The continuing adventures of Koinonia

[Bob23]

   I never remove a sail stop to reef. A previous owner installed pieces of 1/8" line between the sail slugs and the sail up to the level of the first reef. As the sail comes down and is detentioned, this line slacks and the sail is able to pull away from the mast so reefing is not problem. I'll try to get photos of this as my description is probably a bit confusing.
   I only remove the sail stops twice a year. Once on commisioning and once in decommisioning. I guess that's why I've never lost one.
Bob23

[Bob23]

SAILING NEWS:
   There isn't any...I haven't been out in over 3 weeks and I'm starting to dry out. Things like work, super high winds, rain, my mother in law taking a fall and finally the passing of my father in law have prevented me from sailing. Yesterday, I at least rowed out to "Koinonia" to have a look-see. "Hi, stranger", she greeted. "Do I know you from somewhere?". She's got a great sense of humor...wonder where she got that from? There was only a hint of sarcasm in her voice; she knows what I'd been going through and was there to provide solace in her own way.
   I was greeted also by a spider web in my starboard shrouds. A bad sign indeed. Not having time to sail, I sat on the foredeck, feeling the cleansing wind at my face as the boat headed straight into the wind, still tied to her mooring. The wind is cool this time of year but the lowering sun casts a new light onto familiar surroundings bringing a freshness of view. Although I've sat here a hundred times before, yesterday seemed new so I stayed for a while until I had to return to the "real" world to continue my running around.
   Seems that even sitting on our boats is therapeutical in it's own peculiar way.
Bob23

[brackish]

 Seems that even sitting on our boats is therapeutical in it's own peculiar way.
Bob23

Know what you mean.  While the sailing weather has been nearly perfect here, I've had little time to participate.  The Admiral, who has rather advanced glaucoma, has had to have a number of procedures and follow ups to try to keep her vision, so my time since the LeConte climb has been spent on many 400 mile round trips to the Vanderbilt Eye Institute.  Ironically, on each trip I pass within a mile or so of my boat.  

I did go up a week or so ago and installed a push pin on a lanyard to act as a sail stop so that I would not continue to add to the inventory of that item in the briny deep.  Took longer than planned, so no sail that day, but I ate lunch on the boat and then took a short nap.  A very calming experience.

But I may go for a sail today.

[rwdsr]

Hey Brack,
I work in Nashville, if you ever get down that way and need anything, call me (931) 237-0926.  That's my cell when I don't forget and leave it on the dresser at home.

Bob D

[curtisv]

   I never remove a sail stop to reef. A previous owner installed pieces of 1/8" line between the sail slugs and the sail up to the level of the first reef. As the sail comes down and is detentioned, this line slacks and the sail is able to pull away from the mast so reefing is not problem. I'll try to get photos of this as my description is probably a bit confusing.
   I only remove the sail stops twice a year. Once on commisioning and once in decommisioning. I guess that's why I've never lost one.
Bob23

Bob,

I have a sail stop underneath all of the sail slugs.  When I raise the sail, I just pull on the halyard and up it goes.  No putting sail slugs into the slot.  When I reef I have to get rid of that sail stop and then put it back in.

I really don't get it.  When I normally lower the sail I don't want the sail slugs to pop out so it just goes back up when I take the sail cover off with nothing more than a pull on the halyard.

Curtis

[Shawn]

Curtis,

Have you tried loosening your downhaul to let the boom ride up a little higher?

First time I reefed I had to take out the sail stop to be able to get the reef point onto the hook. After that I let the boom ride higher and I can now reef it without taking out the sail stop. This assumes you can still tension your sail with the halyard with the boom up a little higher.

Shawn

[curtisv]

Shawn,

I can't let the gooseneck go up into the cutout in the mast sail slot.  I reef so that the cringle is tight to the boom and the only way that can be done is to take all of the sail slugs below that point out of the mast sail slot.  I don't use the reef hook on the gooseneck.

Here is a photo with the first reef tied in.  I was setting up the reef lines at the time after mounting the hardware on the boom.



You can see where the cutout in the sail slot is and where the sail stop is just above the cutout after the slugs were let out.

If the cringle at the mast is up high and you tighten the aft cringle, using it as an outhaul, a lot of stress is put on the lower sail slugs that would otherwise be taken by the forward cringle.  I don't think the plastic sail slugs are very strong.  With no reef tied in the outhaul stress is taken by the SS pin just above the gooseneck.

(Are we hijacking Koinonia's thread.  Perhaps she will be OK with that since it is about taking good care of her sisters.)

Curtis

[Bob23]

I am terribly offended and I'm not gonna play with you guys ever again!- Koinonia
I'll have to get some photos of my arrangement...all I know is I never remove any sailstops when I reef. Maybe I should be clearer. The 1/8" line is one continous line that threads through the first 3 or 4 slugs. As the sail comes down during a reef, it is able to pull away from the slugs, which remain above the stop and fold up on the boom using the reefing hook of course.
Bob23

[brackish]

Hey Brack,
I work in Nashville, if you ever get down that way and need anything, call me (931) 237-0926.  That's my cell when I don't forget and leave it on the dresser at home.

Bob D

Thanks Bob, I really appreciate that offer.  We do have some support up there, one of my sons lives in Hendersonville, works down town.  On follow up visits the surgeon has been very accommodating because of the distance in that she offers us a 12:30 PM appointment when we wish.  Makes it possible to do a long day up and back.

[brackish]

   I never remove a sail stop to reef. A previous owner installed pieces of 1/8" line between the sail slugs and the sail up to the level of the first reef. As the sail comes down and is detentioned, this line slacks and the sail is able to pull away from the mast so reefing is not problem. I'll try to get photos of this as my description is probably a bit confusing.
   I only remove the sail stops twice a year. Once on commisioning and once in decommisioning. I guess that's why I've never lost one.
Bob23

We do need a picture.  I understand exactly what Curtis is saying as that is what I experience, but am confused about how the line works to eliminate the need to remove the top (above the slug removal slot in the mast) sail stop.

[brackish]

Here is what I did for a sail slug stop after I got tired of dropping sail stops overboard.  The sail is lifted up for the pictures but the slugs sit on the push pin.  It is a 3/16" pin with a 1.4" working area.  When you reef, you just pull it out, drop the sail the number of slugs for the reef and then push it back in.  McMaster Carr, about four bucks.

[Bob23]

That is very slick!!
Bob23

[rwdsr]

That is slick, I'm gonna remember that!

Bob D

[Bob23]

All in favor of Brack winning the Slick Dude of the Day award say "Aye"!

[curtisv]

Brack,

That is brilliant.  Bob has me thinking that maybe a line through the sail slugs would help keep the slugs in order and easier to put back in when shaking out a reef.  Combine that with the Brack Easy Reefing Sail Stopless Slug Stopper (TM) and sailing reefing might just be even easier than it is now.

Now if Brack worked for Davis they'd be selling those things for about $50 each.  Put a Harken logo on it and maybe $100.

Curtis