Interim wrote:What are the advantages of the systems that use a dedicated line at each end? Is it a matter of more control pulling the sail down? Or is my outhaul that is pulling back and down not as good as a line that pulls mostly down?
--john
The page Greenlake linked to has some interesting discussion among bigger boat folks about that. As it applies to us, I think the pro's of a dedicated line at each end is fewer friction points (a single line has to pass through both the new clew and tack, plus incur friction from all those blocks... two lines, or a line and a hook, mean you're only tugging on half the friction at once, and usually fewer blocks because there's less redirection) plus less complication and spaghetti on the boom and in the cockpit.
The disadvantage of
your system is there's more to deal with in the moment of reefing, and it also requires you to reach the very end of the boom, which can be very challenging hove-to in rough seas. Having your interaction be mid-boom or even at the mast is much more comfortable when you're already in over your head.
My regular outhaul and reef are run in parallel like the left half of A, except cleated to two different cleats about 2/3 of the way to the mast. When I have to reef, I leave the outhaul alone and just uncleat the reefing line, yank on it, cleat it, and make a quick larks head out of the slack. I have had no issues with the slack. Currently I'm rerunning my cunningham line through the new tack, but I think I would really appreciate the hook like Talbot. Right now I have too many steps at the mast--lower halyard enough, cleat it temporarily, redo cunningham line to be reefing tack and cleat that, uncleat and tighten up halyard and recleat firmly. If I could just lower the halyard, hook the reef point and retighten and cleat the halyard I'd be thrilled.
I'm new to reefing generally, but I find the majority of my days out require it, almost always in the narrow bend where the river flares out into a bay... with a tug or something bearing down. I think there's some sort of rule that ensures that if I reef at the mooring the wind will be so gentle that I'll have trouble reaching the bay to begin with.