Reefing Hook

[GreenLake]

That's a clever use of a purchase that ends in a hook.

Only fly in the ointment would be that it doesn't pull the tack forward to help tighten the foot.

Perhaps you could just loop a short bit of rope around the mast for that.

[Newbflat]

Yeah, it might need something, my boats didn’t have that issue as the luff bolt rope was still at the track where the reefing grommet sat when reefed. Maybe a well sized soft shackle threw the grommet and around the mast would be simple and work well.

[tomodda]

Yes on looping a "Tack Line" thru the luff-side reef grommet and around the mast. My own reef setup at the mast is quite "ghetto," just a spare length of Sta-set that I loop thru my reef grommet as described, then forward of the mast and under the halyard cleat (actually my jib downhaul cleat, but let's keep this simple). Tied off with a reef knot, of course. I only rig the Tack Line when needed and takes but a few seconds (and of course, I capsize the reef knot to get it off again). I have another piece of Sta-set if I need to take in the second reef. If there's any hint that I might need to reef later in the day, I keep the Tack Line already rigged up loosely thru the grommet and around the mast, otherwise it's tied to the fore thwart.

Before I come off sounding too cavalier about reefing, some notes:

#1 The time to reef is when you think you might need to, not when you EMERGENCY need to. It's not as if you are going to be caught by a sudden unexpected huge wind increase and suddenly need to reef under a press of sail - if/when that happens you luff the boat, [EDIT] sort yourself out, heave to, [END EDIT] and THEN reef. Your local sailing waters may vary (Western Lakes are way more prone to sudden violent invisible winds), but around here in Mid-Atlantic you can see the weather coming. Reef early and often!

#2 Standing astride the CB case, just forward of the thwarts, but behind the cuddy, is the safest, most stable place in the boat. No problem reaching over to the mast and managing the Main Halyard, Tack Line, and assorted reefing gear from there. I've also run my slab reefing Leech Lines to cleats on the boom, about 10 inches aft of the gooseneck, along with my topping lift cleat right nearby also on the boom (I run it "backwards, it ties off to the masthead, goes thru a cheek block at the clew/far end of the boom and then forward to me). This all means that I can do all actions needs for reefing while standing in my "safe spot." YMMV in a DS2, but the DS1 has just enough space for me to work there. It gets a little more interesting when single-handing, but bungee cord on the tiller to the rescue! [EDIT] Heave to and reef [END EDIT]

#3 I use a downhaul on my boom (tied to the bottom of the gooseneck), not a Cunningham. As you DO have a Cunningham, you may be better off using it on your reef cringle. I hear you on relying on your luff bolt rope to keep the new "tack" of your reefed sail where it belongs, but I'd still tie a loop or soft shackle around the mast. Belt-and-Suspenders approach, because remember - you are going to want to keep your reefed sail FLAT. This means lots of tension on that leach line, and set it up so it angles back, pulling the new "clew" aft as much as possible. If you can get the foot tight enough, not only will you be getting that sail flat, but you may not even need to use buntlines. We can argue on the utility of buntlines some other day, but it's greatnot to have to bother with them.

#4 Last note, I just can't see any situation on our Daysailers where you need a Cape-Horn-Proof reefing setup. If it's blowing that hard, sustained Force 8 or so, then you shouldn't be out there. Worst comes to worst - and assuming your lee shore is not rock-bound - run under bare poles to the nearest shore and beach her (or drive her into a marsh). That was my "Bug Out Strategy" on my Hobie, have done it 2-3 times, and no reason not to use it on as DS with our shallow draft and light weight. Again, YMMV depending on your prevailing winds and shores, but old adage applies - always plan for the worst, enjoy the best.

Fair winds!

Tom

[GreenLake]

Very nice write-up Tom.

There are a few minor things I do differently, perhaps they are wrong, or perhaps they are useful to consider as alternatives.

I don't stand astride my CB, but to windward of it, and I also don't luff for reefing, but heave to. (That's worked for me at least for putting in a first reef - which is all I have installed at this point. Don't know whether this would work when the time comes for a second reef).

Heaving to is great in that you can (and should) lash the tiller (or use a bungee) all the way to one side, and after the boat settles down there's no pressure on the main and the boom is stable and angled away over the leeward side of the boat.

I've used reef hooks on larger boats I crewed on and they are nice and quick. However, looking at my gooseneck, I don't really see how I would fit one, so I went with reef lines instead. My sail slot right above the boom has an opening so the bolt rope can be fed into the mast track. That makes the bolt rope insufficient to counteract the tension of an outhaul or reef line.

The tack is held by a pin, that would work for the non-reefed case. For the first reef, I've relied on the reef line for holding the tack in position, as it attaches fairly far forward on the boom and when cinched tight, there's no a lot of movement possible. However, I have experimented with a tack line, or better, some of my crew did, to make extra sure we could get a flat sail.

I've sailed a DS II that had provisions for a triple reef, and as I recall we sailed most of the week under single or double reef. I don't recall the details of the setup - we tended to start each day reefed and if the wind didn't build as expected, we might let out one reef or the other. I hear that some years, people in that event do use a third reef in earnest.

For everyday stuff, I've done well with a single reef, I tend to sit out the real blows unless I have excellent and experienced crew (and enough of them for more ballast!)

[tomodda]

Haha! You can tell I haven't reefed yet this year, was a light-wind Spring, and now Summer forget it. Yes, of course, heave-to for reefing - head up, ease the main, backwind the jib and point the tiller right at the main. I've corrected my errors up above, just for posterity's sake!

[sccresswell]

Is the reefing hook from D&R supposed to point towards mast or back towards boom? I am also thinking the existing pin may be better to use that bolt, as I am having a hard time finding out how tight to tighten bolt with out restricting boom mobility.

I honestly think a hook that slides on to a pin in the existing gooseneck tack pin may be best, but i think a new pin would be required. Or just screw a hook on to end of boom.

Thanks,
Spencer

[GreenLake]

welcome to the forum!

The reef hook goes on the boom - but on the end that is at the gooseneck, that is, closest to the mast.

The only requirement that I am aware of is that the hook can be inserted into the reef cringle and will hold the sail close to the boom and mast when the halyard is retightened. The sail will pull back on the hook as the reefline is pulled tight, so make sure that can't pull the sail out of the hook.

If it just won't fit on the boom as you have it, you could use any hook held to the boom with, for example, a short strap of webbing.

I don't know your setup and what the precise geometry of your boom is, or that of the gooseneck and the reef hook, and they may possibly vary with model and year. However, one way or another you should be able to fit either that hook (or something equivalent) so it is functional. It's not a fundamentally hard problem.

Good luck!

[sccresswell]

IMG_9961 (1).jpg (62.76 KiB) Viewed 13657 times

Thanks for the welcome and response.

I know the piece goes on the end of the boom closest to the mast, but was curious if the hook itself should be pointing toward the mast or back towards the boom. I have it now (pictured) towards the mast is this right?

Secondly, is it imperative to use the bolt and lock nut that came with the hook? I tried using it but had a hard time getting it tight enough but not too tight so as not to inhibit the free motion of the boom back and forth so just used the same clevis pin and replaced with a new cotter pin.

[GreenLake]

I think you're fine with a clevis pin, if the function is to act as a hinge.

The reef cringle will be pulled up by the halyard and back by the action of the reefline pulling on the (new) foot of the sail. In theory that means that the hook should oppose that combined force and pull toward the mast and down.

That would argue for placing the hook so it angles towards the middle of the sail.

In practice, as long as you can get the hook inserted and the sail tightened up again, I don't think it matters. I've even seen boats with double reef hooks, like a T where each wing is a hook.

If you find reefing awkward and you are able to reposition the hook and it improves, I'd go for it. But key would be to practice putting a reef in (on the water, not just at the dock).

If you need a refresher on "heaving to", you'll find one in this thread.

[sccresswell]

Thanks for the feedback, new sail should be here soon and will report back. -Spencer

[plainspace]

Hoping someone can help. On our boat, the gooseneck and reefing hook are interfering with each other badly. I tried mounting the hook on both port and starboard sides, but in both cases, it’s making hard contact with the gooseneck fitting, which just doesn’t seem right.

I’ve attached a couple of pictures... does anything look off to you?

Thanks in advance!

IMG_3154 (1).jpg (225.91 KiB) Viewed 183 times

IMG_3153 (1).jpg (254.25 KiB) Viewed 183 times