Single Handed Solo Sailing. How I Rig Main Sail Reefing Lines.

[@andreasvenator]

what a nice synopsis, Mr. Cunliffe. God bless you and enjoy your sailing!

[@samingosailing]

Ha Ha. But I'm not Mr Cunliffe ...

[@patricklaine6958]

Thanks James. Very helpful. I understand how your 3rd reef luff cringle line runs down to block at the base of the mast, and then aft to the cockpit (very clever). Could you explain the routing of the leech cringle line on the third reef? It looks like it runs around the boom (running bowline), then up to the cringle, and then down to the aft end of the boom (and internal). If so, how do you tighten this line when putting in the reef?

[@samingosailing]

Thank you very much for watching Patrick. And for checking the rushes! :-)). Your absolutely correct. It runs internally through the boom. There is no room inside the boom for a third single line reef for the 3rd reef what with the outhaul in there too. Two line works very well for the 3rd reef. If you freeze the video after 53 seconds you see a 3rd reef in the main sail clearly. That tiny piece of film was taken in the Portuguese Trades ... downwind and probably a F7 at the time. I only say that to show how well it works. To tighten when putting in the reef it's easy. Take off the kicker (I have a rod kicker). If you don't have a rod kicker haul up on the topping lift. Grind in the reefing line and once tight ... (free off the topping lift if you don't have a rod kicker) then grind in the kicker again. Job done. I hope this makes sense.

[@ratusbagus]

@@samingosailing and @patricklaine for the jedai knights to discuss. IMVHO (and greatly less experience) line reefing at the leech is a combination of downhaul and outhaul. In my mind, the ratio of these forces tapers the nearer the head to greater "out" . So by reef 3 the cringle is being pulled aft much more than down. I don't know what the amount of down force you may want does to the outhaul stress on the sail fixings. When I tighten it, I ways think the 3rd needs a block a little aft on the boom.

[@samingosailing]

I think me and Patrick would be the first to say that we are ordinary sailors who have just had the opportunity to first get the right knowledge, do the nautical miles and then with that experience, then have the opportunity to sail a little further. I always say I've sailed further than most but not nearly as far as some. We don't do what we do without an awful lot of sailing and an enormous amount of thought and preparation. Present company excluded, the fear of encouraging viewers to take on more than they can cope with is very much on our minds. A video never shows the real challenges, self management, knowledge and stamina required to safely sail offshore. To answer your comment, I don't think that there is any change of angle as you reef smaller. The weight is also similar as the sail reduces. If you go 57 seconds in to the video and freeze the frame you have a picture of 'Talisker 1' sailing down wind with a triple reefed main. The reef looks ok. That bit of footage was in the Portuguese Trades and I guess a consistent F7 at the time. There is also a windward shot with the 3rd reef just before. I've used the triple reef in anger quite a bit in the open ocean and have no hesitation in using the same method for all reefs. Thank you so much for your comments. I really appreciate you watching the video. Fair winds and stay safe James

[@samingosailing]

@@ratusbagus I forgot to mention that the area of sail for reef 3 on the main is a heavier cloth than that used for 1 and 2.

[@ratusbagus]

@@samingosailing I didn't know that was a thing. Thanks James. Wow, aren't sail makers a skillful bunch? I'm just passed the "half a hanky" stage in comparison. Hope I don't come across that bad though.

[@roncanizares9966]

You didn't show how the 3rd reef works from the leech. I am assuming that you have a block on the boom so that the reefing line runs through it to a block at the goose-neck and then to another at the base of the mast so that the reefing line can then run back to the cockpit. The tack is taken to the goose-neck by the green line you showed. Hence the 3rd reef is taken without leaving the cockpit. Did I get that right? BTW, that is what I have, and it works great. Have you ever seen Skip Novak's KZbin series on heavy weather sailing encouraging a 4th reef rather than a storm trysail? Most interesting.

[@samingosailing]

So sorry Ron. The 3rd reef leech line runs inside the boom. There is not enough room on the boom for single line reefing for all three reefs but there is enough room for single line reefing for 1 and 2 and just the leach line of reef 3. All lines run back to the cockpit. At the beginning of the film I show the green and white 3rd reef leech line next to reef 1 (blue line). I have seen Skip Novak's KZbin series. Rob Kemp, who designed and manufactured my sails, put a deeper 3rd reef on my main sail.

[@davidtessier3238]

Many thanks for the tour or your slab reef reefing. I can see that the sliding car/blocks inside the boom combine reduce friction and pull the reef tack(s) down more directly that some other schemes. Running the reef lines starting at the reef tacks is also interesting, giving up a bit of dubious mechanical advantage were it started down at the gooseneck, and reducing the amount of line to be pulled through to get the tack down. Cheers from Alberg 30 Trois Bouleaux on Lake Huron.

[@samingosailing]

Hi David. I quite often see systems incorrectly set up. Reefing lines are very important. I showed in the video the correct way to rig the reefing lines on my boom. Single line reefing on reefs one and two and double line reefing for reef three and all reefing lines leading back to the cockpit has been marvellous. Thanks for watching. Fair winds and stay safe James

[@ratusbagus]

Watched this a few more times during lockdown. always gives me a wry smile that your rig is now mostly non-standard "to suite me".

[@samingosailing]

Thank you so much for watching. Stay safe. ATB James

[@marktahu2932]

Thank you James - I appreciate your clear answers to the questions posed as it gives a more detailed understanding of your reefing set-up.

[@samingosailing]

Hi Mark. Thank you for watching the video. Please bear in mind I am showing what works for me having sailed more than most but not nearly as much as some. I am not an Instructor. Fair winds and stay safe. James

[@SailOurWorld]

Very nice and clear explanation, thank you James!

[@samingosailing]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bobgaysummerland]

How do you attach at the tack for the reefs? That is where my understanding of the system hits a snag. Thanks

[@samingosailing]

Hi Bob G. If you look and freeze the frame at 1:43 minutes you see how the tack is attached for reef 1. Freeze 2:02 for the tack for reef 3. Freeze 2:31 for the tack for reef 2. The video shows the system for single line reefing for reefs 1 and 2 and double line reefing for reef 3. Your system might not be the same. It is very important to understand your reefing system and how to put a reef in and shake a reef out. And as to when ... put a reef in when you first think about it ... To shake a reef out ... it's best to wait a while after you think a reef can be shaken out. Hope this helps. ATB James

[@bobgaysummerland]

@@samingosailing Thank you. Your input is much appreciated.

[@sailingcatalina1782]

Many thanks for the video and the others in which you share your experiences. I will take your last one as an inspiration to think about a third reef. For this I must still look at the possible line routing in the boom and especially the ends. In any case, an old question came up again: Can you tell us something about the lines on ‘Talisker 1’ that go from the mainsail to the boom lift? Many thanks. Fair winds and stay safe. Matthias

[@samingosailing]

Hi Matthias. Thank you so much for watching the videos. Yes! A stainless free running ring round the topping lift attached to a line that is then attached to the reefing eye. There is a ring and line on each reef i.e. three of them. The line is nearly taught when the topping lift is applied and the sail is flaked on the boom. It's simply a lazy way of getting the sail flaked more easily. Pulling those lines from the aft end of the boom also pulls the sail back. I've only seen them on one other boat and he is also a single-hander. I stole the idea from him!! Fair winds and stay safe. James

[@sailingcatalina1782]

Thank you very much for your great response. I really appreciate it.

[@samingosailing]

@@sailingcatalina1782 Your very welcome

[@ratusbagus]

Do you ever tie down the bunt to prevent it billowing? Duncan Wells often mentions this but I worry about standing up there after having had to reef that much. Also, shaking out would involve removing a number of ties.... Unless someone on here knows of a clever single line-along-the-boom-led-back-to-the-cockpit-quick-release-trick? Thanks for the two-line 3rd. Saves manually hooking on at the mast that I've always just accepted. Obvious really I suppose. But only once shown it! Actually, it's an invaluable tip for short handing.

[@samingosailing]

The sails on 'Talisker 1' are v heavy duty ocean spec. So quite stiff. No billowing. Safety first. Obviously a daily deck check when off shore. Otherwise its avoiding leaving the cockpit unnecessarily. Fair winds and stay safe James

[@anthonyscriven1752]

James many thanks for all your videos - I have enjoyed them immensely. Forgive me if you have already answered this somewhere earlier. I see you often fly your staysail behind the main when going DDW. Do you find this helps much? You’re still doing it so I presume it is worth the hassle.. Kind regards, Tony

[@samingosailing]

Tony. I think that one should always have time and that sail changes should be carried out the moment you think you need a reef. But don't shake out when you first think of doing so :-). Sail changes should be easy to do. Like riding a bike! A stay sail set and tucked behind the main can be used to deflect wind in to a poled out genoa. This works. With my set up I use it most when wind is off the quarter. The main (on a preventer) and stay sail on one tack and the genoa poled out, and importantly, pushed forward, on the other tack. This is a powerful set up without the stay sail, but with the stay sail, it really does make a difference to passage making. I often see a head sail blanketed by the main. The simple solution is to pole out the head sail and push it forward. I am only saying what works for me. Thank you so much for watching the videos and for taking the trouble to comment. Stay safe. James

[@richardsteele5977]

Thanks for sharing James. Interesting as always. I notice you have a cunningham rigged so two questions if I may. How do you secure and tension it (port side?) and how useful do you find it?

[@samingosailing]

Hi Richard. I do have a cunningham rigged. I don't use it often. Occasionally a tiny tweak in lighter airs for the full main. Its attached to the eye a few inches above the main tack eye. Dead simple on a line double purchased by hand at the base of the mast port side. ATB James

[@boggy6623]

The same question as above. The 3rd reef isn’t one line. Didn’t catch how did you solved the connection boom to leech. Thank you.

[@samingosailing]

Please see my reply to Patrick Laine. Many thanks for watching the video. ATB James

[@MachTuck]

Thanks for sharing! great video

[@samingosailing]

Thank you very much for watching the video. Stay safe. ATB James

[@cbpaton53]

... thanks, could you show how to put in the reefs and how they're taken out :)

[@samingosailing]

Charles. I will do this. I will probably need someone else holding the camera and I'm a single-hander! In the mean time it is pretty much identical to the way Selden show it in a video of their own kzbin.info/www/bejne/e32tg5yGnZlpns0 Thank you very much for watching. ATB James

[@sailingavocet]

this is great, thank you for sharing

[@samingosailing]

Thank you very much for watching the video. Fair winds and stay safe James

[@samingosailing]

And just found your Channel. Looks great.

[@sailingavocet]

@@samingosailing Well cheers!

[@samingosailing]

@@sailingavocet Your welcome

[@sailingcitrinesunset4065]

Nice video

[@samingosailing]

Thank you

[@RustyKnorr]

Really?! You couldn’t take a moment and actually SHOW putting in a reef?! 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@samingosailing]

I think the answer is in the title of the video. I'd been asked how I rig reefing lines. And about half the boats I've sailed, either delivering or helping friends, have been rigged incorrectly. I don't instruct on my videos. In my humble view sailors need an expert on board when they are learning the fundamentals. Social media is not the place to learn. Thank you for watching. Best wishes James