Simple reefing system at the mast

[Gary N]

I want to implement a simple reefing system to our 26X and I am looking for either a diagram of such a setup or to hear from others who have done something similar.

I don't want to lead the ropes back to the cabin mainly because we have a full time spray hood fitted but also I don't really like the amount of rope that ends up in the cockpit. Therefore, I have settled on a system that can be used from the mast. We have lazy jacks supporting the boom.

So I am thinking about a reefing system that would consist of one rope for each of the 2 reefing points. My idea is to fit an eyelet under (but say 6" towards the stern end of the boom) the reefing eye. A rope would be tied off in the eyelet (screwed to the boom?) then pass through the reefing eye and pass back down to a pulley fitted in the same position as the eyelet bit on the other side of the boom. Then the rope would be led forward to the mast passing through an eyelet and would be tied off on a cleat of some sort screwed to the side of the boom just before it meets the mast.

The idea would then be to go forward to the mast, lower the sail enough to hook the forward reefing eye to the boom, and then pull the corresponding reefing tine tight and cleat off and then raise the sail.

Anyone tried such an arrangement?

I'm wondering if enough purchase could be made by pulling on the reefing line?

What's a good way to fasten an eyelet or pulley to a Mac boom? I don't have a rivet gun but could consider getting one if that's the way to go.

By eyelet I mean something like this:

Also, can anyone suggest the best position for such an eyelet and pulley so that it will pull the sail both downwards and backwards.

[Sumner]

Not sure if this will help, but is what I did on our 26S and I copied Bob who did have a 26S also, but I've seen it pretty much the same other places and is almost exactly what our Endeavour has also.

Our aftermarket main has but one reef point so one line, but a second could be done the same way.







Here is a link to the mod....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... ng-22.html

It has worked very well with no problems,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links

[Gary N]

Thanks sumner. That was most useful and I can see from what you have done that I am not too far off in my ideas.

[Sumner]

.... A rope would be tied off in the eyelet (screwed to the boom?) then pass through the reefing eye and pass back down to a pulley fitted in the same position as the eyelet bit on the other side of the boom...

I would use the...



...air blocks and not pass the line through the reefing eye as there will be much less friction on pulling on the reef line using the air blocks....



...and cheek blocks. You could pull the sail down at the mast and hook it to the hook on the gooseneck, but having a.....



.... cheek block and air block up there makes it easier and faster to reef IMO and they aren't that expensive,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links

[Phil M]

I would use the...



...air blocks and not pass the line through the reefing eye as there will be much less friction on pulling on the reef line using the air blocks....

Sum

Good idea. Thanks for posting it so clearly.

Phil M

[Gary N]

Well I carried out the modification and I am very pleased indeed. I didn't use a block on the sail reef points and judging by the low effort needed to reef in the sail, it is fine. In fact it works superbly well and the first time I did it I could reef the sail in well under a minute. It remains to be seen how it performs under strong tension in a blow, but I will report back. Thanks for your help.

[opie]

I dug this up from the archives on my system of reefing.
LINK HERE

[ronacarme]

Gary N....Your paragraphs 3 and 4 describe the system I used on my 26D from 1988 purchase to 2000 sale and on my 26X (with only one reef) from 2000 purchase till now. It has worked fine. I used pop rivets to secure the cheek blocks and eyes to the boom.
Ron