reefing system

[Rick Westlake]

Did you mean tack lines, Leon?

I reef from the boom because it's simpler. Each reef has one block and one cleat, and the tack-cringle hooks to the gooseneck fitting.

For now, for me, for Bossa Nova, simplicity has more virtue in my eyes than "convenience" (as in single-line reefing from the cockpit).

(Yeah, that sounds funny from a bloke who just put his mainsail in a StackPack. But that is a matter of simplicity, too.)

[bubba]

(Yeah, that sounds funny from a bloke who just put his mainsail in a StackPack. But that is a matter of simplicity, too.)

Were doing the same with adding a Lazy Jack StackPack system on our new main sail, it's easier than dealing with all the reef lines they just lay in the big sail bag with the sail untill needed, then stored in there separate bags if were reefed and it provides a better UV cover for the sail.

[delevi]

Jack lines on a mainsail are ropes for the luff slugs/slides. Basically, they are rigged to the slugs which would be removed when reefing. With jack lines, you don't have to drop the slugs when reefing. Instead of being secured directly to the luff, the lowest few slugs are secured to jack lines. The jack lines are attached to the luff. When the sail is hoisted and the halyard loads up, the jack lines get tight and hold the slugs reasonably firmly to the luff. When halyard tension is off i.e. when reefing, the jack lines go slack, allowing the luff to pull away from those slugs and even go below the slugs, thus eliminating the need to drop them when taking in a reef. It is pretty much the only way to go when using reef lines for the tack, unless you don't care about the reef tack sitting higher than it is supposed to. The downside is some loss of sailshape, particularly when flattening the sail as the outhaul and backstay will pull the luff away from the jack lines. I wasn't thrilled with this compromise, so I did away with the jack lines and reef lines at the tack. Now I go on deck to reef the tack, then back to the cockpit to tighten the main halyard and use my reef lines for the reef clews which are lead back to the cockpit. Since I have 3 reefs, this also cut down on the spaghetti.

Leon

[c130king]

Okay....never heard of jack lines of that nature.

Too complicated for me. I have no issues with the tack being a few inches higher due to the stacking up of the sail slugs when reefing. My bigger concern is ease of use and being able to do everything from the cockpit.

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Cheers,
Jim

[bubba]

Okay....never heard of jack lines of that nature.

I guess the jack lines ( usually a strap ) your thinking about are for a safety tether to hook a body harness to that runs from the cockpit to the bow for stormy weather, it will keep you with the boat if you fall. Our life jackets have a harness built in and we also carry our climbing harnesses if needed, this safety gear does not take up much room.

We also have jack lines on our sails too. It had me confused at first.

[delevi]

Yeah, strange that two completely different things have the same name. Leave it to sailors. How about the workd "tack." At least half dozen definitiones. Maybe when the language was invented, sailors wanted to keep themselves an exclusive club

[Trouts Dream]

I knew I would have to tack so I tightened the tack.

I headed for port on my port to enjoy some port.

[Gater Dunn]

I knew I would have to tack so I tightened the tack.

I headed for port on my port to enjoy some port.

I and did ya get three sheets to the wind?