E38 reefing setup questions

Hello All,
I have questions regarding the setup and operation of the mainsail reefing on my E38:

1) The current reefing system has lines running from the forward boom section and cleats to sheaves at the aft end. The lines then run forward to Merriman cheek blocks on tracks on either side of the boom. The lines run up to each reef point and then back down to a welded tie off point next to the cheek block on the same side. I question this setup as one of the tie off points, the first reef, points up and the other down. Last season I ran the 1st reefing line around the boom entirely to return it to the tie off point. This seemed to work best however the setup looked a bit odd with the tie off pointing in the wrong direction. Anyone with pics specifically of the reefing setup on an E38 or similar I would really like to see them.

2) The reefing lines themselves, installed by the PO, are 1/2" line. The cleats on the boom are kinda small, the 1/2" line barely fits. What size line should be there? Any idea on the loads the reef line is subject to? I am thinking 3/8" or smaller high tech line would be a better choice?

Thanks, RT

we use 3/8ths polyester with the original reefing system... I wouldn't use anything high tech. I'd much rather have a reef line break than a sail tear. I always try to put a weak point somewhere in stuff... I'd much rather replace $25 of line than $250+ of sail repair. I do the same thing with our chute... weak point is the tack line (3/8ths poly) since I use high tech halyards and sheets. It broke last year in a blow- and it cost me $25 to replace... sail repairs are never cheap.

Just my $0.02

Im not sure what the cheek blocks are doing for you but here is how my 38 reefing is set up. I have a hook at the gooseneck to accept the luff cringles for 2 reefs. The reefing lines are both attached to the cars on the t track on the aft end of the boom. They run from the cars up through the cringles in the clew along the leech then back to the sheaves in the end of the boom. The 2nd reef car was facing down when I got the boat and the reef line was led from that car under the boom and back up to the cringle before going to the end of the boom sheave. I turned the car right side up and lead it the same as the first reef now. Not sure why it was done that way, but it sounds like your boat was set up that way too. So the reef lines then run fwd inside the boom to sheaves at the goosneck end where they exit down to mast base blocks then to the deck organisers then to cabin top clutches. I replaced all the sheaves in the boom and eliminated the silly cam cleats in the goosneck end that never work and are dangerous. The reefing process goes as follows. Ease halyard until luff cringle (actually ring on a webbing strap) can be hooked. Halyard re-tensioned. Reef line snugged by hand making sure sail does not get pinched and falls out on the same side of the boom. Reef line tensioned by winch until foot looks tight. Sail trimmed and loose sail secured with sail ties run only around the sail not the boom. If I am going to be sailing for an extended period reefed I sometimes add a backup line to the reef line.

Thanks for the replies. Still pretty muddy though. My setup forward is the same as yours Ted however I don't run the reefing lines to the cockpit they cleat on the boom. The cheek blocks allow the reefing line to run forward, turn on the cheek block sheave, then up to the clew/cringle and back down again to the cheek block where the tie off point is. The line run is not the fairest from the aft boom end to the cheek block but it works. I would still be very interested in seeing pics if anyone has some. Thanks, RT

reefing

Ted
Mine is set up much the same.
Great advice about only tying the sail to itself not around the boom

One more note BE SURE AND RELEASE THE VANG

There is a diagram of the e38 slab reefing setup on page 116 of the e38 manual here:

ftp://ftp.ericsonyachts.org/Model_Specific_Docs/E38_Documents/e38-200_owners_manual_stnd.zip

John,
Thanks, that was informative. I now understand how Ericson intended the reefing setup to work. The question now is what are the cheek blocks there for? I am guessing that they maybe part of an ill-conceived single line reefing setup? I will be re-routing the reefing lines to the setup shown in the manual and running new 3/8ths in. Thanks, RT

Here is another reefing system variation. I tie a bowline 'slip knot' (loop of bowline goes around the line, not the boom) around the aft end of the boom with the reefing lines. There are no cars on the boom (I wondered what that track was for on the aft end of the boom). Other than that, my setup is the same as Ted's. The bowline slip knot allows adjustment of the lines to the proper location before tensioning. Photo is attached.

John

We use Johns version on most of the boats I race on for the reasons he illustrates. In my case the track allows car positon in the right place. John it looks like your second reef would not work on the track as it appears to want to live fwd of the end of the track. If I had a 3rd reef it would have to be set up like Johns. BTW John I was up at PRSA on sunday racing Jet 14's with your lightning buddies. They were at a loss as to why you were not racing? Hard to get a pass on mother's day?

You're right, Ted, that the loop for the second reef is not back far enough. That's just poor positioning on my part. I think it will hold on the boom where it needs to be once I tighten on the reefing line. I discovered after looking at the Ericson manual that JohnK posted that I have might not be stretching out my sail enough when I reef. I'll have to play around with it next time I have the chance. I don't have to reef my Lightning!

I wonder if one of your cars was set up to have the reefing line go under the boom so that the lines would run clear to the cringle and down to the sheave on the boom (a sheave on each side of the boom, right). I tie my bowline slip knots reversed of one another and have the lines go up opposite sides of the sail, down to opposite sheaves (note that reefing line 1 doesn't show in the photo).

I was cruising this weekend instead of sailing the Lightning. We had the 2nd reef in close-hauled sailing from the Magothy across to the Chester river on Sunday. It was beautiful on the bay and we were the only cruisers anchored on the Corisica R. Saw a pair of Bald Eagles in a tree where we anchored at the mouth of Emory Cr. Ok, I'm getting off topic here, but it was so great to get out -- first time for the year in our boat!

I think you have it nailed here John. Running the second reef under the boom and up the port side of the sail has it leading a bit fairer to the sheave on the boom and not fouling the 1st reef. In my case I only run one reef line and have a messenger led for the second. I rarely use that second reef and if I do I often take the line from the 1st reef and run it to the second. If I wzas going to leave both reef lines run I think I would set it up with the second running under the boom. I have often considered removing the track and cars to shave some weight out of the boom. I have a loose foot main that would make tieing the reef line to the boom very easy.

Hey, so maybe I should remove those tracks that I don't use before our big race at the end of June!

Yeah the other reason I decided not to do that was the thoguht of trying to extract those 1/4" stainless screws from the aluminum boom... The juice was not worth the squeeze IMHO.