Since this
thread has been referred to a few times, I thought I would update it.
Since
writing the thread, I have purchased a new mainsail. The sail has sewn in pulleys for the 3 luff
reefing points, but only on the first 2 reefing points on the leech. For the 3rd reefing point on the
leech there is just an eye cringle.
The 3rd
reefing line is fully set up threaded through the pulley and tied off onto the
boom as described previously and when needed, I can just attach it to the
mainsail with a long soft shackle that I made up.
See www. https://www.animatedknots.com/soft-shackle" rel="nofollow - https://www.animatedknots.com/soft-shackle
The 3rd
reefing line spends most of its time just flaked out into the stack pack, tied
off at the front of the boom, but I always put it on if there is a chance of a
blow. It is not my intention to have to
thread it up at sea.
On our
yacht the main sheet and the self tacker jib sheet are on opposite sides, so I
can easily adjust both sails.
Port side
clutches
Main
sheet, boom outhaul, 1st and 3rd reef line, jib halyard and spinnaker
halyard.
Starboard
side clutches
Kicker,
2nd reef, main halyard, jib sheet and spinnaker halyard.
We have
dyneema halyards, so the main halyard is marked off by the clutch, where it
will be for the 3 reefing points so that we are just not loading
up on the mainsail mast sliders of the part of the main that is reefed.
In addition, we have marks on the mast, where a batten car or sail slider will
be when the sail is reefed (Thanks to Samuel for the latter idea.) So,
having eased the kicker, we can just lower the main under control with one turn
around the winch, whilst pulling in the reefing lines. Always pull the reefing lines in simultaneously, as otherwise the leech lines can tangle themselves. Having lowered the sail to the correct place, we clutch off the halyard and
then pull the reefing lines in tight on the winch.
Getting the leech and foot tension high is easier if you can either just push
the boom up a bit so that it sits high on the rod kicker, or lift it slightly
using the reefing line above the one you are actually tightening.
(But don’t forget to ease it before pulling the kicker back on.) Having
clutched off the active reefing line, we will then just tighten up on
the main halyard the final couple of cms.
If you
need it, you can always ease the main halyard whilst it is wrapped around the
genoa winch on the cockpit coaming, whilst using the cabin top winch for
tensioning the reefing lines.
If you
want to put in or take out reefs whilst you are still in harbour, it helps if
you make marks on the reefing lines, say at the boom end, so you know
roughly how much rope to pull through. So it is worth spending some
time in light winds on anchor or on a mooring and going through the
various reefing practices.
We put in
the third reef, before we even start to think about reefing the
jib. We have only done that a couple of
times when beating to windward
This
thread shows how I control the self tacking jib.
https://www.myhanse.com/controlling-the-jib-downwind_topic10476_post88083.html?KW=Barber#88083" rel="nofollow - In strong winds and
with the wind forward of the beam, I have made good progress with just the
self-tacking jib.
Downwind, I will
normally use 2 sails as long as possible.
If there is a slight increase in wind, I will just furl the jib. Our
yacht is certainly quite happy broad reaching with or without a jib, with either
a full or reefed main. If you are really
expecting a blow, you can consider dropping the main and just sailing under the
self-tacking jib,
as once the wind is around 20kts, you will have good boat speed.