Reef Lines

[mikehennessy]

Just raised my sail for the first time on "Good Chemistry".  I have a single jiffy reef on the Sunday Cay.

What diameter and length lines should I use for the reefing lines in the reef points (weren't any included on the sail)?



Regards,
Mike

[Sunny Day]

Hi,

I generally use 1/4 or 5/16th lines what ever I have plenty of...

Regards,
Steve

[bruce]

+1

Mike, the important thing is to make sure that, when reefed, the load is carried by the cringles at the luff and leech, where the sail is heavily reinforced. The intermediate cringles can be tied loosely, to neaten up the bundle, but that's secondary. The sail can tear if they're too tight. Any line that's easy to handle would work.

I'm trying bungee cords these days, with a loop at one end and a plastic bead on the other. Pop the bead through the hoop. Shouldn't stress the sail, but I haven't used them often enough to recommend them. I've been sailing, unreefed, with them loose in the cringles. The hoop and bead keep them from falling out. A little lubberly, but I got use to them quickly. You could always just install them when it came to reef. I'll have to take a photo.

[mikehennessy]

Thanks for the advice.  I'll try the bungees!

[bruce]

Here's the bungee tie. It's gusting to 30 today so it's not a good day for launching in the driveway, but I'm sure you get the idea.

1/4", about 9 3/4" long for my PC. The ball's about an 1" in diameter. I left a tail to make it easier to pull the ball through the loop. An overhand knot holds the ball on the bungee, with a screw to capture the knot so the ball doesn't slide around.