Reef lines

[system]

My 30U was rigged when purchased 20+ years ago as follows.
Both inboard reef lines ( tack)are on port side. Both reef lines outboard (clew) on starboard. The manual (I believe ) shows both first reef lines on port and both 2nd on starboard side. I’ve not had trouble reefing but the lines cross each other at the blocks on base of mast.
Suggestions?
Bill Evans Companionship 30U 465 West River MD.

[user24]

Bill,

FATE came rigged with both first reef lines on port and both second reef lines on starboard. We’ve kept that set up. Works for us.

Lines are currently 3/8 but I’m thinking of switching to 5/16 to see if it reduces friction.

Jim Cosgrove
FATE 30U #343
Galesville, MD

[user43]

Bill -

I have seen many different setups of the reef lines. Granted, there are the described “correct ways” but, likely, whatever works for you is the best way.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[system]

Good Evening,

I changed mine to have reef #1 clew and tack on the port side next to halyard, Reef # 2 clew and tack on starboard side. It allows me to reef #1 very quickly by myself.

Works for me but maybe not for everyone.

Cheers,

Butch

Butch Garren

Nonsuch 30 #196 “Whiskers II”

SIYC Slip 12

Solomons, MD

[system]

Thanks !

[system]

Mine are set up like yours, Butch, and they match the manual. I believe what governs this is what one has for cleats, winches and above all, clutches.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA

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[user43]

Good points, guys.

Ernie A. in Toronto

[system]

Gotta agree with Joe on the layout being key to where the lines go. Ultimately, doing the right lines in the right order is what matters, wherever those lines are led.

That said, IMHO, there’s something to be said for adapting the layout if the current layout proves inconvenient.

I haven’t double-checked, but my impression is that most of the different manuals tend to recommend the same reefing sequence. Here’s the N26U manual’s version (with my opinions inserted in italics):

1. Slacken the choker line.
2. Lower the main halyard, excess sail will flake into the cradle lines.
3. Haul in the & cleat 1st (or 2nd) tack line (bring new tack to tack fitting). I think this is best done in parallel with lowering the main. This avoids tangles, keeps from dropping the halyard more than necessary, and provides an additional cue for telling when things are in place. IMHO, this is easier if halyard and fwd (tack) reefing lines are all on the same side.
4. Tension main halyard.
5. Haul in & cleat 1st (or 2nd) reef line (i.e., the aft or clew line).
6. Tension choker for proper sail draft. IMHO, this suggests leading aft reef lines to the same place as the choker.
   My bottom line is that the choice comes down to whether an owner prefers to adapt the layout to their preferences or adapt their actions to the layout. Either’s cool.

– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch 26U #233, recently modified to do things my way

[Greg_Doyal]

Hi Bill,

I also have both tack lines run on the port side next to the halyard. This is my preferred set up because when handling the tack lines you also are adjusting the halyard and to me it is easier when they are next to each other. I have premarked the halyard to the point it needs to be eased for each reef so no guessing whether you have eased too much or not enough. A quick set with the new reef tack and tighten the halyard back up about 4" and the luff is ready to go. I then move to the starboard side and set up the new reef clew then sheet the sail back in. In all it takes less than a minute to put a reef in or undo it.

As for the set up I have both tack lines run to the port side turning blocks then up to the reef cringle and back down to the tie off point at the mast. The reef clew lines are run similarly on the starboard side. None of them cross each other.

Hope this helps.

Greg Doyal
“Challenge” 30U #516
Grosse Pointe, MI

[user24]

Bob,

My process for reefing is the same as what you describe except it adds a step 1.1–tighten topping lift to raise end of wishbone boon. That helps when you tighten the tack reef line, as you are only pulling the clew of the sail down to the boom and not also trying to fight the weight of the boom with the tack reef line. Then, of course, you need step 5.1–release topping lift.

Jim Cosgrove
FATE 30U #343
Galesville, MD

[system]

Thanks. I also mark the reef lines and halyard with a sharpie near the clutch.
Bill evans Companionship

[system]

Good points, Jim and Bill. (I actually do both, too, and should’ve included them.)

Here’s “Take 2” as they say in Hollywood, with those amendments:

1. Slacken the choker line, and raise the topping lift.

2. Lower the main halyard, excess sail will flake into the cradle lines.

3. Haul in the & cleat 1st (or 2nd) tack line (bring new tack to tack fitting). I think this is best done in parallel with lowering the main. This avoids tangles, keeps from dropping the halyard more than necessary, and provides an additional cue for telling when things are in place. IMHO, this is easier if halyard and fwd (tack) reefing lines are all on the same side.

4. Tension main halyard.

5. Haul in & cleat 1st (or 2nd) reef line (i.e., the aft or clew line), then ease the topping lift.

6. Tension choker for proper sail draft. IMHO, this suggests leading aft reef lines to the same place as the choker.
   Mark halyards and reefing lines to indicate when they are in proper position. A Sharpie is good, with different colors on the halyard for 1st and 2nd reef positions. However, consider going back over them later with whipping twine so the marks don’t wear off.

– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch 26U #233

[Bath_Water]

Hi,
I concur with the aforesaid opinions regarding order of operations and physical alignment.
Reducing diameters to 5/16 helps too.

One thing I don’t see mentioned is lowering the friction load (esp. for the 2 clew reef lines and topping lift).

These three lines go through soooo many friction points down the boom and back to the cockpit it feels like the winch is pulling 1000lbs when the end load is more like 100lbs.
In the spirit of “let me innovate (make mistakes) so you don’t have to”, I’m using nylon sheathed line (used by arborists) for these three lines this year.

Benefits so far:

• Cheaper than polyester kernmantle

• Low/no stretch

• Cool colour choices

• Easy to buy (ropeshop.ca among other vendors who also sell arborist gear)

• ~50% less friction = less load and faster action
  Downsides:

• stiff handling

• will handle 10 years of UV, not 20

• less friction means you need 2 more wraps at your winch to get it to grip

• knots don’t dress/seat as easily
  Just thoughts along the way, in the eternal quest to lower the number of expletives offered while sailing…
  

  

Cheers,

Mike and Ashley Read
NS 26C #120 Nauti Girl

Bath, Ont.

[system]

Mike could you give us a link to the actual line? The Ropeshop doesn’t recognize “arborists line” nor “nylon sheathed line”.

[system]

Has anybody come up with a way to rig single pennant slab reefing to the wishbone rig? I failed which was a reason why I switched to my new rig which makes single pennant slab reefing neat, fast, simple and effective. I found that it was hard to adjust the outboard pennant to exactly the right length to match the choker. If it were too tight, the clew would flop and too loose, the sail would not set properly. Eventually I set it on the tight side then loosened it while tightening the choker to bring the clew level. Needless to say that this was a chore that I did not relish while sailing single handed and needed to reef in adverse conditions.

I enclose some photos of my sail with a single reef in yesterday and after it was shaken out. This entailed letting off the reefing pennant and winching up the sail. Note that the red marked reefing pennant runs along the port side of the boom. I hope this will inspire a creative sailor to design a single pennant reefing system for traditional Nonsuches.

Cheers,

John Newell
Mascouche 26C 1
Toronto

PS. Running the outboard pennants through the wishboom reduced friction and UV exposure while making the wishboom tidier.

[system]

We changed to reef lines to SB and others to port. Beside the halyard winch are Topping lift, Halyard and Choker, conveniently known by the acronym THC. Yes, lines cross over but works perfectly well, no additional friction. Four reefing lines is simplest, just ease the halyard (centre of THC and pull in the two reefs.
Alan & Tracy, “Corvus” NS30C #216, BPYC Toronto