Single Line Reefing?

I decided I finally need a new main for my 1989 E-38, and have decided to go with a UK Lazy Cradle design for the convenience of not having to mess with the sail cover. One of the options I am considering to make things even easier is adding single line reefing. But I have read several accounts that suggest this system is usually better in theory than in practice, especially with larger boats. Supposedly it is very difficult to obtain the correct tension on both the luff and leach cringles at the same time. And all of the additional blocks and rigging add quite of bit of friction, so that it can take forever to winch in the whole line.

Any experience out there? Right now I guess I have been put off by all the warnings.

I haven't a Clew...

No personal experience, due exactly to all the warnings you cited. But a friend did have the single line system on his 28 footer and said it worked OK at the dock and in lighter air -- like when you decide to reef before going out or well ahead of heavy air condidtions.


As to our 34 footer, I tend to want to look harder at ways to make the standard reefing work more efficiently.
Our boat came to us with tack hooks at the gooseneck requiring someone to go forward and hook the floppy rings on 'em. Next re-tension the halyard. Then the new clew can be winched in (it is now led back to the rear of the cabin top through a clutch stopper).
This works fine but really needs two people.
At some point I plan to upgrade more of the turning blocks to ball bearing types. I need to find a ball bearing replacement sheave for the ones in the Kenyon boom. That is probably where most of the friction is hiding...


On smaller boats, we used to have both tack and clew reefs led aft. Worked OK, but I am not sure it was better than the simple method of going up and hooking the tack ring...

On a big main like yours, friction loads may go up geometrically... :eek:

Keep us informed of how you work out the details.
I wish I had more to share than my ignorance.

Best,

Loren
Olson 34 #8

me too

I have an E26 (1967) and want to rig it for single handing. Any good ideas on how to reef in when you're underway and are the only one on the boat would be welcomed.

Double-line reefing

I just got my E38 this summer and as a result of an unusual season (10-20+ knots of weekend afternoon notherlies), have had some practice reefing with just the two of us. We have the hooks and rings and the halyard led aft. We generally heave-to, which is also a good thing to practice.

I've read an article about double-line reefing written by Beth Leonard in the Aug 2003 issue of Sail Magazine. THey use a two line system on their 47-footer, one for the clew and one for the tack. Both controls are led to the cockpit. She also describes marking the halyard, mast and reefing lines so that you know where to set them initially. This sounds great if you are single-handing and if you have room on the cabintop to run lines aft. Unfortunately she does not describe the rigging or sail modifications required, other than to mention Spectra lines to reduce friction and stretch.

The procedure sounds easy: Drop the main to the right spot. Bring the tack in tight to the mast. Tension the CLEW to the mark on the line. Tension the main halyard. Voila. This is done without heaving-to or significant changes in heading.

This might be worth exploring, even if you have to go to the mast to set the tack. I don't seem to have room on the cabintop to run two more lines aft.

I hope this helps. I have an autopilot, which will be very helpful when I'm alone, if it is reliable enough. I'm still building my confidence in it.

To everyone on the East Coast - I hope you, your families, and your boats got through Isabel in good shape. The wind is pretty calm here now, but I think I'll go put out a third fender for the winter anyway.

Cheers,

I have since read a fair amount about true single line reefing, and just about everything I have read is bad. Everyone agrees it works fine at the dock, or in theory. But in practice there is just too much friction, and it is almost impossible to get the proper tension on both the clew and tack at the sae time.

So for the time being I will order the sail with normal slab reefing and set up for tack hooks. When I get ambitious I will rig downhauls for the two reefs at the luff and lead them aft along the cabin house.

I think me too

Steve, the more I contemplate how to rig for reefing, the more I think you have the right idea. Down hauls on the luff, lead aft.