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ronacarme wrote:At least since 1988, on our prior 26D and present 26X, we have used a Spinlock mainsail prefeeder which very much eases raising the stock, boltrope luff, nonslugged, mainsail. West Marine model# 414128, $82.99.
Have not raised the main in 30 knots of wind tho. Max was maybe 15-20 mph (Lake Michigan) wind and 4 foot waves.
Ron

dlandersson wrote:4 foot waves = Miller time over this way.

ronacarme wrote:At least since 1988, on our prior 26D and present 26X, we have used a Spinlock mainsail prefeeder which very much eases raising the stock, boltrope luff, nonslugged, mainsail. West Marine model# 414128, $82.99.
Have not raised the main in 30 knots of wind tho. Max was maybe 15-20 mph (Lake Michigan) wind and 4 foot waves.
Ron

Judy B wrote:

BOAT wrote:<<SNIPPED>>


As for the SLR I was thinking why even have a line for the Clew Cringle?? The end of the boom is right there over my head - can't I handle that by myselfe by just tying it off?

Hi,

Tying a reef in at clew at the end of the boom isn't easy in high winds. it won't be sitting quietly overhead The boom will be violently moving from side to side . Consider this also please: you might need to reef at some angle of sail that puts the boom way off the centerline. That's why it is a time-tested design to run the clew reefing line forward along the boom, to within a foot or two of the mast -- that way it stays over the boat so you can reach it no matter what point of sail you have to be on.

Here's my take on Double vs Single line reefing systems if you're running lines to the cockpit: Double line reefing may seem like it's more complicated than single line reefing, but it's the easiest and most reliable system. It's fast, it's easy and it works on any point of sail.

Single line reefing systems typically have a lot more friction in the system. Single line system have another major shortcoming -- They don't always tension the front reef reef cringle tight up against the mast before tensioning the outhaul. That's a bad thing because if clew gets tensioned first and then a gust hits, the next slug above the front reef cringle gets torn off. They also make it harder to get the foot of the mainsail really flat when reefing.

If you single hand, make sure the topping lift, main halyard and the reefing line(s) all terminate near each other -- either have them all end on the mast or all run aft to the cockpit. If you want to use a reef hook instead of a reefing line, that's fine, just make sure you can reach all of the important parts of your reefing system from one place: either in the cockpit or at the mast.

If you always have crew, you have more options. For double handing, it's not uncommon to have the halyard run aft (handled by the helmsman), and the reefing hook and aft reefing line up at the mast (handled by the crew member)

There are some fancy "single" line systems that have a complex variable-purchase system inside the boom that tensions the front reef cringle first, but they're not simple to engineer.

Fair winds,
Judy B
Sailmaker

1 Install a "Colonel King" single loop main halyard....Ill point to a link on the next customer complaint call.

BOAT wrote:

1 Install a "Colonel King" single loop main halyard....Ill point to a link on the next customer complaint call.

I still don't know who "Colonel King" is or how to get his single loop main halyard.