The foot of my sail has a cord stitched in place and all the tension is carried by the cord.
Hi Terrence
The left photo showing the track pulled away doesn’t show the tack shackle but someone else mentioned that if the tack is not tight to the mast there can be too much tension of the lower slide(s).
This problem is made worse when reefed if the reef tack(s) are not properly tight to the mast. Check that your tack reef lines are run correctly.
There was a recent thread on this subject. In the search line at the top of this page type: Reefing For The First Time.
Tom26C #28
Penetanguishene
Terrence -
I totally agree with Tom regarding how tight the sail’s tack should be to the mast, whether reefed or not. I’ve attached a photo that I took of the tack and 1st reef of my sail. But, this time, I cropped out the decades-old sheaves that could use replacements …
Ernie A. in Toronto
(attachments)
TACK diagram.pdf (537 KB)
Hi Ernie, I see that you have the reefing line tied to the ring at the reef point rather than the ring at the mast. I guess that gives you a 3:1 purchase rather than the 2:1 if it is tied to the mast. Does the knot at the ring crate more friction ? I hav just sewn up that ring and web arrangement for Whit O’morn and I was going to tie the line to the ring on the mast.
Tim in STL
White O’morn NS26U #216
Harbor Point Yacht Club
West Alton, MO
The pictured snug tack reef removes the vaunted reefing from the cockpit advantage of a Nonsuch. Of course my use of a hook Cunningham/Tack line also requires leaving the cockpit.
Dick Lane
NS26c #35 Swoose
Port Townsend
Thanks Ernie, where is your Nonsuch kept?
I’m at OHM, I would love to show you mine if you can show me yours.
Terry and Clarise
30U #404
Phoenix - Toronto
Tim and Dick -
With respect, fellas, you are both incorrect. To the best of my knowledge, my reefing setup is “by the book”. Perhaps the photo is unclear.
Both 1st and 2nd reef lines are tied, not to the reef point (an O ring) on the sail but to the correct point on the mast. The 1st tack reef line goes through the port side (1st reef or lower) O ring, straight down to the block and straight back to the cockpit. The 2nd line (green and white) is tied to the mast and goes through the 2nd reef point (the higher O ring), on the starboard side, back to another block, and back to the cockpit.
Now that I look again, yes, the photo IS confusing.
Dick - what you are seeing is the result of me pulling, like hell, on the 1st tack reefing line (from the safety and comfort of the cockpit). I have managed to pull hard enough such that line stops only when it reaches the BOWLINE that is used to tie it to the mast. There is only one knot in the photo. I am happiest when that tack cringle is real tight to the mast (just like the tack of the sail). I must say that I am also happiest when I get the clew reef lines as tight as reasonably possible such that the line from the pad eye (where it’s attached to the back of the boom) is as straight as possible as it passes through the clew of the sail and heads into the cheek block on the other side of the boom i.e. not a VEE.
All four of my reef lines are easy pulls (aided by hoisting the boom with the topping lift and totally easing the choker). My boat is little - an NS22. I don’t need to throw any of these lines on a winch but I do realize that this is, sometimes, required on larger Nonsuches.
Hope that clarifies this a little !!
Ernie A. in Toronto
Dick -
Furthermore, I covet your Cunningham as this is something that I’ve always wanted. I may get a local sailmaker to put one in this winter but I’d rig it with line and some “interesting” set-up using slightly thinner but strong line and two small triple-sheave blocks (to achieve a big mechanical advantage). It would be independent, so to speak, and not require a winch or get in the way, etc. I wouldn’t use a hook and wouldn’t need it with this 6:1 block setup and wouldn’t have to go to the mast.
Ernie A. in Toronto