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Reefing Lines?


Farrari

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I have two 10mm (maybe 12mm) reefing lines run out to the back of my boom for #1 and #2 reef points. Previously I had these run up through the cringle in the sail and back down to the boom where the reefing line was terminated with a loop that I tied off to the boom using two loops of 8mm spectra.

 

This is all a bit ugly and creates a lot of drag. What better options do I have?

 

I want to be able to reef without manually tying anything to the boom at the time of reefing.

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Fixed.

 

Generally we don't run the reeflines unless we expect to need them. With a 1020 it's over 30 before we reef and in Auckland extremely rare to need a second.
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If you are reefing for performance optimisation (usually the first reef falls into this category) then the extra drag and weight and such factors might be worth worrying about.

 

In my experience, when you are putting in a second reef, and especially a third reef, performance is no longer the main driver. Staying alive, not losing the rig, not injuring people and not ripping your sails have over taken optimising your performance. At this stage, if you're worrying about drag, or the added heeling moment due to heavier/longer lines, you're probably in trouble.

 

When a second reef (and subsequent reefs) becomes neccessary it often happens quite quickly. At such times you DEFINITELY want your reefing lines to:

 

( a ) already be run and securely tied off - trust me trying to thread and tie a second reefing line in 45+ knots and big seas on a pitching boat is no fun at all.

 

and

 

( b ) be in good condition, and not going to jam or break.

 

If you are harbour sailing, in a place like Auckland, for example, then having your second reefing line not threaded but ready with a stopper knot at the end of the boom may make a lot of sense. If you're starting a race in 35 knots, and/or venturing on a coastal route, especially into somewhere like the Cook Strait, I think saving on drag by not running your second reefing line is a false economy.

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You are happy to drag a massive lump of lead through the water round the harbour, the drag from some reefing lines is absolutely miniscule in comparison to that.

 

When you really need them, they need to have been already run.

Our Policy is to run 1 if we don't think we'll reef. (under 20 knots)

Run 2 if we think the most we'll need is 1 (20 to 30 knots)

and run all 3 if we think we might need 2 (over 30 knots)

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If it's like Drums of Time the boom isn't set up for three, so you have to re-use the first reef line as the third.

 

Not sure what windspeed Cameron thinks you need to require the third reef. I actually think the boat is quicker (for me and my crew) upwind if I change down much earlier than 30 knots and much easier to sail.

 

I have used the second - two-up (me and the wife) coming back from Mahurangi at Anniversary weekend last year(?).

 

I generally follow TimW's approach. Except that I'm less conservative if fully crewed (rarely set up the second) and wouldn't set up the first if the wind is clearly settled below 15 knots. I'm pretty conservative if short crewed.

 

Another option is to run mousing lines through the second and third reef cringles. Setup for the end of the reefline looks something like this:

 

reefline.jpg

 

The loop of thin cord (spectra or similar) stitched to the end is for tying the mouse line to, and is big enough to stop the collar sliding off the end of the line, but small enough to pass through the cringle. The collar acts as a stopper at the end of the line when the line is fully pulled into the boom, and slides up the line as the line runs through the cringle.

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It comes down to a question of options.

Either run the reefing line(s) or don't.

 

Personally I prefer running the reefing lines as it immediately gives you an option to pop a reef in, taking about 30 to 45 seconds to maximum of say 90 seconds depending upon crew training & experience. Quick, easy and often done, you will sail with less heel and therefore less drag. The more practice you do, the more efficient you will be!!.

 

By contrast having to run reefing lines whilst sailing means standing up at the end of the boom, IF you can reach it BEFORE it drags in the water, with the boat heeling suddendly in gusts, trying to hang on and tie off the reefing line, with a helmsperson ALWAYS less competent than yourself. Often the lee rail will have been underwater for a long time, creating more drag, less VMG, badly pointing all of which would add up to thousands of time more drag than 2 x 1m lengths of reefing line, one lying on the heavily reinforeced (tabling) part of the clew.

 

OR dropping the mainsail most of the way down, handling a wildly flapping and thrashing leech cringle without being hit in the eye yet again.

It will generally take at least 5 minutes of distraction, bad steering with a high risk of man overboard problems.

 

Generally if you have not run the reefing lines, your decision to reef is then put off and the wait a while 10 test will be used. So at least 5 minutes late, plus 10 minutes wait plus 5 minutes to do = 20 minutes of poor performance, losing places all the time.

 

There are ways of using messengers, very thin tails on reefing lines etc. Search for previous threads.

 

So I favour the least risk alternative, with most options and better VMG.

KISS principle.

For the cruisers, a lot less of hearing "I told you i DID NOT want to come sailing" :shifty: :wink:

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Hi,

I think it depends on boat and number of crew.

With 2 of us on M1 we ran the 1st reef and left mouse lines in for 2nd and 3rd. We left knotted reefs at tail of boom and it was easy to then mouse and run them

My 2 cents worth

Cheers

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We will run RL 1 if there is the slightest hint we'll need it when we up the main. Leave it out otherwise. If it pans out the weather plays nice we'll often pull it out on the track. Our R2 is one of them cheat ones so can't actually be used but then we have only wanted it once and got by so lucky I guess.

 

If we had more than one we'd probably run the same system, chuck in RL1 if it looks likely, RL2 if is looks likely to go real horrible.

 

As most races are shortish term you can take a punt like that I reckon. Going offshore or doing a WI maybe you'd want something in there, the RL or a mouse I'd think.

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