What knot?

[woody001]

Hi,


Just put a new sail on my boat, I am just setting up my reefing line, what type of knot should i use?? for the main reefing line which need's to be tied to the reefing eye in the sail (the eye's on the leech?, it's cockpit controls)
ie. the rope which reefs the sail at aft of the boom.

hope you understand!

simon

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[jimi]

Hi Woody001, if its anything like mine, you would'nt put a knot on the eye but thread the rope through the eye and back to the boom using a suitable knot, bowline on the boom if loose footed or similar. Rationale is that rope from end of boon acts as clew outhaul keeping tension on foot and vertical bit keeps clew close to boom.

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[woody001]

Jimi,

That sounds good, thinking about it, alot of boats are set up like yours.
Just trying to think if i have anything to tie the rope to on the boom, what if i don't have anything?

thanks jimi!

si

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[StugeronSteve]

Have you a loose footed sail?

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I'll draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[woody001]

I am not to sure by the term loose footed?
help!!!!!!!!!!

cheers guys


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[StugeronSteve]

Does the foot of the sail slide into a groove, like the the luff groove on a genoa furler?

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I'll draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[woody001]

Hi steve,


Yes the foot does fit in the groove!

thanks steve, - what does this mean then?

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[jimi]

It means its not loose footed. On the boom there may be little U shaped fixings if so the end of the reefing line s/b attached to it

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[StugeronSteve]

Jimi's answered the question. With a loose footed sail and in the absence of any suitable attachment points I would have suggested passing the line under the sail and tying around the boom. Not ideal but it would have done the job.

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I'll draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[snowleopard]

agree with everything said to date. the rationale is that you need to provide an outward pull (from the boom-end sheave) and a downward pull (by anchoring the end to the boom). that also gives you a double purchase, the line has to be pretty tight.

the line can be secured to the boom with a bowline through an eye fitting or possibly right round the boom. it is also feasible to just thread the line through an eye and put a figure of eight in the end.

if your line is at all stiff or slippery, a siezing to stop the tail slipping out of the bowline can save a lot of embarrassment.

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[dickh]

If you have a slot on the underneath of the boom, you can fit a suitable 'swivel loop' type fitting to tie the rope to.(Z-Spars do) Or even 'POP' rivet a loop to(MONEL rivets of course!) Make sure the rope is pulled aft about 20-30º when it's fully reefed - this keeps the foot taut. Use bowlines for tying to the loop.

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[woody001]

Guys - what would i do without you lot!
Just checked my boom - it has 3 eyes on the bottom, i'll follow your advice.
"sorted!"

thanks again!

simon

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[john_morris_uk]

At the risk of confusing the issue, I suggest that the reefing pennant is lead exactly as others have suggested (up from boom end, through reefing eye in sail, and down to boom) but when you reach the boom, you can get a flatter reef, by going through the eye in the sail, round under the boom, and then putting a very small bowline as a sliding loop round the reefing line where it is dropping vertically down the sail. The whole thing tightens up in an eye catching and pleasing manner as an old crew of mine used to say...

If my explanation is not clear, then my apologies. Its one of those things that are a lot easier to do or show then describe. You end up with the sail being flattened down and back- exactly what you need to achieve when you reef.

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[StugeronSteve]

I tend to find the loops of reefing line, that dangle about when we drop the sail, eye catching when I'm not careful. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I'll draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[geoffatstanpit]

Me too - it used to drive me barmy trying to tuck them into the sailcover.

So now I pull them through the spinloks till they're out of the way and remember to leave the levers up for next time. Sorted.

Geoff

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[boatless]

Ah, but... if you leave the levers up and they get stepped on... expensive.

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[Spuddy]

run it past me again please. I'm interested but can't picture it yet.
thanks...spuddy

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[john_morris_uk]

Ignoring all puns on the eyecatching bit, the technique is that the loop of the the bowline is not round the boom itself, but that the line goes through the eyelet in the sail, under the boom, back up the other side and a very small bowline is put round the reefing pennant just before it goes through the eyelet. The whole thing tightens up when you put the reef in and you get a couple of extra inches tighter reef.

By the way, regarding others comments on pulling reefing lines through to tidy them up, I always used to pull the reefing pennants through to tidy them up when the sail was dropped. I've given up now and tuck them into the mainsail. I live with the hassle, and I reckon its less hassle than the continous forgetting to let the clutches off, and pull them through when you are hoisting the main. They always seem to snag on something, whereas the excess line, once its tucked away in the main when its dropped falls into place at the hoist already the correct length.
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[StugeronSteve]

The levers are very well protected by our spray hood. I don't tend to leave them up when away from the boat though and consequently I find that unfamiliar crew are winching their little rollocks off trying to pull the main up with the reefs locked in. They never have to struggle for long though, cos I've learnt to recognize the strained grunts (from turning blocks and crew).

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I'll draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[boatless]

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