Dwyer Mast, Jiffy reefing?

[MacGyver]

So I have no clue what reefing is, just somewhat that you use the reef points to reduce sail area.
In searching for a gooseneck (jacking around on Dwyer mast website to see what all the stuff is on my boom as well) We found a jiffy reefing setup on their site....
I and my wife think maybe we already have this..... There is a block at the back of the boom attached to the starboard side maybe a foot up. Then a cleat a little ways up from that, then way forward another cleat almost at the front of the boom but still starboard side.   
On the port side of the boom there is directly opposite the block, a eye strap.
Currently I am using the block and cleat as the main outhaul......

I am thinking maybe I am wrong..... My boss said it was the out haul as well, but it doesnt look right to me, it does pull it outward, but also lays down and starboard since the pull isnt straight back from the main....

I really hope this makes sense... I am hoping to get some pictures sometime......

Anyone have any clue what I am talking about despite being picture less?

Mac

[Shawn]

Mac,

If the 19 is the same as the 23 you are talking about some of the reefing hardware and a little of the outhaul as well.

The reefing hardware is the eye strap on the port side of the boom, the block on the starboard side opposite the eye strap and the cleat at the front of the mast. The way you rig this is with a line tied off to the eye strap. The line then goes through the reefing grommet in the sail then back down to the block and ran forward to the cleat.

At the gooseneck you will have a hook. That goes into the reefing grommet at the front of the sail. To reef you let the sail down enough to fit the hook on the gooseneck through the reef point at the luff of the sail and pull in the reefing line and cleat it off. The reefing line is run to the front of the boom so that you can do both operations without having to move. After you have both done re-tension the halyard. Then use the lines along the foot of the main to hold up the loose sail, DO NOT TENSION THE sail with those ties... they aren't built for that. Leave the reefing line in place all the time so it is ready to go when needed.

The outhaul could be as simple as a block at the back of the boom attached to the hole at the end of the track and a line tied to the end of the boom, through the block and then forward to the rearmost cleat on the boom. If you want to get fancier you can add mechanical advantage and so on. I've got a 6:1 outhaul that I am converting to a track this year with a rear reefing hook to get rid of both reefing lines on the boom.

Shawn

[Shawn]

"If you want to get fancier you can add mechanical advantage and so on."

BTW, to gain a 2:1 advantage you can tie the end of the outhaul line to the same place the block is attached, pass the line forward through the grommet in the main sail then back through the turning block and forward on to the cleat. To get to 3:1 you would need a double block at the end of the boom and tie off the end of the line at the sail and then either use the grommet or a block on the sail.

Here is a decent picture of how the reefing line(s) are run.



Shawn

[MacGyver]

THANK YOU SHAWN!

WOW that makes so much sense now!

For clarification (everything else my wife and I completely understand now) We leave the reef line that starts at eye strap, thru reef at back of sail, thru block, then tied off at forward boom cleat, that is left attached but loose to allow full main usage all the time.
Then when we reef that is when we tighten that and hook the front of the main.....
The sail ties (I have 2 other reef point holes in the sail to attach to the boom) We use say 1/4 inch line to loosely bind up using those holes to keep it at the boom but not to tie it down to the boom....... this would leave the front connection and the rear sail reef connection (excluding the middle 2 holes) to hold the sail down and the new foot tight to the boom.
Those center 2 spots are only to keep the mess of sail clean to the boom somewhat......

I hope I wrote that right..... We are still noobs to this and I apologize for the lack of terms, we are actually in the process of learning them as I type this, working on flash cards

Thanks Shawn!

Mac

[Billy]

Jason, sounds like you got it! I've also sailed a boat that had single line reefing. No hook on the goose neck. Can't really explain it except the reefing line instead of being tied off, goes back up through the forward reefing point (the new tack) and then back down and cleated off. But I think you need a block at the forward reefing point. Basically you let the halyard go, pull the reefing line, and then pull the halyard back taunt.
Here is a tid bit about it
http://www.longpassages.org/boat_changes.htm

But what u and Shaun described is how mine is set up too.

[Shawn]

Mac,

Sounds like you got it.

Now the important thing is to practice reefing before you need it. You don't want the first time you are trying to reef being when you should already be reefed. If the wind is fairly high before you are heading out reef at the dock. It is easier to shake out a reef that is not needed then it is to put in a reef when it is needed.

In a higher wind situation a reef (or two) makes a huge difference in how the boat handles.

As far as sailing vocab. you will pick it up over time.

Shawn

[MacGyver]

Thanks Shawn!

We were at the boat today and looked it over, I have the next 2 days to fulfill a list of work and then my wife is off again.

I will be sure to setup this Reef deal and try  it out, as long as I understand it, I can show my wife and she will pick it up pretty well too then.

Appreciate the help, and thanks for that link Billy!

Mac