Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Yes, but it's a lot of line for a true single reefing system and my boom is not hollow to boot. I'm not saying it can't be done of course, I'm just not sure it's worth the effort on a C25 where the vast majority of the driving comes from the genoa. Beyond, we have a sailpack and lazy jacks, lots of windage. We use a mast mounted eye and opposing cleat to snug down the clew. I was considering a hook but that distracts from the goal of doing this from the cockpit. It's not like we are cruising on our 6000 acre lake so I'll probably go with a boomkicker, maybe a topping lift, and ensure our Bayfield boat has a good single-line reefing system.
I tried a couple in-mast furlers and while I like the concept (when it works) I'm less crazy about the fine tuning omissions like a proper cunningham to move the draft forward (angle of incidence). We use our traveller plenty, our outhaul some, and the vang constantly since the wind seems to change cardinal directions every 15 minutes.
I like my pigtails but more so my lazy jacks. They get tightened then release the pig tail. Boom stays up and no sail flapping whilst I motor out. And great for feeding..
If you have not yet converted the wire-to-rope halyards to all-rope, do so and keep one of the wires and use it for most of the topping lift. See Redeye's pic above. Attach a tape to your main halyard and raise it to the top of the mast. With the tape not too tight, measure to a point about 2 ft above the end of the boom. Shorten one of the wires to that length and add a thimble to the cut end. Add a small block for 1/4" line to the new end and attach the wire to the masthead beside the backstay. Attach a 1/4" line to the block and run it to a turning block at the boom end, then forward to a cleat on the boom or run it all the way to the mast, down to the base, and back to the cockpit. If you want more purchase start the line at the boom end, go up to the block on the wire, and back down, etc. The small piece of the wire can be used to make a pigtail for your jib or 135 if not full hoist. Add a thimble to that piece so it is 12-15 in long and attach it to the tack of your sail. This will raise the sail enough so you can see under it while sailing.
DavidP 1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52 PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess" Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN
Dasreboot sold me a used Boomkicker. I'll see how that goes. I like the idea of an adjustable topping lift which we had on our Capri and while both can co-exist, I'll be curious to see if the kicker saves me some real estate in the air, cleats, etc.. I do recall the main's telltales getting wrapped around the topping lift on both the Capri during hoist and for single-handed, maybe this will prove effective.
Rewired the mast last season and noticed no wire halyards. Must have been previous or first owner.
60F forecasted Sunday and I can see cracks in the ice, almost time.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.