Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
I just noticed that instead of reefing tack hooks I have a snap shackle attached to the top of the goose neck. Is this going to be okay or should I replace it with an actual tack hook. And if so, should I have one on each side as I do have two sets of reef points. Thanks again.
I'm not sure if you could get two of them on the pin for the second reef. I didn't have a second reef point, but I think that maybe the hook could handle both grommets.
Davy J
2005 Gemini 105Mc PO 1987 C25 #5509 SR/SK Tampa Bay
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
I have seen other setups that had one on each side so I didn't know if that was required or not if you have two sets of reef points as I do. Also asking if its OK to use it as is with the snap shackle that is already mounted there. Thanks again everyone.
Maybe somebody has two hooks to make it easier to set the reef from either side of the mast. (?)
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
What kind of snap hook? Some pelican hooks are rated for high loads, but I don't see any good reason to use one. Slipping a grommet over a hook doesn't take long.
Dave B. aboard Pearl 1982 TR/SK/Trad. #3399 Lake Erie/Florida Panhandle
I delivered a 40' cat that used snap shackles for reefing, it also had a piece of nylon webbing through the reef grommets with a D-ring on either side. Attach the snap shackle to one (or both) of the D-rings. I found it so much easier than messing with a hook that I plan on installing one on the Watkins next time I have the main off.
Okay, so if you setup a two line reefing system do you still need a reef hook at the mast end of the boom or is it no longer necessary..? Thanks again.
Okay, so if you setup a two line reefing system do you still need a reef hook at the mast end of the boom or is it no longer necessary..?
The forward line is doing what the hook would do. The biggest advantage over the hook would be if you led both lines to the cockpit.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
A hook or hooks on the gooseneck is a good method of reefing on a bigger boat, and if it has multiple crew. A 2 line system is generally better if the lines are all led to the cockpit, and you're shorthanded. The latter is also better for smaller boats, because you can reef without leaving the cockpit, and small boats can roll so wildly in a chop that it's difficult to stay on the coach roof.
Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind" previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22 Past Commodore
Regarding your pic of the gooseneck slide with the snap shackle attached, it looks like someone flipped the slide upside down so the hole would be on top. The normal position is hole down, and that hole is used for the boom downhaul line. If you are going to stay with a 1 line system, I recommend replacing the snap shackle with a reef hook and flipping the gooseneck slide at your next opportunity. If your main halyard runs back to the cockpit, go to a 2-line system. The reef hook makes sense only if your main halyard cleats on the mast causing you to have to go forward to loosen the halyard. Remember, the best time to reef is while you are still at the dock!
DavidP 1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52 PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess" Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN
For what it's worth: I've had two sailmakers recommend against a single reef line system. Their reasoning was that those systems caused a major portion of their sail repair work, replacing torn out slide attachment points on the luff. Problem happens because often the leech line applies unequal tension to the luff if the luff hasn't already been tensioned by the halyard after the luff reef point is set.
So, when I got my new sails, I modified my single-line system by replacing the luff reef line with an adjustable line that attached to the base of the mast and had a snap shackle that could function as a reefing line or a Cunningham with the above mentioned D rings and webbing through the reef grommets. Because my leech reef line and halyard were still led to the cockpit, the snap shackle was better than a hook, which could have slipped off before I could get back to the cockpit to re-tension the halyard after setting a reef in the luff.
I know this sounds awfully complicated, but it worked much better than the single line system, which usually required a trip to the mast anyway.
The main point is, whichever line configuration you use, make sure the luff is tensioned by the halyard before you apply tensioning forces to the leech. You want to apply that force to all the luff slides, not just a couple at the bottom of the sail.
Sailor Jerry C-25 "Sea Song" 1978, SK, Std. Pepin, WI
The main point is, whichever line configuration you use, make sure the luff is tensioned by the halyard before you apply tensioning forces to the leech. You want to apply that force to all the luff slides, not just a couple at the bottom of the sail.
Also, the forward reefing line of the 2-line system should be rigged to pull slightly forward as well as down on the reef tack. Then, once that's tensioned, it prevents excessive rearward force on the bottom slug when the clew reef line is tensioned (as a reef hook would). That's the primary advantage of two lines--a single line through both the reef tack and clew can pull the clew aft prematurely and pop a slug out, which can subsequently damage the sail at the next slug up when the sail is filled.
A sailmaker I knew said the most common damage related to reefing was the reef-ties being tied too tightly--the their grommets aren't reinforced for high tension when the sail is filled like the reef tack and clew are. The ties should be just barely tight enough to keep the bundled sail from falling below the boom.
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.