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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Anybody using reef ties for reefing

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mikesuej
Navigator

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USA
119 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/10/2011 : 12:48:34

Sorry, I checked the forum and found nothing. On my West Wight Potter P-19, I had some short segments of line in the three sail reef cringles held in place by a knot on both sides of the sail. When I reefed, they were there to quickly and conveniently tie the sail foot off to the boom - i found them handy. Any body doing something like this in their C250? My sail is in my home office and thought I would go ahead and rig those up before spring, but didn't know if others have a better solution. Thanks. MJ

Michael T. Janocik
Seatitude

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2011 : 13:11:57

There are 2 ways to tie those lines when your main is reefed, depending on the attachment of the sail to the boom.

1. If you have a loose-footed main, then the reefing ties are tied around the sail above the boom, so as to keep the reefed sail neat.

2. If your main is attached along the boom, then you tie those lines under the boom to keep the reefed sail neat.

In both cases these small lines are not designed to hold the sail tight to the boom, and they can tear the sail if too much force is applied to them. The reefing lines themselves are larger and are designed to hold the clew and the tack of the mainsail downward through the use of the large reefing cringles on the sail, with the reefing line or lines led to cleats on the boom, mast, or deck.

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Tradewind
Admiral

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531 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2011 : 13:21:55

I use them. As John said, they're not designed to be tight as the sail might tear, I keep them snug to gather the reefed or unused portion of the sail.

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mikesuej
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USA
119 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2011 : 13:53:11

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tradewind
 I use them. As John said, they're not designed to be tight as the sail might tear, I keep them snug to gather the reefed or unused portion of the sail.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes - I see. I'm thinking of some bungee cord material - keep it neat, but will stretch and not tear sail. . . . Thx.

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Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2011 : 16:43:36

The ties can keep the sail neat and IMO neatness counts.
For quick release I use bow tie (shoelace) knots so I can just reach forward and pull the ties to release them.

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2011 : 17:06:56

Hmmm, last season I used the ties when reefed, and I did tie them taut because it helped greatly to depower (flatten) the sail. Sail shape seemed far superior with the ties pulled snug. It did not appear to me to cause any great stress on the sail, because the tension was shared across so many cringles (both the large reefing points and the smaller tie-off points). Has anyone actually had their sail tear from this, or is it just a hypothesis? (I admit, mine is just a hypothesis too.)

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Peregrine
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830 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2011 : 19:49:16

"Has anyone actually had their sail tear from this, or is it just a hypothesis."

YES!
I thought I had released all the ties and cranked on the winch and ripped my main, admittedly and old main but still.
That's why I suggest loose bow ties.

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2011 : 20:34:43

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Peregrine
 "Has anyone actually had their sail tear from this, or is it just a hypothesis."

YES!
I thought I had released all the ties and cranked on the winch and ripped my main, admittedly and old main but still.
That's why I suggest loose bow ties.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
When your sail tore did you have all the ties attached, or had you released all but one? If it was the latter, then you had all the tension concentrated on one cringle, and I would expect it to tear. But I think that could even happen if you had made the same mistake with one of the larger cringles.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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3704 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2011 : 21:01:10

We don't use them. If the tack and clew are tight the reefed sail stays nice and neat and does not get in our way. I don't like working at the boom when the wind is up.

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