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Reefing, Spiral Lacing vs single line and how to tell what you've got?

13K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  tenuki 
#1 ·
I was reading this morning, and I had some questions about my reefing system on my older boat.

Firstly, I don't know if I am supposed to spiral lace my reefed main or if I am using a strange system of single line reefing. Let me supply some drawings to help (picture # 1 and 2).





Ok now my five questions... and I hope these drawings come out clearly!

How to route these lines properly?
How can these reef lines reach the cleats if the main is flaked down?
How do I keep my boom from sagging down after I spiral lace and tie these off?
How to I tension the new "outhaul" on the reef?
and finally, can I simply tie small lines through the grommets with a reef knot on each end so they don't fall out, then when I reef, I make the lines almost act like sail ties, and reattach the outhaul to the final grommet? (see last picture)

Thanks for any help here, I'm stumped. My other boats either don't reef, or the big one has a roller reef, which is a no brainer.

 
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#2 · (Edited)
The reefing line coming up out of the boom goes through the reefing clew only and then down to the boom. If you lead it in the spiral, as shown in the second image, you won't be able to tension the reefed "foot" of the sail, since you'll have effectively eliminated the outhaul function of the reefing line. It would also be very difficult to tighten the line without causing damage to the sail by overtightening the reefing points.

The larger aftmost cringle is the reefing clew. The larger forwardmost cringle is the reefing tack. The smaller cringles are for reefing ties, which do not hold the sail down, but are used to keep the bunt (slack portion of the sail) from flogging. These lines should be kept relatively loose, as any real tension on these grommets will tear the sail at that point. If you have a loose-footed main, tie the sail ties around the sail only, not the sail and boom.

BTW, you need to use a reefing line, as the outhaul will not provide the downward tension on the reefing clew, which a reefing line will. The section of the reefing line that goes from the boom up to the reefing clew provides the downwards tension, while the section going from the reefing clew to the aft end of the boom (in your case they go to the two cheek blocks) provides the outhaul tension.

BTW, you should always tension the reefing tack first, then tighten up on the reefing clew. This will help prevent you from tearing the sail.
 
#3 ·
It just looks like a couple of your lines are routed incorrectly. When reefing, there are two parts of the sail that need to be held down - the tack and the clew. The tack is held down by the hooks on the front of the boom. The clew lines need to be re-run. Run them from the padeye on the boom (labeled "lines are spliced here" on the above diagram) up through the first grommet on the leech of the sail, back down through the turning block and forward to the cleat. To reef, drop your main so you can get the tack cringle (grommet) in the hook, then raise your main halyard a little bit to tension it, and then pull in the line at the back end running through the leech end of the sail. Then use the ties/pieces of line to tidy up the sail and keep it from flapping. I'm sure someone else will step up and draw you a picture. With regards to tightening the outhaul - that's not necessary as the line going through the turning block will end up acting as an outhaul too.
 
#4 · (Edited)
ok so if I re-route the reef lines (from the padeye through the cringle and then to the turning block, terminating at the cleat "Reef 1"), then I would need to tie in a small overhand knot or two to keep the line from simply pulling straight through the clew cringle and not supplying tension?

I think I have it down now if that is the case:

line -> padeye to cringle with knot to "hold" then to turning block, pull tight, then tie off.

Rest of the cringles: whip up some small lines of about 3/8" to use as sail ties to keep things tidy.

Tack: obviously, in the hooks on the gooseneck.

WAIT - I just had an idea, why can't I supply a bowline attached to a shackle to that reef line then all I do is clip in the "new" outhaul, and run the line through the turning block without needing to tie a knot that could snag or bind?

THANKS GUYS! This totally shed light on this subject for me, I was honestly left feeling like I lost 100IQ after trying to sort this out before.

Robert
 
#6 ·
ok so if I re-route the reef lines (from the padeye through the cringle and then to the turning block, terminating at the cleat "Reef 1"), then I would need to tie in a small overhand knot or two to keep the line from simply pulling straight through the clew cringle and not supplying tension?
Actually, the line should be tied to the boom, through the padeye, if there is one to locate the line. The way you'd route the line is:

Tie the line to the boom, through the padeye if there is one for the reefing point.

Run the line up and through the reefing clew cringle.

Then run it aft and down to the turning block on the boom

The run it forward to the cleat.

I think I have it down now if that is the case:

line -> padeye to cringle with knot to "hold" then to turning block, pull tight, then tie off.

Rest of the cringles: whip up some small lines of about 3/8" to use as sail ties to keep things tidy.
1/4" should be sufficient.

Tack: obviously, in the hooks on the gooseneck.
This is done as the first step of reefing the main. Shaking out a reef is done in reverse order of reefing a sail, so the tack hook is released last. This is to prevent you from damaging the sail's luff or the reef foot area.

WAIT - I just had an idea, why can't I supply a bowline attached to a shackle to that reef line then all I do is clip in the "new" outhaul, and run the line through the turning block without needing to tie a knot that could snag or bind?

THANKS GUYS! This totally shed light on this subject for me, I was honestly left feeling like I lost 100IQ after trying to sort this out before.

Robert
The line is tied to the boom, and there is little chance of it snagging or binding on anything.
 
#5 ·
Mine is tied to itself, the reefing line becomes the "new" outhaul this way. You can spiral lace thru the other grommets, I prefer to use individual lines as it's easier to undo. These lines are JUST to neaten up that fold of mainsail flaked to the boom and should not be under tension.
Text Line art Diagram Parallel Drawing

Hope this picture helps.
 
#8 ·
Labatt's suggestion of tying a bowline around the boom only will work if you have a loose footed main or one with slugs along the foot. If you have a main with a boltrope, you'll have to tie the rope to the padeye instead.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Reefing line Termination

Labatt's suggestion of tying a bowline around the boom only will work if you have a loose footed main or one with slugs along the foot. If you have a main with a boltrope, you'll have to tie the rope to the padeye instead.
Any main should have slugs/eyes in the foot below the position of the reef cringles, if there is not other arrangement for terminating the reefing line, so that the reefing line can circle the boom and tie to itself. My main has a boltrope with such provision.

If you secure the reefing line to a padeye on the bottom of the boom, then the reefing line will not pull the reef clew to the boom, but to one SIDE of the boom. At the very least the foot of the sail wont set right, given all the force on the line, it could have other undesired results.

The way I lead the reefing line from the end of the boom is:
- through the reef clew, starboard to port
- down the port side of the main
- through the eye in the foot, above the boom, port to starboard
- under the boom and up the port side , where I secure its end in a bowline around the reefing line where it enters the eye.

When winched hard, this arrangement should permit the reef clew to be pulled all the way to the boom, touching the center of the boom.

If you look carefully at the diagram and text in CAPTTB's picture, this is how the reefing line is terminated.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Just keep in mind that each block introduces friction. With single line reefing, there's a lot of line to pull in and it goes a fair distance. It may be difficult to get good tension on the clew end of the line. On my boat, I have two line reefing. I've replaced the hook on the boom with a padeye on the mast. With a line, I go from the padeye to the reef tack cringle to a block at the base of the mast to the cockpit. To reef, I drop the main to the appropriate spot (pre-marked on the main halyard), tighten on the tack reefing line, tighten the main halyard and then tighten the leech reefing line. By having two lines I reduce friction and the amount of line that has to be pulled in. Either way you're good though... and if you run it back to the cockpit along with your halyard, you don't have to go forward to reef.
 
#12 ·
Lancer-

A two-line setup is actually better for sail shape. You can read about why that is the case here.
 
#14 ·
Glad to help Mike... ;)
 
#16 · (Edited)
Here's another picture, my R24 is reefed this way, very common. I would recommend against single line reefing as you show, most sucessful ones I've seen have reduced the points of 'turning/friction' somehow.

You reef both points from the starboard side of mast in this setup and you can do it easily sitting or kneeling down. Takes maybe a minute once you've done it a few times. With hooks it's even faster.

 
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