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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Reefing novice

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River Harley
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Initially Posted - 06/06/2003 : 02:03:38

Does anyone have a photo of their sail in the reefed position using the reefing system that comes on the 2002 model. I have no experience with reefing. I get the basic idea from the owner's manual, however, It's not clear to me what to do with the excess sail at the bottom once the reefing point has been secured.

River Harley

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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2980 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 10:08:26

River, looked for a pic but didn't find one... will try to put words to it. After reducing sail by bringing the reefing points down to the boom, (tack down at the luff and clew down at the leach) the excess sail at the foot can be handled in two ways.

First, it can simply be left loose. This is very often the choice for day sailing or when winds are variable and the reef may not be needed long or an additional reef might be needed.

Two, it can tied up to the boom by use of gaskets. These are short lines that run thru the three or so reef grommets between the clew and tack grommets along the reef point. These lines are normally left in the sail and are usually some 3/16 soft line.

Its important to put the lines into perspective.... remembering that they are to tidy up the sail...not secure it. For this reason, its very important that they be released PRIOR to shaking the reef out (releasing the reef lines that hold the clew and tack) otherwise damage could be done to the sail. Looking at the sail, it can be observed on the leach that the clew is very strongly reninforced with a very large support area with somewhat less at the tack but on the gasket points there is only a slight bit of support area... not enough to support the sail if the clew and tack were released.

I'd recomend that the gaskets aren't used until reefing becomes more familiar.

Also, it may be a good idea to print out a small checklist for reefing to follow until it becomes familiar. And, practice setting and shaking reef points. Some day when there is no wind and no sailing anyway... practice a few times... no sailor nearby will fault you for doing so.

A basic check list would be something like this.

<ul><li>Give the crew notice of intentions </li><li>bring the boat on course just short of luffing (set auto pilot or give instructions to helmsperson to maintain the course) </li><li>ease the main sheet and boom vang enough to allow six inches or so of topping lift set </li><li>set the topping lift </li><li>drop the main to a marked point for the reef desired </li><li>set the reef tack (two line system) </li><li>set the reef clew </li><li>reset the halyard if necessary </li><li>release the topping lift </li><li>resume course </li><li>secure the gaskets if desired </li></ul>

Additional thoughts...

If in heavy air, its helpful to reef under motor so that the boat can be brought up a little higher. With power off the main, it will drop easier and the reef lines need less exertion.

Don't use a winch to hand the reef line... It should be set by hand to prevent damaging the sail.

If setting the 2nd and the 1st is set... leave it set so that the first is easy to fall back to.

It is helpful when reefing to have all the lines to do so available either on the coach roof or to the cockpit. A combination will work... but may at times cause extra trips to the coach roof. If the main halyard is to the cockpit... the topping lift should be also.

Reef line cleats should be horned cleats...jam cleats work great. Don't use cam cleats that could be knocked loose. The result would be stressing the gasket points and damaging the sail.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
<img src="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/rr.jpg" border=0>
N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

Edited by - arlyn stewart on 06/06/2003 10:10:04

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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1768 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 11:16:57

Hi River,

I, too, am a "reefing novice," so I've been following all the threads on reefing, whether they are in the C-25 or C-250 Specific Forum. Here is a photo that I "stole" from another thread ... maybe it will help you visualize reefing a little better:

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3db23b3127cce9735255bba2b0000002610" border=0>

Here is a link to that thread entitled "Single Line Reefing" ... there is some really good information in there:

http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2835

<font color=red>If setting the 2nd and the 1st is set... leave it set so that the first is easy to fall back to. - Arlyn</font id=red>

Arlyn,

Thanks for the really good info. I've got a question regarding the above statement ... how do you do that? It seems to me that the "gaskets" have already been used to tie up the excess sail from the first reef, and you've already got lines running through the tack and the clew of the first reef, too ... don't you have to untie all that to put in the second reef?

Buzz Maring
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df23b3127cce9306a9b3abad0000001010" border=0>
~~Freya~~
C-25 SK/SR #68

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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2980 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 13:07:20

Buzz

Well, rigged the way Catalina delivers the boat...yes. Their thought I guess is that one will rig the reef point they feel that they will need.

A better course, is to provide rigging for both. In the picture you provided I think is Bill Bosworths boat, each reef clew is rigged with line and both lines run internally within the boom as they can be seen exiting the boom forward. He uses a reefing hook for the tacks. In that case, to set the second reef over the first, the tack of course of the first would be pulled away from the hook to make room for the tack of the 2nd reef point. Keep in mind that Bills system uses an aft boom externally rigged topping lift which frees up both available sheaves for the clew lines.

In this drawing depicting my reefing, I use one of those sheaves for the topping lift so the 2nd reef clew line must be external and is added starboard on the boom.

<img src="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/myreefing.jpg" border=0>

The drawing does not show the gaskets...each reef point having its own preinstalled gaskets. The drawing shows tack lines instead of the reefing hook that Bill showed pictures of. The reefing hook is nice in that it eliminates two lines, is very neat and easy to use. Using lines has at least two advantages in that the halyard doesn't have to be retensioned if the sail was dropped to a predetermined point and to shift back from a 2nd to a 1st reef doesn't require dropping the halyard to release from the hook.

The reefing hook is likely the simplest and cleanest way to go.

As to the gaskets, those of the first reef can be left in place when setting the 2nd reef as long as the clew line is not released and the halyard hauled without setting the reef tack.

Last, both points can be set without either mast gates or removing slugs but a couple of the slugs will need to be set on a jack line. A picture or dawing is needed to explain this but simply, it allows the slugs to ride above the stopper without limiting the sail from being drawn down.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
<img src="http://www.stewartfam.net/arlyn/rr.jpg" border=0>
N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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1768 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 14:03:02

Hi Arlyn,

Thanks for the explanation. I printed out your response and the diagram ... I'm going to study it to see how I might be able to apply some of your ideas to a C-25 boom.

Thanks again!

Buzz Maring
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df23b3127cce9306a9b3abad0000001010" border=0>
~~Freya~~
C-25 SK/SR #68

Edited by - on

Steve Raffel
Captain

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262 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 16:53:18

I would like to mention that when in doubt it is best to reef before you leave the dock. It is far easier to shake out a reef than to put one in.

Steve Raffel
C 250 WK #408

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2003 : 10:19:57

Steve,

Very true, and be conservative at that. it's just that I keep forgetting to go into port before the wind starts piping up in the middle of the bay.......

Oscar
250WB#618 Lady Kay on the Chesapeake:
<img src="http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Images/familypics/Forumshots/chesapeake.jpg" border=0>

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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2030 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2003 : 10:21:57

Whoaaa...that little tidbit just done got me a promosion!!!!!
So from now on it'll be Admeeral S%#thead.....<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

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