Reefing the main

Submitted by Ron White fs5632 on Sun, 06/18/2006 - 20:09
Good Day! Was in a sustained 20mph wind with gust above that (purely unintentional, the weather turned once we left the marina) and desperately needed to reef the main. I read in another post about the Jiffy Reefing kit which I’m certain to get, however, how do you reef the main without the kit? Is this even possible without grommets? So I would like to pose two questions. What are some reefing techniques that can be used without the reefing kit, secondly, how hard is it to install the reefing kit? Thank you in advanced. Ron Ron D. White
‹ Another prospective buyer Bottom paint ›

Comments

Ron, The best way is to get the reefing kit from Flying Scot In

Submitted by patglazier on Sun, 06/25/2006 - 20:37.
Ron, The best way is to get the reefing kit from Flying Scot Inc. This involves a cleat for the mast, a small block for the back of the boom and a turning block that is mounted on the front of the boom, and of course the reefing line. It is then necessary to have a sailmaker put it the reef points and grommets about 3 to 4' above the foot, (about $75-$90 dollars). If the reefing line is rigged prior to commencing sailing then reefing is fairly quick and effective. It is VERY important to have a flat Main when you are done reefing. The foot has to be tight and the halyard pulled up tight and preferrably the cunningham rigged and pulled down to further flatten the sail. If you can't reef it, the following works pretty well. Drop the jib and tie it down. Raise the Centerboard about 1/3 of the way. Flatten the Main with outhaul, vang, and cunningham to the maximum extent that you can. Set the boom at the corner of the transom or perhaps even a bit further out. Sail upwind about 50-60 degrees off the wind and keep the boat flat (don't let it heel over much) This will allow you to make progress to windward in 25 knots of wind or so and be in control. You won't point like you would in racing mode but it will keep you in control and you'll make progress to windward. Hope it helps Patrick Glazier FS 5322 Fleet 1 Cowan Lake, Ohio

I'd like to hear the relative advantages of (in overpowering win

Submitted by aposner on Sun, 06/25/2006 - 23:47.
I'd like to hear the relative advantages of (in overpowering winds) sailing with only the Main, vs. only the jib? Does anyone worry about the rig staying up with only the forestay, with no support from the jib haylard? I've rigged my jib with a downhaul so I can lower it in heavy wind singlehanded, but haven't figured out how to lower the Main singlehanded in 20kt wind. Any ideas? Alan Posner FS#5693

quote:Originally posted by aposner I'd like to hear the relativ

Submitted by Claus on Mon, 06/26/2006 - 10:26.
quote:
Originally posted by aposner
I'd like to hear the relative advantages of (in overpowering winds) sailing with only the Main, vs. only the jib? Does anyone worry about the rig staying up with only the forestay, with no support from the jib haylard?
If you use a tight or snug rig then most of the tension is on the forestay anyway. I doubt the jib halyard adds much relieve to it, especially since the jib halyard isn't tightened much. Only the loose rig distributes the tension between the forestay and the halyard. Our toggle below deck is never level but always pulled to the forestay side. That said I believe that the forestay can take the full tension. Disclaimer: I'm not a boat builder or structural engineer; I'm just an opinionated person.

Claus FS5074 Ames, IA

When sailing under main alone, attach the jib halyard to the bow

Submitted by Hot Wheels on Mon, 06/26/2006 - 12:22.
When sailing under main alone, attach the jib halyard to the bow eye and tension it approx. the same as the forestay. Somewhere in the reprinted articles of old Scot n Waters, Scot designer Sandy Douglas wrote that the forestay is not heavy enough alone to take the full load of a sheeted in main in a breeze, and that even when leaving a Scot on a mooring overnight, to attach the jib halyard tensioned to the bow as a safety measure. The reprinted Scot n Water book is available from FSSA.

Hot Wheels, Thanks for the advice.

Submitted by aposner on Mon, 06/26/2006 - 14:07.
Hot Wheels, Thanks for the advice. It makes sense, the only problem is, if the wind picks up enough to drop the jib while I'm singlehanding, I'd be afraid to go up to the bow to attach it. I'd be better off if I could lower the Main, but its real hard to stay bow to wind in heavy wind, while singlehanding, even with a "tiller tamer". Alan

Last trip out on Lake Pepin, we lost the outhaul line and decide

Submitted by Corsa on Tue, 06/27/2006 - 01:34.
Last trip out on Lake Pepin, we lost the outhaul line and decided there was too much wind. We ended up limping back on the Jib alone. It took lots of time and lots of tacking. We alsofound out the jib winches didn't work and ended up with sore hands and arms. I will be looking into a reefing kit as the newly acquired sail has the grommets installed. Next time, the sails go up before we leave the dock.Should have guessed we were giong to have problems when the drain plug mysteriously disappeared.... FS 1385

When I first got the Scot about 25 years ago I roller furled the

Submitted by karafiath on Mon, 07/10/2006 - 12:25.
When I first got the Scot about 25 years ago I roller furled the main one time in Florida in heavy air. The boom vang comes off. The center block from the boom has to be removed. Roll the sail on the boom. The main now comes off the end of the boom and is a nuisance. However this is the way that Sandy originally designed the boat.. The problem with this way of reefing is that you get a horribly baggy main and no vang control.