Ideal (or better) reefing line routing?

[PHerzfeld]

Wondering if someone a) has pictures of how their reefing line is rigged along the boom and b) if anyone has come up with a better reefing system? My reefing line (inherited) doesn't seem to be ideal. It is currently run from the cockpit, up to the base of the mast, up the mast thru the first reef point at the luff, then down (other side of sail) into the boom out to the leech thru the first leech-end reef point. The reason it doesn't seem ideal is that as the line pulls the sail down, it pulls the luff edge down first but then the leech end is pulling at an ever increasing angle between the sail and the end of the boom (standard sail - NOT furling). Eventually the line is as taut as it can be but the leech is not pulled all the way to the boom.

I looked at attaching some kid of block on the side of the boom to get the line routed perpendicular to the boom and straight up the leech reef point but the boom is curved in such a way that no block would most without some kind of custom-mounting piece. Soooo, I'm thinking something isn't quite right in the way it's rigged or else there must be a better (more efficient) rig?

Anyone?

Thanks in advance!

[Desiderata]

Hi,
On our catalina 36 mk 1, we installed lazy jacks which may have been one of best upgrades we did - not only when taking main down, but also when reefing.
Also re-rigged the way reefing line ran.
Tied off at end of the boom...up to
cringle...fwd to cringle at the luff...
down to a clear just aft of gooseneck.
I know it means going to the mast to reef
but that was where I controlled the main anyway
and with the lazy jacks, you can lower sail and
still maintain control.

[PHerzfeld]

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately, my main isn't set up for lazy jacks, it's set up with a dutchman flaking. Personally, I think I'd prefer the lazy jacks at this point, but not ready to re-invest in a new main.

When you say you run the reef-line up to the cringle and then fwd to cringle at the luff, do you mean your reef line is running across the main itself (from leech to luff)? Don't you run it back down to the boom and then across? Also - I'm not sure from the description, but it doesn't sound like it addresses the main issue I have which is that the sail at the leech is being pulled from the leech at a steep angle (to the end of the boom) instead of being pulled down perpendicular to the boom and so it never really pulls all the way down without help from a warm body on the deck...

[lazy dog]

I don't have a solution for the reefing line but I strongly agree on the lazy jacks. The dutchman system never worked. We got a Doyle stack pack which includes lazy jacks. cost was $1300. They stitched it on to our existing sail. Not as easy as in mast furling but way easier than the original system with dutchman, sail ties and sail cover. We use our main alot more now because it so much easier and requires less time out of the cockpit.

[russp]

This isn't a forum on lazy jacks vs dutchman, but give me a dutchman anytime because when you want the sail up, it goes up, no catching on lazy jack lines unless you are dead to wind and watching. And when you want it down just let go the halyard. I only put sail cover on when not sailing each day, so doesn't become a problem - each to his own!

[Desiderata]

Phil,
Sorry for the confusion. Yes, the reefing line went from end of the boom stbd side, up and through the reefing point (had 2) then forward along the port side of the boom to a cheek block. Then again up and through the corresponding reefing point on the sail. It was controlled from the gooseneck area on the stbd side and was cleated off to a small cleat on the stbd side of the boom.
The lazy jacks were a home brew variety that I designed so that they could be collapsed when not in use. Basically I only used them when dropping the main OR
when reefing. When reefing I would put the lazy jacks up and then lower the sail to the desired reefing point and then cinch everything down with the reefing line.
Obviously, this was an operation that all took place at the mast.

We sold the boat about 18mos ago and unfortunately don't have any pics.

tks
Rick

[Captain Kirk]

You may have already solved your reefing issue, but in any case, here's what i have experienced

To avoid the problem of the reef line not pulling down the sail evenly at the leach be sure to release the vang completely as you reef. Also ease the main sheet as you reef if/as required This allows the boom end to lift and remain parallel to the sail. The cringle at the leach will come down tight to the boom just like the it does at the luff.

This was the case on our C320 and I found the same setup and same solution to work on our "new to us" C350.

[PHerzfeld]

Thanks for the suggestions. We do always ease the mainsheet as we reef, but hadn't considered easing the vang. The reef-line still pulls more horizontally than vertically as the leech gets closers to the boom and never quite pulls it down to the boom so we end up jumping on the deck and adding the tie-downs (which we'd do anyway) but have to pull the sail down a little bit more by hand...