Alan wrote:I'm tempted to make my own second set of reef points in an Intensity main that came with one set. A good idea, or could I wreck the sail and wish I'd paid someone to do it?
Alan, it's definitely doable at home. I put both sets of reef points in my main, and both work great. GL's observations are spot on tho: it's all about having access to the "stuff" you need.
Sailrite sells a jiffy reefing kit that contains everything you need, minus the sewing machine. For that, you will need access to a zig zag. Most household machines aren't up to snuff for this kind of work, but there are places where you can actually rent time on a machine. Check with your local fabric/craft/hobby/quilting supply outfit.
Since you already have a first reef point in place, you won't need a lot of the stuff that comes with the SR kit. No worries: just tell them which parts you need, and they will customize it for you. That's what I did for my second reef. It'll basically be the cloth triangles and jiffy grommets (although brass spur grommets are far superior, and the reason Gunner is looking for a die). I think they send Dacron thread as well. I did both of mine with Nylon thread, which is probably not the best, but it's what I have access to for the sewing machine I have access to ...
It helps if you have an old sail to "practice on" - picking stitches, punching grommet holes, etc.
As to the location of the cringles, it is true what GL says, that the clew one goes higher than the tack one, by about 15 degrees. The reason escapes me at the moment, but the instructions from SR show how and why ...