Reefing set up advice, CD27

[Warren Kaplan]

Not being as "nimble" on the foredeck as I used to be, before my hair turned grey, and since most of the people that go sailing with me are "just along for the ride", I am seriously thinking of leading as many lines to the cockpit as possible. Before designing my "grand plan" I figured I check with a few of the "experts" on this board for advice. Firstly, Sine Qua Non is a 1980 CD27. Its set up for jiffy reefing but right now the lines I have on will only do one reef. The sail has cringles for 2 reefs. There are separate lines for the tack cringle and clew cringle as there are no "tack hooks" or "gooseneck hooks" for the tack. The fitting on the boom to lead the clew reefing line forward only has one sheeve on it. I suspect no matter what I do, I will either have to replace it with a 2 sheeve fitting or add another fitting for a second line for the 2nd reef clew line. Or am I wrong on this? I also see in West Marine's catalogue that Harken has a one line jiffy reefing system for boats to 27 feet. One line goes through the clew cringle then down along the boom then what looks like a fitting near the mast and then up thru the tack reef cringle then back down. You'd need one line only for each reef. No tack hooks etc. Anyone have an opinion on this?
As I said earlier, I'd like to lead this back to the cockpit. I really have no problem with locating the proper deck organizers and rope clutches but I'm not sure about what to use and where to locate the "blocks" (which type?) that lead the lines down from the boom along the mast and then out to the deck organizers. Any advice, instructions, or reference articles or books on the subject would be appreciated.
One last thing and then I'll let you all "breathe". Frankly, I've never drilled a hole in the deck of my beloved boat. I intend to attach the deck organizers and rope clutches on the starboard coach roof along side the companionway hatch but far enough away so as not to interfere with it. I believe I have to drill the holes clean thru the coachroof into the cabin below. Obviously I will bed all fittings and screws and I will put some type of appropriate backing plate in to take the load. All will be thru bolted. As I looked at the roof from inside the cabin, I don't believe there is a liner that I have to deal with. I think I can just drill right through. Please set me straight if I'm wrong.
I thank you all for your patience in even reading all this. I really don't want to "screw up" this marvelous boat so please help me out.
Warren



Setsail728@aol.com

[chuck yahrling]

Not being as "nimble" on the foredeck as I used to be, before my hair turned grey, and since most of the people that go sailing with me are "just along for the ride", I am seriously thinking of leading as many lines to the cockpit as possible. Before designing my "grand plan" I figured I check with a few of the "experts" on this board for advice. Firstly, Sine Qua Non is a 1980 CD27. Its set up for jiffy reefing but right now the lines I have on will only do one reef. The sail has cringles for 2 reefs. There are separate lines for the tack cringle and clew cringle as there are no "tack hooks" or "gooseneck hooks" for the tack. The fitting on the boom to lead the clew reefing line forward only has one sheeve on it. I suspect no matter what I do, I will either have to replace it with a 2 sheeve fitting or add another fitting for a second line for the 2nd reef clew line. Or am I wrong on this? I also see in West Marine's catalogue that Harken has a one line jiffy reefing system for boats to 27 feet. One line goes through the clew cringle then down along the boom then what looks like a fitting near the mast and then up thru the tack reef cringle then back down. You'd need one line only for each reef. No tack hooks etc. Anyone have an opinion on this?
As I said earlier, I'd like to lead this back to the cockpit. I really have no problem with locating the proper deck organizers and rope clutches but I'm not sure about what to use and where to locate the "blocks" (which type?) that lead the lines down from the boom along the mast and then out to the deck organizers. Any advice, instructions, or reference articles or books on the subject would be appreciated.
One last thing and then I'll let you all "breathe". Frankly, I've never drilled a hole in the deck of my beloved boat. I intend to attach the deck organizers and rope clutches on the starboard coach roof along side the companionway hatch but far enough away so as not to interfere with it. I believe I have to drill the holes clean thru the coachroof into the cabin below. Obviously I will bed all fittings and screws and I will put some type of appropriate backing plate in to take the load. All will be thru bolted. As I looked at the roof from inside the cabin, I don't believe there is a liner that I have to deal with. I think I can just drill right through. Please set me straight if I'm wrong.
I thank you all for your patience in even reading all this. I really don't want to "screw up" this marvelous boat so please help me out.
Warren

Warren;

My CD-27 is setup with 2 sets of lines that run up to the mast, so I go forward to reef. If you wear a harness its not as fearsome as you might expect. I figured that the chances of the main going up and down effortlessly are slim (even with the Tides Marine track system), and I'd be going forward anyway. However, you could adapt my system to cockpit leads with turning blocks and organziers as you prefer. I have a dodger, which would have to be modified a bit to run the lines under but this is commonly done. I'll let someone else comment on the fiberglass work involved.

I rigged cleats for the two leach-end reef lines on the forward part of boom. The lines originate on the port side at padeyes on the side of the boom, run through the cringles and down to the cheek blocks on the stb boom end, then forward. Multiple padeyes on the underside of the boom organize the two reef lines pretty well. I use 3/8" nylon, one braided line and one 3 part line so it is obvious which one to pull on when I put in the first reef. Ditto for luff lines. These you can get at Wall Mart in 50' lengths for short $$. I like thick lines because they are easy on the hands. The h/w I got at end-of season sales.

The important thing is to get the right spacing on the boom-end fittings; the padeye is right below and an inch aft of the cringle but you want the cheek block 8-12 inches aft so it pulls back and keeps the foot tight. I recommend a calm day to pull the main up and mark the locations before drilling. The boom end I wouldn't worry much about. A few extra holes won't hurt it, IMHO.

The luff lines are similar; they start at padeye and end at a cleat on the stb side. That's where I'd put them as your main halyard is on that side, traditionally. If not, reverse sides.

I would love to through-bolt fittings on the spars but have puzzled over how to do that when the fitting is far from the end. I have observed that in those situations the correct way to mount the various fittings is to drill and tap for a ss machine screw, rather than a sheet metal screw. Take your time; center punch and use the slow speed on your drill for the first hole. I use the fitting as a guide for the second hole so it is certain to align with the fitting. Get a good quality tap(s) and try it in a nut that fits on the machine screw(s). On the mast, try to stagger the holes so that there are no two in a vertical or horizozntal plane from each other.

This system makes it very easy to take in or shake out a reef in any wind conditions I've been in (up to 30 kt so far). If it's quick and easy to do, you'll be more likely to do it, I figure.



cyahrlin@cisco.com

[Jon]

Hi Warren,

I put a reef system on my 25 using a set of Harken 132 cheek blocks on the mast. I also raise my main from the companionway. I just have a single reef, but the system works really well. The link below will show you how I set mine up.

Jon

[John M]

Not being as "nimble" on the foredeck as I used to be, before my hair turned grey, and since most of the people that go sailing with me are "just along for the ride", I am seriously thinking of leading as many lines to the cockpit as possible. Before designing my "grand plan" I figured I check with a few of the "experts" on this board for advice. Firstly, Sine Qua Non is a 1980 CD27. Its set up for jiffy reefing but right now the lines I have on will only do one reef. The sail has cringles for 2 reefs. There are separate lines for the tack cringle and clew cringle as there are no "tack hooks" or "gooseneck hooks" for the tack. The fitting on the boom to lead the clew reefing line forward only has one sheeve on it. I suspect no matter what I do, I will either have to replace it with a 2 sheeve fitting or add another fitting for a second line for the 2nd reef clew line. Or am I wrong on this? I also see in West Marine's catalogue that Harken has a one line jiffy reefing system for boats to 27 feet. One line goes through the clew cringle then down along the boom then what looks like a fitting near the mast and then up thru the tack reef cringle then back down. You'd need one line only for each reef. No tack hooks etc. Anyone have an opinion on this?
As I said earlier, I'd like to lead this back to the cockpit. I really have no problem with locating the proper deck organizers and rope clutches but I'm not sure about what to use and where to locate the "blocks" (which type?) that lead the lines down from the boom along the mast and then out to the deck organizers. Any advice, instructions, or reference articles or books on the subject would be appreciated.
One last thing and then I'll let you all "breathe". Frankly, I've never drilled a hole in the deck of my beloved boat. I intend to attach the deck organizers and rope clutches on the starboard coach roof along side the companionway hatch but far enough away so as not to interfere with it. I believe I have to drill the holes clean thru the coachroof into the cabin below. Obviously I will bed all fittings and screws and I will put some type of appropriate backing plate in to take the load. All will be thru bolted. As I looked at the roof from inside the cabin, I don't believe there is a liner that I have to deal with. I think I can just drill right through. Please set me straight if I'm wrong.
I thank you all for your patience in even reading all this. I really don't want to "screw up" this marvelous boat so please help me out.
Warren

Hi Warren,

On our CD28 we thru bolted a length of track into the boom. Installed two Jiffy-Reefing-Slide-with-Block-and-Bail (see marine catalog, Schaefer part #73-37). This alows fine adjustment of the main clew reef angle. And, privides for 1 or more clew reef lines. I drilled intermediate holes in the track before mounting. We used a box-end wrench, taped to the end of a yard stick (or pvc pipe). Use some gum or other sticky substance to hold the nut in the wrench. It worked very well and very easy.

The other thing I did was to add 3:1 purchase to the clew reefing line. My #1 crew (wife Nancy) did not have the strength to pull in the clew reefing line. Where the line comes thru the cheek block I seized a block, added another block to the forward end of the boom, rigged it with some high-tech, high-strength, light weight line. Now a child can pull in a reef on our main.

I used to race on an S2 that used single line reefing. I don't remember too much about it except that it was too much line and too much friction.

Hope this helps, call or e-mail if you want more details.

John & Nancy Martin
CD28 #346 Intrepid

I also like the main halyard, and main reef lines at the mast. It never seems to be a problem, even while single handed.



johnmartin55@hotmail.com