reefing boomless sail?

[taezow]

I looking to buy a boat with A-frame mast, so the main sail is hanked to a vertical shroud, with no good way to attach a boom. So it is riged boomless

How can I slab reef a sail that is riged with boomless set up? The seller has never reefed the main, so he can't tell me how it is done.

The sail is fully battened, this could help, maybe?

With a boom the sails can be luffed and the clue is secured by the boom, but with boomless set up wouldn't the clue be out of controle, and try to knock my teeth out, if I got close?

I have seen a wishbone boom attached to a cross member on the 2 A-frame mast, but I still don't see how it could be reefed from the mast or have lines run back to the cock pit.


Thanks

[rwatson]

There is no reason you cant have a boom. If you dont want to attach it to the vertical shroud, mount it an a tabernacle just behind the shroud mounting, or better yet, make the shroud connection a tabernacle that can swing a boom

[PAR]

You take in a reef the same way you would as if it had a boom. Ease the halyard, attach the new down haul and clew, then tension the halyard again. The sheets could be on a snap shackle so you'd just move them when the sail begins to flog. The down haul could be pre-rigged, like a Cunningham, so all you'd do it synch it up when the halyard was eased. The belly of the sail is still tied up the same way, it just doesn't have a boom to rest on.

[taezow]

Sounds easy enough, but in a blow, that is when I reef, wouldn't it be very tough. If I luff the sail and easy the sheet, the clew and shack would be flogging around in the wind something fearce. Moving the snap shackle to the new reef point, or tring to tie the clew and reef point together sounds like an insane task.

In theory it could be done but in realty? I have always run reefing lines to at least the mast for the clue end of the boom is no place to be in a blow with the sail luffing. If I ran really close to the wind the clue would be in the cock pit but then the jim would be luffing too. The boat would slow way down and I would loose controle with the rudder. Maybe I would have to be running the engine?


A'm I just being stuborn or is a boomless sail just tough to reef?

[amolitor]

First of all, you're reefing too late

Second of all, there's no reason you can't rig the new lines first, and the unrig the old ones, or douse the sail entirely and re-rig it smaller. I don't see that it's any harder than a boomed sail.

[PAR]

Reefing lines are for big sails or sailors who don't know when to reef.

If you've waited too long, which it sounds like you usually do, hove off, then luff a little, grab the clew, which will be over the cockpit, either move the old or clip a new sheet in place. Fall off to build speed, you're half way there and the main is under control again. Luff again, drop the halyard, snatch up the down haul and fail off again. Release the fouled jib or tack through to the unfouled side and you're on your way. Things are only tough to do until you've done it a few times.

[taezow]

Ok sounds like it is just me doing things wrong, and worring too much.

The boat is a 32 ft tri with the foot of the sail at 10ft.

Is this what you would call a small boat?

And yes especialy with a multi hull I should be reefing early.

Thank you