Ep 48: Single Handed Reefing

[@gregl.7465]

Great video. Thank you! Reefing is an absolutely critical skill. Important point about hardening the topping lift… I have forgotten that too.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks Greg. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@moriver3857]

Well done. That's one reason I brought my toping lift line aft. Still, on those winds and sea conditions, reefing is quite manageable.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks Mo River. I’ve been talking about leading it aft forever. I really need to get that done.

[@cellobob2358]

Thanks! My wife and I are going to launch our new-to-us Tartan 30 in a few weeks; we're newbies, and our other boat is a 16' Wayfarer, so I've been reading and watching videos relentlessly!!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Best of luck! Contact me any time if I can be of any help. Congratulations on a beautiful boat.

[@cellobob2358]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine Thanks! Do you remember the VHF video you watched where you got that hint about the sail ties through the reefing cringle?

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

@@cellobob2358 www.amazon.com/Sailing-Heavy-Weather-VHS/dp/B00000F8CZ

[@bendoring2274]

Yes: tying the clew onto the boom ist very helpful to avoid sail damage. As a sail instructor, I have done the same on our boats for learning how to sail...

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for sharing!

[@matthewhigginbottom8328]

Another great video. Thank you for the work you put into these.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Anytime. Thanks Matthew

[@brianchisholm5834]

Please let me know - why do you not keep your topping lift adjusted such that it is slack when the main is hoisted but will provide some boom support when lowering the main to reef. So, always enough tension to keep the boom off your dodger but will be slack while sailing with the main. That way you do not have to adjust it ever. This is how I do it on my Cape Dory 28. Thanks - love your videos!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for taking the time to comment Brian. I used to but the cut of my mainsail when reefed is higher than when not reefed. I have my topping lift marked so that it is slightly slack when I'm fully close hauled but when I reef I find that even with the topping lift on its not high enough and takes a lot more effort to bring the leech reefing cringle down to the boom. So I have found that by taking all the weight off the boom with the topping lift I can much more easily bring the leech reefing cringle to the boom. When I reef I strive for as flat a sail as I can get. I have thought about how to run mu topping lift back and finally I have decide that I am going to go with a rigid boom vang. I plan to install it next spring and will do a video on it and why I chose it.

[@brianchisholm5834]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine Thanks for your reply - the rigid boom vang sounds like an excellent solution for you - and I will take a closer look at my sail shape when reefed and work on improving this.

[@warrenthorp]

Great video. Thank you. I have been inspired to practice (in light winds)

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Wonderful!

[@AW9531]

Regarding jacklines: For working at the mast (at 3:24) your jack-line is too loose and too close to the stanchions. You could easily stumble and be left hanging over the lifelines. Would it not be better to have another jack-line "V" from each end of the traveller to the mast - keeping you further inboard (especially on a boat with a 12' beam)? For operating within the cockpit, I think that a jackline running outside the cockpit coaming is too close to the stanchions and is asking for trouble, as above. Would it not be better to have additional jacklines more inboard, on along each side of the cockpit well at knee height?

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

There are many options including using a twin tether, one long, one short. Every sailor has to determine what works best for their boat and their situation. The bottom line however is that no jackline/tether system is guaranteed to keep you on the boat in all circumstances. That was the point of the video. Too many people rely on tethers and jacklines as a failsafe system, which it most definitely is not.

[@davehenning7747]

One thing I learned the hard way is the importance of getting enough halyard tension after reefing. Sometimes, I am afraid to pull hard on the halyard because I am worried that the sail is not as strong in this position. However a lack of halyard tension can put incredible strain on the sail slugs to the point that they can fail. Then, you have a dangerous mess with all of force of the main sail at the top of the mast. I have even heard of a case where someone lost his mast this way. You mentioned this point for sure, but I think it is worth extra emphasis.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Absolutely. Thanks for the comment and the extra emphasis. It's definitely one one of my most important points when reefing.

[@greenlaketechnologyapps3833]

is that a oday 322? I have an exactly same sailboat, 1987 oday sailboat:)

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Yes it is. 1989. I've had her since Dec 31 1998. I'm the third owner. I bought the boat specifically to start a sailing school and here we are 24 years later. She's been a great boat. Thanks for watching.

[@greenlaketechnologyapps3833]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine Hi, thank you for the replying, I just got my oday 322 3 months ago , it's was an awesome boat, I love every bit of her. Also I love to see your instruction video, just practice heaving to yesterday based on your heaving to video, it's great, thank you for making those videos!

[@flyinggybe2113]

You didn't mention dealing with the leach cord. Reefing the mainsail, then leaving the leach cord slack results in annoying and sail destroying leach flutter. Most mainsails have clam cleats on the leach at each reef point clew for tensioning the leach cord, which works but has serious downsides. I much prefer mainsail leach cords rigged over the headboard and down the luff, with tension adjustment access at each reef point tack fitting. Instead of using clam cleats at each tack or clew reef point, I prefer the leach cord spliced to short penants that are tied with appropriate slack to webbing stitched at each reef point on the leach. Then the leach cord self regulates at the leach and only needs tension adjusting at the luff reef points. I use a small, well placed loops in the leach cord at each reef exit on the luff, then use a small captive hook to connect a tension adjustment extension line back to a companionway cam cleat. This allows easily adjusting leach cord tension at each reef point from the cockpit. It also avoids hanging on the aft end of the boom to finagle with tensioning the leach cord while trying not to be clobbered or launched overboard by the boom. In my case, I use gooseneck hooks for the mainsail reef tacks, and switch the leach cord extension line at the same time. Markings on the main halyard for each reef makes this easier. This may sound complicated, but once properly rigged, makes things much safer and easier, and provides for better sail shape and longevity. It also means never having running backstays or boom topping lifts foul in leach cord clam cleats on the mainsail leach.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you for the comment and for the great tips. I agree with you 100%. I use my leech lines religiously. Interestingly I have never had an issue with my leech line clam cleats being fouled by my topping lift and I do not have runners. Thanks for watching.

[@daneulekowski929]

I'm assuming you use a luff reefing line not a reefing hook, as You didn't go forward for that.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Hi Dane, That’s right. I have two luff reefing lines and two leech reefing lines led aft. I just need to get that damned topping lift led aft too then they will all be.nothing wrong with hooks, I actually quite like them but then the leech reefing lines and main halyard all need to be at the mast. It’s amazing how often I see halyards led aft but everything else forward.

[@frankstocker5475]

Would help to run the topping lift back to the cockpit.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

I agree and spent a lot of time trying to figure out the best lead and then decided that a rigid boom vang or boom support would actually be a better idea 💡

[@allaheadflank]

Thanks!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

My pleasure

[@MBailote]

Great video. Now try to do the same under 30 knots of wind ;)

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you. No different. Have done so many times 😉

[@across_the_plane6800]

Auto-pilot, and topping lift… I wish I had such conveniences

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

😂 Rigging a topping lift is easy. If you have a tiller you can set up a rope to steer. That’s what I did on my first boat when I was poor and could barely afford it.

[@ntal5859]

Right got it... drop the mainsail.... and sail on the jib... lol

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

That works too… sometimes 😉

[@robgorman8961]

I don't get it. Some footage from some different angles would be helpful and a bit more step by step description

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Try watching this one too kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpqsdHVqhrxrrJo

[@Happ465]

I think you are wrong. Ease the main sheet, ease the vang, lower the main, attach the new tack, trim in clue, raise main, trim main sheet, trim vang.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

If you harden the clew before you fully harden the luff you run the risk of pulling the sail slides out of the track, or tearing the slides out of the luff. So main halyard and luff tension have to be set before you harden the leech reefing lines

[@alexandernetherton321]

Enjoying your videos. However, I found a gun video in your single handed video list. You are not the host. Seemed a little out of place.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you for letting me know. It has been removed