Reefing CD 25 - How?

[Tom Foley]

My 74 CD25 has a Schaefer boom and UK Sails. They have the hardware and can be set for two reefs. The boom has two blocks and two cleats (aft - starboard side) and two hooks (one on each side) near the mast. I have looked at the Schaefer website and find their diagram and instructions confusing. The main has two slits in leather and two sets of brass eyes. I don't go out over 15 knots and haven't used the reef set-up. Can any one provide better instructions?
Thanks
Tom Foley
Cape Porpoise, Maine

[Tod Mills]

Hi, Tom

Reefing is pretty easy once you see how it's done.

It can be done either at the dock/mooring/anchor or while out on the water just as easily.

I'll assume you are out sailing and the wind pipes up:

1. I'll start out on a beat on port tack (wind coming over the port bow).

2. Slowly tack but leave the jib cleated so that it backwinds, then after the boat has turned and it is on starboard tack with the jib backwinded, push the tiller to leeward and ease the mainsheet a bit. Tie off the tiller way to leeward. The jib is then backwinded and the rudder is countering it. You are hove to at that point and the boat slowly drifts to leeward with maybe just a tiny bit of fwd speed; very little.

3. The reason for heaving to on stbd is so that you have the right-of-way. That's also why the reefing cleat is on the stbd side of the boom; so it is more accessible while on stbd tack.

4. Then I'll ease off the main halyard and lower the main a bit so that the first reefed tack grommet (there's probably a real name for that) is hookable with a hook at the gooseneck. (my boat doesn't have a hook; I just use line, but a hook would be faster). The tighten up the halyard again. Don't confuse a cunningham grommet for a reef grommet if you have one. It will be lower and not in line with the rest of the row.

5. Snug up the reef line (runs from the port side of the boom up through the reef clew grommet, down to the block, then fwd to the cleat. (It should've been rove when bending on the sail). (after block for 1st reef, fwd one for 2nd reef).

6. Gather up the loose sail along the foot of the boom and tie it up loosely (ie don't stress the sail).

7. If you wanted the second reef, just do the above with the second row of reef points and the fwd block and cleat instead of the after block and cleat.

8. Tidy up lines, free the tiller, get your jib squared away, and away you go....only takes a minute (or several if you are klutzy like me).



Hope this helps.....

[Didereaux]

Tod,
Two things come to mind when I read your post:
1. There really ought to be an official FAQ on this site.
and
2: Your post should be in it.

well done.

[Neil Gordon]

If the hardware is in place but the boat's not rigged for reefing...

The slit in the foot of the main is so you can tie a reefing line around the boom. There may be a pad eye (usually on the port side) in which case you don't need to. Anyway... you secure the line either to the boom or the padeye, run it up through the sail (the first big ring), down the other side, through the block on the boom (the furthest aft one for the first reef) and then forward to near the mast. There's probably a cleat there on the boom.

You reef as the previous post eloquently described.

Rig the sail in light air while it's up and the route of the reefing line will make sense to you.

By the way, the reef points along the boom are just for keeping things neat. For the first reef, I generally don't bother. In no case should they be anything but tidy; there should be no strain of the sail along the boom as the reef points aren't designed for that.

[Mike Johnson]

all i have on my CD 25 is a grommet, one line of reef points and then another grommet. I attach the first grommet to the hook, tie the reef points (5) around the the bottom of the sail, and then run a line through the aft grommet to the end of the boom. I have not noticed any strain at the reef points, but I will check next time I have to use this system.

[viejo]

When using this type of reefing approach, the reef points in the sail should NOT take a strain. All the strain from the reef should be at the tack and the clew. The reef points are used to "pretty up" the reef (and it keeps the unused portion of mainsail from flopping around).

[marka]

Tom,

Todd's excellent description on heaving-to is one of the most useful tactics you can learn. And reefing deep & early will extend the conditions under which you will sail in ways that will amaze you.

[Neil Gordon]

And reefing deep & early will extend the conditions under which you will sail in ways that will amaze you.

With the added benefit that you actually go faster and steer in straighter lines when you're not over powered.

[Pete]

I'm passing along a suggestion that I wish I had last year... (... I tied the first reef point to a second reef point, guess what happened...?)

The 1st suggestion is to use two different colored lines; one color for the first reef point and the second color for your second reef point. By introducing two different colors, you can quickly tie the right reef points. Matching your reef-sheets to the reef points, help confirm what color lines control what.

The 2nd suggestion is not to tie your reef point over the boom. Rather, tie the reef points between the boom and the foot of the sail. Remember, you are not trying to hold your sail in place, rather just trying to neaten up the sail base. This will put less stress on your sail.

Single handing a lot and having to go forward (to put a reef in), I want things as clear as possible.

[Neil Gordon]

The 2nd suggestion is not to tie your reef point over the boom. Rather, tie the reef points between the boom and the foot of the sail.

Sure, except where there's a bolt rope and no slot between the sail and the boom. Still, the reef points are just to gather the loose sail and they shouldn't be doing any work.

Color coding is a good idea. Especially good when guests are on board... so rather than "trim the port genoa sheet" you can safely say "pull on the red rope."

[Oswego John]

.

Hi All,

I'd like to touch on three points in regard to reefing and heaving to.

#1 Late last night, after I had finished reading Tod Mill's words of wisdom on heaving to, I was impressed with the accuracy and the depth of his description of it. I had planned on complimenting him on his treatise today, but when I went to the board, I discovered others had the same idea and had beaten me to it.

In my earlier days, I had been accused, and rightly so if I may add, of being hung up on details. To me, being detail oriented was a compliment, it was part of what I did for a living. I appreciated the depth that Tod went to in describing the tactics of heaving-to while reefing.

#2 Mike Johnson and Viejo. From reading Mike's post, I got the impression that Mike's mainsail was loosefooted. If I'm correct in that assumption, I suspect that his mainsail is connected to the boom only at two points, the tack and the clew. Mike stated that when he reefs, he ties the reef points down and around the bottom of the sail.

Viejo, the point that you made is well taken and I happen to agree with you. I feel that Mike was agreeing with your thought in regard to reefing. When he ties the reef points under the sail, he is still maintaining a loosefooted main, albeit reefed.

My boat has a bolt rope in the mainsail that attaches it overall to the boom. When I reef, my reef points reach down, under and around the boom. At this time, all my reef points take strain. Is there any way, under the present setup, to reef without straining the reef points?

#3 He's gonna kill me next time he sees me but I'm gonna say it anyway. What the hey?

Mark Abramski is probably the most modest person on this board. He is a veritable wizard at woodworking. (He has this thing for white oak, as you all know. And for good reason.) Mark is a very able sailor, too.

Last summer, I hitchhiked a ride on his CD 27, a boat in beautiful shape. Three of us, Mark, his teenage son and myself went for an evening sail. I was silently impressed as to the manner he encouraged his son to take command of the craft. Mark's son is becoming quite handy at the helm as well as at other aspects of sailing. But I digress.

As the day wanes, the wind on the lake becomes unpredictable. Mark assessed the situation before shoving off and wisely reefed the main. The wind varied between 15 and 20 knots, interspersed with puffs. Once outside of the harbour, into the lake itself, we were met with rollers and could spot mini whitecaps cresting. We were then about one to two miles offshore of the lighthouse.

The point that I wanted to relate was that, somehow, the subject of heaving-to came up. Without any hesitation, Mark sprung into action and "badda bing, badda bang", in no time at all we were heaving-to amid the rollers, sideslipping merrily along into the millpond smooth water on our lee. I cannot impress you as to how easy, how practical the maneuver is.

To cap off (get ready, a pun is in the making) the pleasant sail, soon after we were back into the harbour, into the water protected by the breakwater's boulders, I happened to look up at the windex. The wind caught the beak of my cap and flipped it overboard. It was bright white and easy to spot in the twilight dusk.

Mark told his son to come about. I said "fuggedaboutit." Mark says "It's good COB practice." I didn't have the heart to tell them that it only cost $1.00 at the local Dollar Depot. So the cap sank, I was out $1.00.

The good news is that luckily I wasn't wearing my CD cap. That's my good cap. I save that for special occasions like weddings and baptisms.

O J

[marka]

John,

Steve and I still talk about that evening boat ride. The wind, the lake and the company were just right. We'll have to do it again some evening this summer.

We were out with Steve's friend Eric last tuesday when it was blowin' 20-25 and we were telling him about our ride with you and what a wonderful evening it was.

The lake on Tuesday was not as nearly well behaved as when we went out. I suspect the wind had shifted earlier in the day and the waves were steep and disorganized.

By the way, the schooner looks great.

[Carl Thunberg]

Tom,

Practice this maneuver several times. You'll get into a rhythm. It's not hard, once someone explains it in terms like Tod did. Maybe once you become proficient you won't want to stay ashore when the wind exceeds 15 knots. Seriously, you're missing out on a lot of great sailing. Your boat can handle it, and you'll find that with practice, you can too. I'll never fault anyone for staying ashore when they're uncomfortable with the conditions. After all, this is supposed to be fun. But I've also had some of my best sailing experiences when I was one of the only boats out on the water. I've never once felt the boat couldn't handle it.

Carl

[Russell]

My boat has a bolt rope in the mainsail that attaches it overall to the boom. When I reef, my reef points reach down, under and around the boom. At this time, all my reef points take strain. Is there any way, under the present setup, to reef without straining the reef points?

These should never take any strain, if you cannot pass them under the sail but over the boom then when wrapping them around the boom make sure they are loose enough that they would never take any load.

The primary reason for these is not to pretty or neaten things up, its so when you take a large wave the reefed part of the sail when filled with water does not end up flopping onto the deck as a large bag of water. The lines keep the main where it should be. Granted in most seas you would have only one reef in this is not a problem, second reef it becomes more of an concern. Reguardless, they dont need to be tight, just enough to keep the sail from flopping out onto the deck.

Personally I only bother to tie them when seas require it. But my main is new and stiff enough that the wind wont blow it out either.

[carldoc]

This is my first season with my CD25 and this website has been fantastic because of threads like this. I havn't had to reef my main yet, but it's blowin around 20 today in Rockport, Ma. so if I go out, I may have to.

This boat, as you all know, can handle plenty of wind. I was out last week with a 20 knot wind with a full main and a storm jib. We had no problem with two people. But, sailing alone, I would probably reef the main just to be on the safe side.