Second Reef Point in Main

[Donay's Dream I]

I have a 1999 C34 with a single reef point in the main.  Has anyone added a second reef point to their main?

[Captain Bob]

I had a 2nd reef point put in from the factory. It is about 6-8 feet higher than the 1st and I am using the single line reefing line which is led from the Port side of the boom and through the sail to a block at the base of the mast to the clutches on the Starboard side. I must say I have reefed to the 1st point frequently but when the wind pipes enough to need the 2nd point I have been safely off the lake.

[Stu Jackson]

We, too, have a second reef point on our main.  I used it recently when it was super windy here on SF Bay.  With our "summertime" 85% jib and the double reefed main, the boat handled very well in winds over 25 knots.

It's like reefing itself, if you think you need it, you probably do!

We have what I term "double-line" reefing.  There is a separate tack and clew line for each reef, for a total of four.  While that may appear to mean more lines back to the cockpit, which is true, the advantage over single reefing lines is that the tension on the clew usually needs to be much more than at the tack.  With two separate lines for tack and clew, we can adjust them as required, where a single reef line would have equal tension at both points.  All four lines are led to sheetstoppers on the coachroof.

[SteveLyle]

Stu -

My reef lines aren't led to the cockpit.  How is that done?  Just call Garhauer?

Thanks,
Steve

[pklein]

I have a set of second reef points and always have lines to them when I am sailing at night.  Nothing worse than getting caught in bad conditions and having to fumble around in the dark.

On the suggestion of one of the lecturers at Strictly Sail I now have a 3rd set of reef points.  Lake Michigan is a big body of water and if I'm stuck in a bad storm that lasts for hours the third set will allow me to use the main to stabilize the boat and keep it moving slowly. Haven't had to use them in the two years they have been there, but they make me feel good.

I had the third set done when I sent the Main to SailCare to have it cleaned and re impregnated.  My 13 year old factory sails still look great.  I don't race.

Phill Klein
Andiamo #977
Montrose Harbor - Chicago

[Stu Jackson]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Steve Lyle, #75 1986, "Sewanee Belle":
                              Stu -

My reef lines aren't led to the cockpit.  How is that done?  Just call Garhauer?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
               
If Guido or Bill would come out to do it for you, please let us know how you were able to make that happen!  When they start selling "rope" in addition to wonderfully shined stainless let us know!

There are a few different ways to do it, and much depends on how your boat is currently rigged with hardware on your boom and mast near the gooseneck, and the "depth" of your deck organizers.

The clew is relatively easy:  most Catalina 34s came with the Schaefer sliding blocks on a track with bails on the bottom to connect both sides of the reefing lines, and then up and over through the clew cringles.  If the track is long enough, and you only have one reef point, you should be able to add another block and make it into two.

You can run these clew lines either through the boom or outside.  We have small blocks, like Harken bullet blocks, with the clew lines led down to & through the deck organizers from our "inside the boom" clew reefing lines.  Does make it a challenge to change or clean the lines, though.

The standard C34 boom fitting makes you go to the mast to (do the first & only standard) reef, using the cleat on the starboard side of the boom.  You can improve this by running the tack line(s) aft, by going down from the gooseneck to the deck organizers and then aft to sheetstoppers.

What we have at the boom/mast is the tack lines led to the organizers and then back.  Our deck organizers are "two story" affairs, with five blocks on each side! We use most of the ten blocks: to port - cunningham, rigid boom vang, first and second reef clews, second reef tack; to starboard - lazy jacks, main halyard, first reef tack.  We do have a lot of lines led aft!

Each of the two tack lines starts at a bowline at a cleat on the mast, is run up & through the tack cringles for the both first and second reef lines, and then down to the deck organizers and then back to sheetstoppers on the coachroof.

Wish I could do a diagram for y'all, but explaining this in writing is more than enough.

You should be able to "improve" your deck organizers with Garhauer by obtaining the "second deck" to increase the number of blocks on your organizers; either side or both, up to you.

Let us know how it works for you.