[C320-list] Second Reef

[Allan Field]

Bruce - I did quite a bit of experimenting before finally arriving at a
solution that works for me.  Starting at the boom, the reef line is tied off
on the aft end of the boom and runs up through the second reefing clew, then
back down and through the boom.  The line exits the boom at the forward end
and heads DOWN to a double-block mounted on top of the vang.  The line goes
through the block and up through the second reefing tack then back down to
the base of the mast where it goes through and block that did house the
topping lift.  The topping lift is now tied off at the mast cleat.  The
reefing line then runs back through the traveler into the rope clutch
previously used by the topping lift and on into the cockpit.

The first reef line also comes out of the forward end of the boom and goes
DOWN to the block on the vang then up to the first reefing tack and so
forth.

I tried going from the forward end of the boom up to blocks tied onto the
reefing tacks then back down and back to the cockpit but I found that the
block eventually rubbed small tears in the main sail.  Annie Bennett uses
this approach however and it has worked for her.

Singlehanded I can take a reef in less that 2 minutes and out in less than a
minute.  To take a reef, I come up close hauled and let the main all the way
out until it is luffing; the boat settles down nicely as it is sailing on a
reefed genoa (I reef the genoa long before the main).  I drop the main
halyard until the reefing tack is at the boom, pull in the reefing line,
raise the halyard back up, and sheet the main back in.

On my old boat, I had a fractional rig and was taught to always take the
reef in the main first.  I carried this practice over to the Catalina until
I finally figured out that with this rig, you take the reef in the headsail
first.  Since reversing the order, I rarely have had to take a second reef
in the main, usually not until over about 30 knots of apparent wind even
close hauled.

Hope this helps. - Allan

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of bruceheyman at cox.net
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 10:21 AM
To: C320-List
Subject: [C320-list] Second Reef

Allan,
What block did you go with under the boom?  Also what did you do for a
turning block under the traveler.  I had an extra rope clutch on the port
side but the turning blocks are all spoken for.
Thanks,
Bruce
Somerset 671 SoCal
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