Coconut Grove, Miami, FL 25º43.532N | 80º14.193W
After two more days spent running and re-running reefing lines, adding new hardware and asking for more advice, we punted. Sometimes simple is better.
Finding it impossible to get the reefing lines to run freely from the back of the boom, through the reefing ring, inside the boom to the mast, through the other reefing ring, down to the cabin roof and back to the cockpit (no wonder), we bought an old-fashioned horn (hook) to put on the boom. This eliminated half the length and subsequent torque on the reefing line.
Then we sewed a strap with a ring on each end to make it easier to attach the sail to the horn.
Our friend Dale (a new friend Dale) from Jessie Marie taught Chip how to make a shackle using new line that's as strong as steel, supposedly good for use as rigging. That scares me a little, but I've heard of a few people using it.
SO, anyway, now that we're half reefed to the cockpit, our process is easy -- and it works! We drop the main to the appropriately marked spot, go hook the ring onto the horn, pull in the reefing line, which pulls down the back of the sail, and voila! We're reefed.
More good news: when we raise the sail again, the lines run freely.
TO DO LIST: Fix the reefing system DONE!!!!!!
Coconut Grove, Miami, FL 25º43.532N | 80º14.193W
 |
| Dale of Jessie Marie teaching Chip how to make a soft shackle. |
Finding it impossible to get the reefing lines to run freely from the back of the boom, through the reefing ring, inside the boom to the mast, through the other reefing ring, down to the cabin roof and back to the cockpit (no wonder), we bought an old-fashioned horn (hook) to put on the boom. This eliminated half the length and subsequent torque on the reefing line.
Then we sewed a strap with a ring on each end to make it easier to attach the sail to the horn.
Our friend Dale (a new friend Dale) from Jessie Marie taught Chip how to make a shackle using new line that's as strong as steel, supposedly good for use as rigging. That scares me a little, but I've heard of a few people using it.
SO, anyway, now that we're half reefed to the cockpit, our process is easy -- and it works! We drop the main to the appropriately marked spot, go hook the ring onto the horn, pull in the reefing line, which pulls down the back of the sail, and voila! We're reefed.
More good news: when we raise the sail again, the lines run freely.
TO DO LIST: Fix the reefing system DONE!!!!!!
Coconut Grove, Miami, FL 25º43.532N | 80º14.193W
 |
| Soft shackle. |
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