Reefing System E34

[mtntosea]

Good afternoon all. Just bought an Ericson 34 and am slowly working through the boat and its' systems, tidying up things the survey and I didn't catch and had a couple of questions which I will post separately. Thanks in advance for any input and apologies if the answers should be obvious to me.

The first is in regards to the reefing system. I have a Kenyon spar and boom with a T-track mounted starboard at the aft end of the boom for reefing. There are two sheeves/shives (sp?) at the end of the boom so the reefing lines can return to the mast and in to the cockpit. There are rams horns at the gooseneck end. There was no car on the track when I got the boat. I have looked at a dead end eye on the track, up to the first reef cringle then straight back to the end of the boom and this seems to work and allows me to get enough 'outhaul' tension on the first reef, but the loading/look doesn't seem quite right. I have tried simply tying off the reefing line around the boom as well but it seems to put unnecessary stress on the foot of the sail and the slides in the boom.

The second reef I can't quite figure as the loading doesn't work with the second reef cringle much further forward on the boom. A cheek block on the boom would make sense but is will cross the first reef line and not lead cleanly in to the end of the boom...

Am wondering if I have to tap something in to the boom or am I missing something simple and obvious? Any thoughts, photos or insights would be most helpful. Thanks

Derek

 

[mherrcat]

I went through this with the boom on my 30+. There were tracks on both sides of the boom, but they didn't seem to extend far enough forward. The previous owner didn't even use them; just had the reefing lines tied directly to the cringles in the sail, which didn't give any real downward pull on the back of the sail when reefed. After thinking about it for a while and looking at lots of pictures of other reefing arrangements I ended up ditching the tracks altogether when I refinished my boom. I ended up just running the reefing line up through the cringle then down to the boom where it is looped around the boom and tied off. Works just fine.

 

[Chris A.]

Hi Derek congrats on the new boat and welcome to the forum. Sounds like the same setup as my 34. Here are some pics I could find on my computer at work, hope it helps.

I think you have it figured correctly BTW- you have to find the right point on the boom to make your slab reefing system work. It is important to re-tension the halyard after the luff cringle is on the ram hook, prior to fully tensioning the reef line. Maybe your second reef is deeper than mine, but the track at the boom end seems to extend far enough forward to set the second reef in a good position (see forward car in my picture).

Mark H., I just had my first trip to San Clemente Island do you get there ever?

 

[mtntosea]

Chris,

Thanks for taking the time to post a few pics for me. Very much appreciated. It looks very similar to the set up I have envisioned and I will give it a try. When you use the second reef do you have any issues with the angle of the line coming back down from the cringle straight to the sheeve at the end of the boom? It seems like this might make it tough to get the 'new clew' tight to the boom? Again, thanks

Boat looks great... How much wind before you usually throw in the reef. Boat feels a little tender to me in the few days we have been out and would seem that much over 15 and the first reef will balance it a lot better....

Derek

 

[Tom Metzger]

When you use the second reef do you have any issues with the angle of the line coming back down from the cringle straight to the sheeve at the end of the boom? It seems like this might make it tough to get the 'new clew' tight to the boom?

Derek - That's what the winch is for. Also, I don't have much wind in the sail if the crew cooperates. That line provides tensioning for the outhaul.

Lots of people don't use the track and cars; they just loop the line around the boom. I use the track, but run the lines to the sail cringles on the side of the sail that they exit from the boom. The first reef then loops under the boom to the car on the track. The loop on the car faces down. I have no idea if this makes any difference.

 

[Chris A.]

Thanks Derek. I would agree on the first reef at around 15 knots apparent upwind. Usually I have a 150 up front, so will probably roll in 1/4 or so first, then reef the main after that. Second reef in the main plus more of the genoa in (or preferably the 110 jib) over 20 knots. Rough guidelines...

ENJOY!

 

[Seth]

Just take the track off!

These do nothing to ease the process and as fixed points take some effort to get the angles just right. As was just mentioned (by herrcat?) do the loop around the boom trcik.
The reef lines are self-adjusting this way so you never have to worry about the angle. Either way, you can't get sufficient tension on a reef line on any boat over 18 feet or so without a winch.

I (and others) have numerous posts here with the details about setting this up.

Good luck!

S

 

[Loren Beach]

These do nothing to ease the process and as fixed points take some effort to get the angles just right. As was just mentioned (by herrcat?) do the loop around the boom trcik.
The reef lines are self-adjusting this way so you never have to worry about the angle. Either way, you can't get sufficient tension on a reef line on any boat over 18 feet or so without a winch.

I (and others) have numerous posts here with the details about setting this up.

Good luck!

S

Agreed. I did that to our Olson over a decade ago. Track is still sitting on a shelf in the Misc. Boating Gear Closet in our basement.
The only (very little) nit one might pick... is that the rear line for the first reef can - occasionally - pop loose around the end of the boom after thrashing along to weather for a while. Not a big deal, but it does need to be put back in place before actually reefing.

The "self adjusting" feature works very well indeed.


Loren