Reef padeyes on boom - keep 'em or dump 'em?

[sailingfool]

Originally Posted by BELLATRIX1965

OK - but won't the cheek block (the reefing line runs FWD to AFT on the side of the boom, through the cheek block, up through the reef clew (cringle), and then back down to the boom) keep the reef line lead AFT, regardless of the bowline-secured bitter end????? If you do what sailingfool prescribes, the bitter end will form a "choker" too, which will help??
The cheek block is obviously AFT of the reef clew position. Thanks again for all the input, by the way!!

I've found securing the bitter end to the reefing line, around the boom, to permit trimming as flat a reef as you wish...the line first pulls the clew down, then continues to pull aft. The is the termination method I've seen in various manuals, including the attached Catalina instruction.

As to locating any objects on the side of a boom, I personally have been hit by an angry boom only once, but by a flat section, producing some messy bruising. If I had been hit by the edge of a cheek block or a padeye, it would have been a whole different experience.

You can obviously do a more complicated solution that introduces un-necessary danger to a sport that has enough already...your choice.

[bwindrope]

I'll chime in to say I have padeyes and cheek blocks on my boom and my reefing system works great. I got the idea from, hmmm, I forget which book, but it's not my idea. Both my first and second reefing lines at the leach originate at padeyes on the boom, and then go up to blocks attached to the cringle (recommended to eliminate chafe and I can testify to that) and then back down to a cheek block appropriately aft of the cringle in question and then forward to the cleat/winch area on the boom/mast.

I keep the first reef line at the leach permanently rigged and have used it and the second reef in winds up to 30 knots. They really work well at holding the sail down and out. If I were in heavier winds I might add a second line just holding the cringle down as it is hard to for one line to do both as well as is necessary in high winds.

I'm not recommending anything to anyone, but just saying this system is both easy and sturdy on my Gulf 32. As for concerns about having padeyes on the boom, I have to laugh. I agree with the statement that if I am getting hit in the head by the boom hard enough to matter, it won't matter whether it is the boom or the padeye. I'm screwed. Boom not much of a concern on my Gulf because of the boom height and layout.

[SVPrairieRose]

Not to get off topic, but a deadly blow is deadly sure, but what about just a painful one. It would be worse with a padeye... by a lot!

[jackdale]

I might have missed any discussion on this point, but whether or not the main is loose-footed will make a huge difference.