 

[Caer Urfa]

We like to tie up the 'spare' sail when reefed. There are holes in the sail with short lines through and sewn on.
These lines are to short to tie around the surplus sail and the boom so may have been designed for a loose footed set up?
The sail has had holes 'nipped' in a couple of places where the lines have been pulled hard around the boom to tie it off.
We have considered......... Just extending the existing lines ( too much flapping about?)
......putting loops in the lines and using a bunggy or tie of some kind to secure ( extra bits of cordage to manage/loose
.......cutting off the existing lines and threading those bungg cord things with little cleated ends through.... fiddely in a blow and more bits of cordage.
What clever solutions do you employ?

Hi

As I sail all year round I played around all last year with various methods of reefing as my problem is 'I have' to go on deck (coachroof) for any adjustments to the mainsail.

I also wanted something I could reef 'without' moving much once on deck as you usually reef in poor weather and I am also usually sailing single handed.

Standing infront of the mast facing aft to reef I can lower the mainsail and then clip the first reefing cringle eye onto the reefing hook on the goosneck, but I can also 'at the same' time pull on only the one reefing line and pull the rest of the sail down tight, once reefed I just lock the reefing line in the clutch clam and pull the main sheet halyard tight.

I do not have to adjust the kicking strap or the topping lift.

Hope pictures may help, you will note the reefing line is continous.

Many yachtsman have never reefed but are always the experts!
My tip is do not wait until you have a force 5 to start reefing but practice in light winds as reefing in a force 5/6 alone is really not for the light hearted !

Mike

Unreefed

Reefed

 

[prv]

Many yachtsman have never reefed

I find this hard to believe. Presumably such yachtsmen never sail either?

Pete

 

[pcatterall]

Yes its a bolt rope. So is it a real no no to tie them around the boom then?
I thought if it was just a loosish tie then no harm would come. One reef not bad but all three and there is a right floppy sausage of sail flapping around everywhere.

 

[prv]

Yes its a bolt rope. So is it a real no no to tie them around the boom then?

If there's a boltrope then you don't have much choice. Just make sure there's a bit of slack in them.

Pete

 

[Poignard]

If there's a boltrope then you don't have much choice. Just make sure there's a bit of slack in them.

Pete

An alternative is to use a single lacing through each eyelet and around the boom. This line will adjust itself to equalise the pull on each eyelet but, as 'prv' points out, you must have some slack. On no account must there be any great load on the eyelets or you risk spoiling the sail. I used to have this arrangement when I had a boom with the foot of the sail in a groove (it was a roller-reefing boom that had been converted to traditional reefing). It worked ok but I was always very careful to leave the line fairly slack. Looking back on it, I suppose I could have used some shockcord in the system somewhere to take up the slack but the problem resolved itself when I bought a new sail, with a loose foot.

 

[oceanpilgrim]

Hi
anuther way is to fit lazy jacks thay hold loose sail alongside the boom,the reason for not tieing around the boom is if you shake out a reef and forget to untie the tie's you could tear the sail

 

[boguing]

I don't generally bother, but on a longer trip I just do the forward one. (and loosely). At some wind angles the loose bit can flap annoyingly. More so with a bolt rope luff.

To Caer Urfa. You're making life hard for yourself. Much easier to let the main and kicker off. Then you are just lifting the boom to the sail, as opposed to hauling against a loaded sail.

 

[William_H]

Reefing

I prefer 2 line reefing both linnes back to the halyard winches.
My mainsail has just eyelets for the cord to tidy up the bunt. As said I often find just the front one matters and I leave out the others..
I do have a loose footed main but still tie the cord around the boom...habit or is it just easier. I always make sure foot is really tight as part of sail trim.
Re the poster who said bungees are dangerous.
A few years back here some young school kid was working at super market collecting trolleys. They used a bungee with steel hooks to hold the trolleys together. The bungee came undone lashed back and took out his jugular he died instantly. Bungees are dangerous. olewill

 

[Dab]

A Vote For Bungees

I think that the main danger of reefing ties putting strain on the sail is if you forget to untie them before shaking out the reef. In this position you will then become aware of some resistance when taking in the halyard. Depending on who is doing it they they may ponder and stop or just pull harder. If you have elastic reefing ties I think you have more time to realise what is going on as the strain on the sail builds progressively over a longer period of time than with a non-stretch rope tie.

I would suggest that that in the case William H quoted the villian of the piece is more the hook than the shock cord. Ones I have used have been set up as a long loop with a large plastic ball at the end encasing the knot. The end of the loop is passed round the sail and then clipped over the ball.

 

[SamSalter]

If you have a mainsail with shelf foot and bolt rope, you don't have much option but to tie the nettles around the boom.
As someone pointed out, the main concern is leaving them tied when you shake out the reef. Some people make them out of eye catching colours -red?- so they don't forget.
Anyway, tying around the boom shouldn't put strain on the sail as it is standard practice in sailmaking to put the grommets for the reefing nettles 3" below a line between luff cringle and leech cringle.
sam

 

[pcatterall]

Nettles..... thank you!
Thanks all in fact!
So.... just extend the lines ( nettles) and tie under but loose!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Yes, and if you make one side of the lines longer than the other you can put a loop in the reef knot and more easily undo them.

 

[prv]

Yes, and if you make one side of the lines longer than the other you can put a loop in the reef knot and more easily undo them.

I always tie with a loop, but I always tie on the windward side (how would you reach otherwise?) so it's no good making one side longer than the other.

Pete