reefing

[sailingfool]

Originally Posted by MiVelero

Thank you for all your responses....
Ok, I go from the sheaves at end of boom to reefing point down to boom and tie around boom. At mast end pull tight and secure...
Why not tie to the eye? wouild look neater(just my annal self) vs around boom.
....

Why niot tie to the eye - I'm not sure the answer to that, except that the line tied back around itself does the job very well. One issue I would see with tie to an eye, is that the clew will be pulled to one side of the boom or the other, following the direction of the tightened reeffing line. Tieing the line per the directions seems to result in the clew being pulled down to the center of the boom.

[MiVelero]

George B"There is a whole lot of force pulling up on the new (reefed) clew. You want the boom absorb it, not two screws holding the eye in place."
That makes sense, but what would be the eye for? It slides on a track along the top of boom.
Sailingfool- as above the eye sits in the middle of the boom and slides along the top. I don't know if I am missing something but several mention "the line tied back around itself " would it going around the boom or the eye still costitute tied around self ? or is this just a matter of symantics...
Regardless tied around boom makes sense when considering the forces placed on this line.

Sailingdog - I just replaced all my lines with New England Ropes Sta-Set 7/16 in.
Sailormann - all lines run through the boom and exit at the goose neck through rope clutches.

My experience was with 30knt winds and reefed as I described above, fortunately it held, I guess beginers luck. I know that is just a puff for you old salts, but to me it was the 'big one.' At the time I was more worried about the lighting than the wind.
Thank you again for all your input, this site has been a great resource for my learning, unfortunately the majority of sailors around my area (that I have met) are not to anxious to share their knowledge without $$$$.

[sailingdog]

Mivelero-

Are the ropes exiting through rope clutches or through line stoppers (basically a one-sided cam cleat which jams the line against the sheave).

Tying the rope around the boom is just a lot safer than using a small padeye. If the screws and track didn't hold, you'd run the risk of losing the main sail and you'd also have a little metal padeye getting shot off the boom under fairly high loads.

[MiVelero]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Mivelero-

Are the ropes exiting through rope clutches or through line stoppers (basically a one-sided cam cleat which jams the line against the sheave).

Tying the rope around the boom is just a lot safer than using a small padeye. If the screws and track didn't hold, you'd run the risk of losing the main sail and you'd also have a little metal padeye getting shot off the boom under fairly high loads.

They exit at the goose neck via rope clutches.
After all the good information is taken into account.... I guess the line tied around the boom does not look too bad

[sailingdog]

Does it look something like this:




If so, those aren't line clutches...

These are line clutches:



Most booms have the former, not real line clutches, more of a cam cleat that jams against the sheave.

[MiVelero]

I stand corrected... see I learn something new... I guess they are cam cleats.
In the cockpit I have line clutches, now I see the difference.
I see the one you pictured has rivets securing it to the boom as does mine.
I have been leary starting to change my out haul if it goes thru a block and I can't get to it. I have replaced all my lines exept the outhaul and reefing lines. I hate to create new problems.

[Faster]

Originally Posted by MiVelero

....I have been leary starting to change my out haul if it goes thru a block and I can't get to it. I have replaced all my lines exept the outhaul and reefing lines. I hate to create new problems.

MiVelero; the good news is that your in-boom outhaul tackle has spent its life sheltered from the elements, and is likely in good shape. The pennant (wire or line?) that attaches to the sail (and rides the boom end sheave) may be worn. If you remove the end cap on the boom, you should have enough tail on the outhaul to extend it aft to the point that you can change that pennant without upsetting the tackle which is anchored further down the boom. Just be careful not to pull the tail end into the boom itself (use a stopper knot there)

[sailingdog]

They're not actually called cam cleats...but that's a pretty good description of how they work. I'm not sure what the exact technical term for them is though..

[MiVelero]

Originally Posted by Faster

MiVelero; the good news is that your in-boom outhaul tackle has spent its life sheltered from the elements, and is likely in good shape. The pennant (wire or line?) that attaches to the sail (and rides the boom end sheave) may be worn. If you remove the end cap on the boom, you should have enough tail on the outhaul to extend it aft to the point that you can change that pennant without upsetting the tackle which is anchored further down the boom. Just be careful not to pull the tail end into the boom itself (use a stopper knot there)

I have a wire to rope splice thus I would need to feed the new one from aft since the loop at the end of wire is to large to pass through sheaves and the tackle - I presume-. At this point I do not feel comfortable drilling out rivets to remove end caps(sheaves) unless absolutely necessary. The sheaves and wire appear to be in good shape but the rope at the goose neck is looking dry and questionable.
So me thinks pull wire aft until I reach the rope, cut and secure new rope to pass forward is what I think I need to do to run the new outhaul.

[GeorgeB]

MiVelero, I don’t recall what the make/model your boat is. Are both of your boom’s end caps pop riveted on? What I suspect is you have some sort of cascading block system inside your boom that increases the purchase of your outhaul line. Unfortunately I don’t have any way of converting a paper drawing to a digital format to illustrate this for you. What I think is happening on your boat is the wire outhaul connects to a block inside the boom. The Dacron line you use to tension the outhaul runs through that block and another one connected to gooseneck end. This gives you the purchase (I have 3-1 purchase inside the boom). The old wire-to-rope halyards common years ago weren’t used in this application. I truly think that you will have to “bust off” one of the end caps to do what you want to do.

Earlier, you made a comment about your “ring” that intrigues me. You referred to a track that was fastened to the top of the boom and the ring slid along that track. Do you think that this was more to do with an outhaul car than something to do with reefing? Normally, the rings I see are mounted on the side of the boom and the force involved is in shear rather than tension as it would be if the ring was on top of the boom. Tying the reef line around the boom is pretty simple (and economical) even for a sail with a boltrope. All you need to do is set a grommet at the boltrope so the reef line can pass through the sail. You can do this yourself with a grommet set or have your local sailmaker do it for you. (most probably he can do it while you wait.)