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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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How to rig a double reefed main?

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/19/2005 : 08:11:50

Here's something else I have to consider:

How does one rig a double reefed main? I never got around to hooking up a single line reefing system, but do want to do it now, and run the line through a rope clutch on the cabin top. Question is, is there such a thing as a single line for both reefs, or would that be too many ropes flopping around? I could see having a single line for first reef point, and then manually tying off the second.
What do you do?
How is this effected by having a loose foot, and an internal outhaul?
Should I get a track for the clew end of the first reef point, thus retaining some kind of outhaul ability? Or if one uses a track, is it best to not have a single line reefing system?
I know we have some really experienced folks out there. Photo's work too, as do references to textbooks, or web pages.

Frank Gloss
Formerly 89WK/TR
85 Ericson 32-3 shoal draft "Molto Bene"

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2005 : 09:03:04

I have two single line reefs lead to cabin top clutches. I also have a loose footed main, 8:1 internal outhaul, and sliding gooseneck. The cheek blocks for the reefed clews are in fixed positions. The second reef has been used in real world conditions. Both reefs work fine.

A few possibly noteworthy points:

1.) As you probably already understand, the reef clew cheek blocks need to be installed a few inches aft of where you want each clew to end up, so that they will create outhaul tension.

2.) Give some thought to what and where the reefing lines pass through when they first reach the mast from the reef tack cringles in the sail. There is a tensioning angle issue here, just like at the clew. I used a sturdy, well radiused, stainless steel lined, bulls eye fairlead for both lines.

3.) I routed all my cabin top mainsail control lines to the stbd side. My reef clew cheek blocks are on opposite sides of the boom. This requires a cross over at some point. I routed the first reef line through the cringles and along the port side of the boom as usual. I routed the second reef line mirror image to that, but didn't cross it over at the tack cringle. Instead, I attached the second reef line to the second reef tack cringle using a small ballbearing block and a cunningham hook.

4.) A cabin top winch would come in handy for tensioning the reef lines. Since I haven't gotten around to installing one on stbd yet, I wrap the reefing lines around the stbd primary winch and tug sideways on the line midway between the winch and clutch to "jump" a bit of tension at a time into the reef line. This is a dandy way to reliably cause winch wraps, so be careful.

5.) Having a loose footed main makes it easy to tie the reef points above the boom. Speaking of tying in the points, I stumbled on a neat way to do that which came with a used sail I bought. This is a variation on the traditional 1' to 2' of line hanging out each side of the sail with a knot on each side of the grommet. It's probably easiest to describe how to install it, and then how to use it. Start with about the same 3' or so length of light line. Tie a small permanent loop in one end Thread the free end through the grommet in the sail, around the gathered foot of the sail (bunt?), and back through the loop in the other end of the line. Mark the tail of the line where you would tie the reefing knot. Instead, tie a stopper knot there. Use that stopper knot and small loop like a button and button hole when you reef. I find it much easier to use in the conditions one ends up reefing in.

-- Leon Sisson

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2005 : 12:06:06

Thanks for the good info Leon,
I have a fixed, rather than sliding gooseneck.
I also have a triple rope clutch, and a winch on each side of my cabin top.
How does this sound.
Port side: jib halyard, boom vang,
Starboard side: main halyard, first reef single line, second reef single line.
Maybe put a cunningham on the main too? I could put it on the port side.
Then all 6 clutches would be used.
Or should I move the second reef to the left, and the cunningham to the right?

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2005 : 12:10:32

Heres what I did, to end up having 2 lines to control both the flattening reet, 1st and 2nd reef. I had the old kind of double line reefing system, whereby a line is tied off on a little bail on the boom, goes up through the cringle, back down to a block, forward to the mast, down through a couple more blocks and back through the line organizer/clutches to the cabin top winches. The forward first block is on the mast, the aft first block is about 4 inches behind the leech/foot. Thus the lines pull forward or aft as well as down, pulling the sail down and tightening the foot. The aft line is routed along the boom on the opposite side of the outhaul. These lines were permanently set on the 1st reef. I couldn't use the flattening reef and 2nd reef.

Using this same basic setup, I removed the knots at the boom and am using small stainless hooks, available at West Marine for about $4, These are really deep U shaped hooks with eyes at the end. My forward and aft reefing lines are tied to the eyes. I can easily move the lines up from flattening to 1st to 2nd. I also marked the main halyard (first I used tape, but I replaced that with permanent ink).

I start the day with the hooks in the flattening reef. Now I just slack the halyard to the mark, winch in the aft line, winch in the bow line, and winch up the halyard again. Reef in in 10 seconds. Tie of the sail using the hanging lines. Put no tension on these lines.

Time to go to the next? Slack the reefing lines, move the hooks up to the next cringle, tighten reefing lines, slack halyard, .... BTW I always work on the windward side of the boom when I'm up top the cabin.

The hooks work and you can use all 3 reef points with 2 lines. The forward reefing line and outhaul I lead back to my port cabintop organizer/winch (plus jib halyard, roller line, outhaul and spinnaker halyard are all on port) and my main halyard, aft reef line, vang, and spinnaker topping lift are on starboard.

I never used the flattening reef before and it is really worth it. Say you are at 30 degrees of heel, outhaul tightened, and traveller down. A little overpowered. Occasional whitecaps. Gusts are taking you to 40. Your dumping the main in the gusts or luffing the jib to stay on your feet.

Put in the flattening reef. You only lose 6 inches of mainsail area, come right back down to 15 degrees, gusts maybe 20, get the traveller back to windward, tighten up, lose just a little boatspeed, but get back on your feet and back to pointing high.

Really makes a big difference.

If you're still going to 30+ of heel, move the hooks and put in the first reef. Roll or change down to the 110 jib.

If you're going way over in big gusts, use this opportunity to point really high! Boat wants to round up anyways, go with it! Scary but effective. Sailing is fun! Still too much?

Move the hooks and go to reef #2. Id be thinking about getting out my new 60% jib, too.

I've never had the hooks shake out of the sail grommets.

Edited by - on

ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2005 : 21:17:09

The simplest way to rig two reefs is with a reefing hook on each side of the gooseneck, and turning blocks to cleats aft end each side of the boom, giving a 45 degree aft lead to the block to allow for tension on the clew outhaul. The custom is --usually-- the first reef to stbd and second reef to port, but I have reversed it where appropriate to local conditions. If you wish to do all your reefing without leaving the cockpit, all other advice applies. I ahve done one reef on a single line in past, but never two, defer to others who have. As a general observation, however, the more string, the more everything has to work exactly as advertised, or you are up on deck at the worst possible time, wet and tired, often in the dark, trying to figure out what goes where, God bless, ron srsk Orion SW FL

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