Mainsail Reefing Point Install

[Sailaway]

Greetings!  My mainsail has no reefing point and I am looking to add one on my own.  The main is older and not worth having a pro do it, but I can still get some use out of it.  Would someone be willing to measure how high up the reefing point is suppossed to be on the luff and leach if possible?  I am also a little unsure what all I need for the install, the boom had a cowhorn at the tack so Im thinking some reinforcing cloth on the sail and a stainless grommet on the luff.  Would it be the same on the leach?   Perhaps someone has some "pictures worth a thousand words" handy. Thank you!

[JTMeissner]

Measured these a while back, http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=5881.msg41512#msg41512. Two sails, different measurements. Depends on how much you want to reef.

My sails have four reinforced grommets, a new tack (just uses the pin on boom, but a hook would work), at leach with a longer outhaul (new clew), and two mid sail for reef ties after flaking sail.

However, by original design, the 16 has roller reefing.  Pull out on boom, release halyard, roll to size, release boom, tighten halyard.

-Justin

[Craig Weis]

That's a very small main sail for a CP-16 and the boat is not tender.
I'll bet a sail from a smaller dinghy sailboat could be hanked on with a rope sewn in for the boom.

One grommet at the mast, one at the leach [to tie to the boom], and two equally spaced between.
A 1/4 inch stranded nylon knotted and pulled through and knotted again as close to the grommet as possible with each end long enough to circle the sail and tie a square knot under the boom and around the mast. None of the brass grommets are reinforced. Just  popped through the sail and smushed down and crimping in.

Maybe one third of the main tied to the boom, but high enough that the reefing lines will not touch the boom when the sail is fully raised.

That is essentially how the reef points are on my CP-19.

At dockside I'll reef and once out there usually shake out the reef. A few times the reef, the wind, was all perfect and she stood upright and smoothly went like stink. That was fun.

And many times in big wind the main stays furled to the boom and just the 155% lapper head sail is used. That works to.

I have no other suggestions.

Craig Weis

[Sailaway]

Ok, thanks a lot!  I didn't realize the boom would roll like that, I will have to give that a try.  I went ahead and ordered a jiffy reefing kit, so I will probably go ahead and install that as well at the 24 in mark.  I live in kansas, and last summer got caught on the side of a thunderhead that blew through kansas city, i was out sailing in lawtence about 30 miles west or so.  Got hit with some 30 mph gusts and 20 mph sustained wind, was too much for the 155 and dosnt have a smaller foresail at the time.  I couldnt manage the 155 in that wind so I dropped it and ran on the main alone as I headed back to dock.  And that felt like limping even in the high winds.  So a smaller foresail is on the horizon! 

[Mas]

Not all 16's had roller boom reefing. The earlier ones did but as various incarnations came out the jiffy reef method was adopted. I've had the roller boom jam when needed most on our first 16. Saw blue water through the leeward ports at 20 knots of wind with full main and working jib combined with white knuckles till i could get some windward shore protection. Like the jiffy reef, can't jam!

If you're planning to keep the boat a new main will do wonders for her pointing and you get those reef points!

[Sailaway]

Mine is a 1989 16-3; I'll try and find time to look over the boom.  Wouldnt mind having both set ups, but the jiffy looks like it would work well on its own.  I Would love to buy a new main, but will have to put that off a while longer.  I am currently working on the rudder modification that has been posted on here many times before to avoid sinking the money on the ruddercraft; but keeping some cash handy in case it doesnt work out.  I am on the threshold of still being able to get my money back out of the boat if I chose to sell it, and feel adding the 110 jib will give me a decent range of options on the sails.  Thank you guys for giving me your input, this is a really helpful community.

[JBC]

Sailaway, I have a CP 16 III, 1990. There is no roller boom on my rig, only factory jiffy reefing set-up. Should point out that the mainsai/jibsail areas on the boats with a bowsprit are different than those without. Doubt it would change your measurements too much, but there would be some difference from those of older vintage. For example, the foot is shorter on the newer mainsail.

Jett

[Mas]

Sailaway, I have a CP 16 III, 1990. There is no roller boom on my rig, only factory jiffy reefing set-up. Should point out that the mainsai/jibsail areas on the boats with a bowsprit are different than those without. Doubt it would change your measurements too much, but there would be some difference from those of older vintage. For example, the foot is shorter on the newer mainsail.

Jett

All 16's starting with the MK2 version have a bowsprit. If you have an 89' which is indeed the MK3 version, you have the bow sprit. Most of those also were purchased with additional headsails since they also have genny tracks on the coaming. The usual factory additional headsail was a 155 genny. No headsails came with her? The original sails had reef points as well (jiffy reefing). You can tell if original as the Compac logo and hull number will usually be on the sail. Good luck with everything. These are special little boats and if learning to sail, you can't get much better.