Running reef lines to the cockpit

[SteveLyle]

This has been discussed somewhat here, and we have Stu's TechNotes article.

This is the #1 request from my Admiral.  With a tall rig and the old style rudder, we tend to need to reef a lot, and probably do so less than we should.  I've got a 2 line reefing system, the std Mk I setup, I believe.  Running the tack line to the cockpit is straightforward, no issues there.

My question is about running the clew line down to the deck and to the cockpit.  Stu's described how on his boat the clewl tack line runs from the aft cheek block, then into the boom, through the boom, out of the bottom/center of the boom, and to a block on the mast centered on the aft side of the mast.  Obviously, this works, it just requires cutting two holes in the boom.

Which, guess what, I'd prefer not having to do.  Has anybody out there run the clew reef line down the stbd side of the boom, to a new cheek block on the fwd end of the boom, down to a block at the base of the mast, etc.?  This appears straightforward, but it means that the length of the line (and the tension on the clew) effectively changes as the position of the boom changes - more tension on stbd tack, when the distance from the cheek block to the mast block is greatest, less on port when the distance is the least.  Stu's setup gives you equal tension regardless of boom position, since the block that turns the line down is centered.

So is this an issue?  Or do I need to get out my drill and Dremel tool and files and go at my boom?  'Cause you know, what the Admiral wants, the Admiral gets.

Steve

[Tom Soko]

Steve,
I've done exactly what you described, moving the controls for two line reefing back to the cockpit.  Instead of a cheek block on the forward side of the boom, I drilled a hole in the lower part of the gooseneck, and hung a block off the hole.  The hole and block are not perfectly centered on the boom, but it is close, and the line from the clew goes smoothly thru it.  I have not noticed any change in tension from one tack to the other.  One other item I might suggest.  Unless you have very stury sail lugs near the reef cringle, you might want to install an eye strap and bullseye fairlead on the sides of the mast.  Having these will pull the tack cringle forward and down for reefing, and take a lot of strain off the sail lugs.  Pictures (#103 & 104) can be seen at:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4288188659&code=13911531&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite
Hope this helps.

[Stu Jackson]

Steve, I agree with Tom, and even if it wasn't centered the difference wouldn't matter.  It's hard enough to get the clew line as tight as it really needs to be and the inherent stretch of the line would more than make up the difference.  You can use the cheek block or use Tom's method.  Eye straps would suffice to run the clew line forward on the boom.  Remember, as I said, the PO had the internal lines led the way I described in the Tech Notes.  Less holes in the boom is NOT a bad idea!

As far as the tack goes, we have the Harken track and cars on our mainsail luff, so that stack gets the tack cringle pretty high off the boom to begin with.  Tom's idea is good if you have regular sail slugs.  Our point of "compression" is pretty the same, because I don't want to stress the strap that connects the luff to the Harken car(s).  What I do is just keep a loose tension on the tack when I first reef and get the luff tight with the main halyard, and a "high" tack.  This keeps the strap clear a bit.  As the halyard stretches (yeah, I should have gotten Stay Set X, not just Stay Set), I pull down a bit more on the tack, just like a cunningham!