Would this reefing system work?

[Polly1]

I saw this

http://www.seldenmast.co.uk/pdfs/tech_guide/595-488-E.pdf

And it appears to offer me three reefing points with only one line led back to the cockpit.
Any one have any experience of such a system?
Cheers
Guy

 

[aluijten]

Don't think it's correct what you're saying. The drawing just shows you the setup for a single reefpoint. As far as I can tell this is a variant of their well know single line reefing system that works with carriages inside the boom that roll up and down the boom.
That system does work but carries a lot of friction.
Our last boat had this, but I prefer the one we have now (all reefing done at the mast).

Cheers,

Arno

 

[Red Admiral]

Don't think it's correct what you're saying. The drawing just shows you the setup for a single reefpoint. As far as I can tell this is a variant of their well know single line reefing system that works with carriages inside the boom that roll up and down the boom.
That system does work but carries a lot of friction.
Our last boat had this, but I prefer the one we have now (all reefing done at the mast).

Cheers,

Arno

Quite right. One reefing point. There are many single line reefing systems but the simplest are limited to two reefs ie for a small mainsail. I set up one on a Corribee and it worked very well; along with a roller reefing genoa all sail handling including reefing could be done quickly and safely from the cockpit.

 

[Polly1]

Thanks for the reply.
Couldnt you just pull the line in by differing amounts to get different amounts of reefing?
Cheers
Guy

 

[Simondjuk]

No, beacuse the lines are simply threaded through the two lower pairs of cringles and only attached to the upper pair. This means that luff and foot tension would only be achieved when this upper pair were brought down onto the boom. If you pulled in on the reefing line until one of the two lower pairs was at the boom, the sail cloth between the foot and the upper pair would simply go slack, out of shape and useless. Also, this bunt of sail wouldn't actually be restrained, so would fill with air, flap around, work its way back up the reefing lines and end up in a horizontally creased mess of a bag.

 

[Red Admiral]

Thanks for the reply.
Couldnt you just pull the line in by differing amounts to get different amounts of reefing?
Cheers
Guy

As soon as you put a load on the reefing line the effective area of the sail is reduced to the section above the top holes. However,there would be no tension along the foot of that section with a resulting poor shape and the lower part of the sail would just flop about! However, all your desires can be fulfilled by a junk sail where you simply ease the halyard to reef the sail as little or as much as you wish.

 

[William_H]

Reefing

I have a 21ft trailer sailer with large main. I use 2 line reefing ie 2 lines one for tack and one for clew. I only keep one reef threaded u though it is not much trouble to tie in the second reef if I do it before departure.
I feed the lines back to the cockpit for convenience and use them around small winches to get enough tension. So I can't imagine single line reefing giving me enough tension.
In service keep an eye on the clew reefing line as it takes a lot of load and chafe and I have had the 6mm rope fail once already. olewill

 

[Ronald_M]

Just caught your post.

Not sure if it would suit your purpose, but I've been trying out a very simple/inexpensive system on my 21ft trailer-sailer. Early trials have been very promising.

Here's the link:
http://www.neil.fuller.dsl.pipex.com/v650/articles/poormanslrs.pdf

(if Neil Fuller is in fact the author of the article, and you should happen to read this, Many Thanks!!)

Ron.

 

[ianabc]

Boom trtack..

Perhaps an aluminium T track on the boom with movable cars instead of blocks on the boom beneath the reef cringles would tidy up the boom and allow for 45 degree angles on each of the reef down/outhaul lines.