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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

slab reefing

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/24/2006 : 09:42:10

I want to convert my C250 to conventional slab reefing. A couple of questions:

1.) Can I get a hook for the mast track like I have seen on other boats? If so, what is involved in installing it, and where can I get it?

2.) When using my second reef with conventional reefing, do you remove the first reef (is it call a cringle?) from the hook, and then put the second one on, or do you just leave the first on and add the second?

I know slab reefing has been discussed before, but my search came up with nothing, sorry to bother you with a repeat question.

Kevin Mackenzie
Former Association Secretary and Commodore
"Dogs Allowed"
'06 C250WK #881
and
"Jasmine"
'01 Maine Cat 30 #34

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 18:10:27

Kevin... there are those who successfully use a reefing hook for the reef tack on 250s. I think only one tack will fit on the hook at a time.

For the cruising I do where at times I'm shifting gears often, I like leaving the 1st reef fully in place and adding the 2nd and then having ability to simply shake out the 2nd and be back to the 1st so I've seperate tack lines on both. Also, with a hook the halyard must be retensioned whereas with a tack line, the halyard can be marked and dropped to a marked position on the halyard and no retensioning is needed.

But... to answer your question, several have outlined that they use one.

Edited by - on

kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 09:17:05

Thanks Arlyn. Sorry, I am not so good with sailing terms, is a "tack line" a line run through the reefing point, around the boom and tied with a square knot?

I like the idea of being able to shake the second out and return to the first.

Thanks, sorry for the dumb question.

Edited by - on

welshoff
Captain

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USA
253 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 10:46:34

Kevin,
I had a reef hook on the main sail after seeing it posted here on the web site (I searched for it today, but couldn't find the topic. It had pictures of the reef hook and where to install it). The reef hook came from West Marine - it was the smaller one of the two they sell. It is installed at the tack fitting using the same pin, placed between the gooseneck. I used it all last year. It was purchased at west marine. But, it is not very convient to go forward to set the reef hook and you have to wrestle some with the sail to bend it on to the hook.

I decided to try the sinlge line reefing system this year and not have to go forward to set the reef hook. I would not go back to the reef hook again. I would go to a double line reefing system before going to a reef hook. The double line reef system just takes a little more hardware I currently don't have.

Once I got the lines run through the appropriate blocks and marked the main halyard, it couldn't be easier to set a reef. The kids can even put one in and shake one out. Don't have to change headings or drop the main and then go up on top of the cabin to set the reef hook. Now I just take the load off the main sheet, drop the main halyard to the mark on the halyard, and winch in the reef line. It pulls in a nice tight reef (I currently only have the first reef rigged). I think the secret to making the single line reef work best, is to have the reef cringle at the tack set at a proper height above the boom when you drop the main sail down. As you pull in the reef line the luff tightens along the mast, pulling the reef cringle towards the boom. The tack reef cringle needs to be about 1-2" above the boom when all the slack comes out of the luff. This allows the line to pull through the tack reef cringle on its way from the clew reef cringle, allowing the clew reef cringle to be pulled up tight to the boom. Make sure the reef line runs through the port block at the end of the boom, forward through the boom and out the port side of front of boom, down to block on port side of the mast, up through the clew reef cringle. Mine then goes down to a turning block on the starboard side of the mast, back through a deck orginizer, and through a rope cluch. I can stand in the companion way and set the reef easily using the starboard cabin top winch.

Edited by - on

Russ.Johnson
Commodore

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USA
843 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 11:21:25

Kevin,
I know some folks like tack reef hooks better than tack reef lines.
Is there any particular reason you want to convert to reef hooks?

Arlyn's website has a drawings for converting from the factory 1-line reefing to 2-line reefing.
I found his article very informative.
Here's the link --> [url="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/reefing.html"]Reefing Lines[/url]
He does reefing at the mast.
I'm working on 2-line reefing, but let to the cockpit.
I'll post pictures in about a month.

Russ (#793)

Edited by - on

kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 11:35:58

Two line reefing led to the cockpit sounds like what I would really like. I needed to reef when suprised by big wind this weekend, and I really did not want to send inexperienced crew to wrestle with the current reefing system, and the crew was not competent to steer either. We managed it by rolling up the jib and easing the main in puffs, but that is not really what I wanted to do.

I am sorry to keep forgetting your first name Mr. Welshoff (Chris, right?), but if you have any pictures of what you did, it would be very helpful. If I understand you correctly, you use the factory reefing system, but have run it back to the cockpit. You put the main halyard in the right place, and then winch the reefing line in place, is that correct?

Russ, I am just looking for a reefing system that offers the least struggle. I will take a look again at Arlyn's article, thanks for the link. I had been meaning to go look at it. I will look forward to seeing your pictures when you get it done.

Thanks to both of you.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 12:14:58

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by kevinmac
 I am sorry to keep forgetting your first name Mr. Welshoff (Chris, right?),...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Actually, it's William.

Kevin, if the person has his full name in his profile, you can just click on his username to find it out.

[url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=1844"]welshoff[/url]

Edited by - on

Russ.Johnson
Commodore

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USA
843 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 14:27:18

Kevin,
I'm in the same situation. I don't like crawling forward to reef.
There are many opinions on the subject and you need to find a solution that works best for you.

Here are some sail terms you were asking.
These apply to both Main and Jib sails
Luff: Leading edge
Leach: Trailing edge
Foot: Bottom edge
Head: Top corner
Tack: Bottom leading corner
Clew: Bottom trailing corner

Here's what I plan to do for the 1st reef (but I haven't installed it yet).
Use the factory installed reef line for the Clew and run to the port clutch.
The port rope clutch will not longer be used for the jib halyard.
Install a 2nd port side rope clutch, cheek block and turning block.
Run the new reef tack line from the starboard mast cleat through the reef tack cringle to the port turning block.
Then through the new cheek block and rope clutch.
If all goes well, I'll repeat the process for the 2nd reef too.

Here's a link about a different topic, but shows how all lines can be led to the cockpit.
Having said that, the link has a 1-line reef system.
[url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11359"]Lines to the Cockpit[/url]

Russ (#793)

Edited by - on

kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 04/26/2006 : 08:26:21

Thanks Russ. I very much appreciate you taking the time to explain. I actually knew the terms you defined, but was not sure what a "tack line" was. Duh. A line at the tack. Oh well...

I will study your message more later on, and work on some sort of solution for my boat.

Fair winds,

Edited by - on

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