Reefing while underway

[JD-MDR]

John
Some observations.

On the clew: those sure looks like very light weight cheek blocks. I suspect the boom, if it's a Rig Rite, has a substantial side wall...so that’s good. And, the fasteners are “in shear” so that's good too. But they look small. The system looks undersized to me.

I’m not suggesting it won’t work...don’t know. But were it me I’d want those components to be as robust as possible. There are tremendous loads on the sails and rig as the wind increases. During a gyb, especially if it gets away from you, there could be high shock-loads exerted on the clew and its supporting hardware. Nothing too strong ever broke.

The curved base cheek block that is on the first reef clew was on the boat originally so I think it is engineered safe. Its a Shaeffer 2" sheave, rated 1000#. The other little one is something I found on the boat I guess I will replace it with the same as the other. . If they need to be so strong then what about the other side The line is stopped on a little pad eye and the other is on a little cleat. They don't look so strong either.I wish I would have took photos today when I was down there. Now that I think about it There is corrosion around all the fasteners.

[John Stone]

John
Some observations.

On the clew: those sure looks like very light weight cheek blocks. I suspect the boom, if it's a Rig Rite, has a substantial side wall...so that’s good. And, the fasteners are “in shear” so that's good too. But they look small. The system looks undersized to me.

I’m not suggesting it won’t work...don’t know. But were it me I’d want those components to be as robust as possible. There are tremendous loads on the sails and rig as the wind increases. During a gyb, especially if it gets away from you, there could be high shock-loads exerted on the clew and its supporting hardware. Nothing too strong ever broke.

The curved base cheek block that is on the first reef clew was on the boat originally so I think it is engineered safe. Its a Shaeffer 2" sheave, rated 1000#. The other little one is something I found on the boat I guess I will replace it with the same as the other. . If they need to be so strong then what about the other side The line is stopped on a little pad eye and the other is on a little cleat. They don't look so strong either.I wish I would have took photos today when I was down there. Now that I think about it There is corrosion around all the fasteners.

I meant to get back to you but got preoccupied fighting off a pack of wolves at the door.

The first reef cheek blocks “looks” the appropriate size. That’s probably a shaffer block. You might take some measurements and a photo to send to them and give them a call. I’m sure they can recommend the right size. I looked at their on-line catalog and it made my head hurt. I also looked through my parts bin but in had a very large one that would be many times overkill for what you need.

You are right to suspect those fasteners, though it’s the aluminum that usually gives way to the more noble SS. But it doesn’t matter. You don’t want the block to give way. You might, if necessary, and if the block base has the room for it, retap for the next larger size fastener. If not, you might be able to just move the block a small amount and tap into better aluminum. You can install fasteners in the old holes or epoxy them up after beveling them with a chamfer bit.

[JD-MDR]

I was wondering what to do with all the old holes. also whats wrong with using bondo. I always have a lot of that . I use it detailing woodwork on houses. .That kind is for wood but the old kind is for metal and fiberglass ( I think). I like it because it dries fast and its easy to sand. Oh also I found they used sheet metal screws not machine screws. Maybe I'll go thru it all and change everything to machine screws. That won't cost nothing.I have to pay down my boatyard debt. Can you believe they want about $30,000 to paint my boat. 80 hrs waterline to rubrail, 150 hrs cabin,cockpit, and deck, and 50 hrs non-skid. I might learn how to Awl-Grip. but the hull doesn't bother me so much and the deck etc. I can do that with Jamestown paint like I did last year. Or just little by little practice Awl-Grip roll and tip.

[John Stone]

I was wondering what to do with all the old holes. also whats wrong with using bondo. I always have a lot of that . I use it detailing woodwork on houses. .That kind is for wood but the old kind is for metal and fiberglass ( I think). I like it because it dries fast and its easy to sand. Oh also I found they used sheet metal screws not machine screws. Maybe I'll go thru it all and change everything to machine screws. That won't cost nothing.I have to pay down my boatyard debt. Can you believe they want about $30,000 to paint my boat. 80 hrs waterline to rubrail, 150 hrs cabin,cockpit, and deck, and 50 hrs non-skid. I might learn how to Awl-Grip. but the hull doesn't bother me so much and the deck etc. I can do that with Jamestown paint like I did last year. Or just little by little practice Awl-Grip roll and tip.

I don’t see why Bondo wouldn’t work. It’s not as tough or durable as epoxy but in small amounts I guess it would work. I just don’t have enough experience with it to recommend it.

$30,000?!! Wow. There is no reason why you can’t do it yourself. If you do, don’t let anyone talk you in to painting with a one part LPU.

[Keith]

This thread has wandered a bit but I wanted to share a pic of the reefing hooks on MOONDANCE. The hook attaches under the gooseneck bolt head and has hooking points on both sides. It also has a clevis pin to attache the tack to. Also note how short the webbing for the ring is. To John's earlier point I also believe that this should be as short as possible.

Keith

[Ellenw]

Sorry, but your bloody earring webbing looks exactly the kind of thing I would have done, so you made me laugh! I’m just wondering... could you hook both rings on your long dangly earring to bring it closer to the boom? I’d hate to think of more blood letting occurring. Disclaimer: I have no idea what I’m talking about, as we just bought a little Typhoon, ourselves.

[JD-MDR]

Sorry, but your bloody earring webbing looks exactly the kind of thing I would have done, so you made me laugh! I’m just wondering... could you hook both rings on your long dangly earring to bring it closer to the boom? I’d hate to think of more blood letting occurring. Disclaimer: I have no idea what I’m talking about, as we just bought a little Typhoon, ourselves.

I assume your referring to my bloody earrings. I got some new webbing so I'm gonna try again. that was good practice. The u tube video said to make four stitches . Maybe that's not necessary. I wonder if The ring or eyelet was supposed to hook on that pin that holds the mainsail to the gooseneck. I tried that over the weekend . It seemed OK .I not sure how secure it would be. Anyway I'm going to make it all tightened up this weekend. I took my alternator in for service so I will be disabled and won't go out this weekend.

[JD-MDR]

Here is how I made it. I got the straps as short as I could. The webbing from Defender Marine was much easier to work with and I didn't overlap three times like I did the first time. I also rigged a boom preventer. You can see part of it hooked to the mast. That end snaps to a padeye on either side and the line is long enough to reach the cockpit. I don't have any cam cleats I can use the cleat on the combing. I can cleat the Genoa or spinaker on the aft cleat.

[Martinhilldpo]

Tying off the tiller then going to the mast to reef sounds slightly suicidal to me. A tiller pilot works ok but as a single hander I find heaving too the safest and easiest option. The whole act of heaving too and returning to sailing is made so much easier if you gybe out of it to your previous course without tacking.

[JD-MDR]

I made the upper strap tpp short now . It wont reach my shackle. I wish I had JS’s patience. I would research and do everything right the first time

[John Stone]

I made the upper strap tpp short now . It wont reach my shackle. I wish I had JS’s patience. I would research and do everything right the first time

Ha! If you only knew....

[fmueller]

@ Martin

About heaving to vs using a tiller pilot ... since this thread started I have decided to try not to be as dependent on the tiller pilot. I had a good occasion heave to, and throw in a reef south of Newport a few days ago when the wind finally filled in from the south west; quickly building to 15-20 knots and gusting higher ...

what worked for me (sailing solo):

110% jib rolled in to about 90% - tacked (as slowly as possible) without releasing the jib sheet - eased the mainsail quite a bit after the tack, but not quite fully - moved the tiller slowly all the way to leeward then lashed to jib sheet cleat on the cockpit combing- allowed the boat to settle - then eased the taught backed windward jib sheet - to bring the bow up to windward as much as possible (which also slacked the main sail even more) - waited a few moments to see that the boat had settled and would not inadvertently tack back.

Thus riggeed in force 5 wind Jerezana moves at about 1 1/2 knots at about 140-150 degrees off the wind with the bow holding about 60 -70 degrees off the wind ... the motion of the boat is reasonably calm and reefing the main is easy even though the boom is well out over the leeward side of the boat. I have to use the windward reefing cringle. Tying up the bunt had to wait until I was underway which I usually do at least partially.

I don't think you even need to have a roller furling jib because you can moderate the bow down force by the amount of easing as opposed to the "size" of the backed jib. On this particular day my (eased but backed) jib ended up almost centered on the bow - it was heavily curved to leeward, as you would expect. This also keeps the jib itself off the windward stays. I'd rather fray the sheet a little if any.

Fred

[JD-MDR]

This thread has wandered a bit but I wanted to share a pic of the reefing hooks on MOONDANCE. The hook attaches under the gooseneck bolt head and has hooking points on both sides. It also has a clevis pin to attache the tack to. Also note how short the webbing for the ring is. To John's earlier point I also believe that this should be as short as possible.

Keith

I went out on a boat with those reef hooks. It was not so easy to hold the tack ring in the hook while hoisting the sail with one hand. I like Jim's 360 degree open loop. I fixed my earrings and made the webbing straps as short as possible. also I got a shaeffer cheek block series 5 with curved base pad. I also put an eyelet on the other side with 1/4" machine screws. It should be good now.. Soon I plan to install the track for the trysail

[Jim Walsh]

I like Jim's 360 degree open loop.

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pa ... 8&id=75164

No matter how wild the ride I’ve never had a tack earring slip off the hook.

[Steve Laume]

I still like the set up on Raven. A pad eye on one side of the mast, down lower than the boom and a cleat on the other side. I keep the first reef rigged through it's grommet in the sail with a long tail. Ease the halyard, pull down and cleat off the first reef. Feed the line back through the second reef grommet and cleat it off if needed. No messing around with a flogging sail, hooks and ear rings. Just a single line to deal with, Steve.