how to rig boom

Hello, I am building a 31 ft roberts design and using a mast/boom from a 37' endevour that I have cut the mast to appropriate lenght (boom for 31' calls for same length boom). Trouble is there are too many ropes in the boom I don't know what they are for ... ?some sort of reefing. Hard to explain but see attached pics of boom: There are 4 ropes (with black colored jam cleats) entering boom where connects to mast. There are also stainless hooks there as well. Are the four ropes one for sail outhaul and other three somehow for reefing ... If anyone could look at pics and tell me what the ropes are for and how to rig it would be much appreciated. Anything I sailed before had only an outhaul.

thanks

 

At the end of the day it's what you want them to be.

Based on size 1 of the lines looks the right size for a topping lift.

So maybe 1 out haul with 2 reef points?

This is a lot of stuff in the boom to be what one would call a light boom. If it were me I'd put a topping lift adjustment line, the out haul, and maybe 1 line for reefing. If you need a second reef you could double the out haul to pull in a tag line.

The problem with what I just said is why would you have the reef lines coming out of the end of the boom?

My advice would be to simply.

Dan Frenette

 

That is a pretty standard set-up for a three reef main, one line for each reef clew. Works pretty well too, and is nice being able to do the entire reef from the mast. The hooks are for the reef tack.

The lines go from the front end of the boom, through the boom, then out and up to the reef clew. Some are set up to go up through the reef clew and then back down and tied around the boom, this gives a 2:1 purchase but increases chafe.

Some boats have a small winch mounted under the boom to help get tension on the reef line. Makes things a lot easier.

Google Jiffy or slab reefing and all should become clear.

 

really appreciate the responses ... one last question ... would you lead all the lines from where the boom attaches to the mast back to the cockpit? ... regardless if you want to cleat the ropes at the boom you'll still have to climb up on deck ... again great replies thanks for the help and will google as suggested.

 

Most boats have overcomplicated reefing systems with way too many lines cluttering the deck.

As was suggested ..a single reef is suitable for many applications.

Lead back to cockpit ? user preference. Remember all that JUNK and clutter will live in the cockpit for the rest of the boats life. On a small boat I dont mind walking up to the mast and reefing. The Cockpit is clean.

 

I prefer doing my reefing at the mast, makes things simple and it is easier to do single-handed since you often need to go forward to get the sail settled anyways.

When I set up my boat (heavy 28 footer used for voyaging) I had the sail made with two reefs, but the second is in the place where a third reef would normally go. With three reefs on my old boat I found I rarely used the first, since by the time I bothered to reef it was time for the second. I like my current set up, gives me a deep reef when needed without the complexity and cost of a three reef main. The first reef is also a bit deeper than normal, so it works in quite a bit of wind.

When it gets really nasty the trysail comes out, saving the wear on the main and getting the boom out of the equation, something that is quite nice when running before bad weather since you no longer need to fear a jibe.

 

You would never have the reef line come out of the end of the boom and only tie to the reef clew. There would be nothing to hold the clew down to the boom and it would "fly".

The best, self-alighning reef option for this boom type is to use a loose footed main and go from the sheave at the boom end, up thought the reef clew, down around the bottom of the boom, then tie a bowline around the length from the boom end up to the reef clew. This method pulls the sail down to the boom and aft like an outhaul all at once. By doing this you get a properly flattened reefed sail, something you rarely see on any cruising boat.

 

This seems to be a very logical way of thinking. By the time most people need a third reef they probably should be using the trysail. Having the first and second reefs a bit deeper than 1960/70s thinking is a good idea these days.

 

Good catch, should have mentioned that you need to put in a second tie around the boom if your reef line only goes to the end of the boom. This is how we do it on our boat, though our reef lines go to cheek blocks not into the boom. We find that the reduction in chafe is worth the extra step, and it gives us a chance to clean up the bunt and make sure everything is lying well. Also acts as a back up in case we chafe through a reef line, But we put lots of time on our sails, so what is a chafe issue for us is likely not a problem for most boats.

That is a clever way to run the reef lines, never seen it, but seems like it could be much better than the normal method of tying the bowline around the boom.

 

10,000 miles later I am quite happy with the choice, sail sets a lot better without that extra reef clew messing up its shape as well.

Bigger boat would be different though, lot harder to drag out the trysail on a 60 footer.

 

If you are flying your main in enough breeze to warrant a third reef you are going to ruin the shape by using it in those conditions. Actually, the same is generally true of sailing with a deep 2nd reef.

On a lot of big cruising boats there is enough deck space to have the trysail stored on deck under a good cover. We used to run a dedicated trysail track all the way to the deck, so the trysail would always be hanked on, ready to go. All you had to do was pop off the cover, attach the halyard, hoist, and sheet it on.

 

That is a great system, and would be my ideal, but unfortunately our mast shape makes it just about impossible to run a second track.

Another side benefit of only having only two reefs is that we switch to the trysail a bit earlier. By the time things get really nasty all the deck work is done and we can stay below and hide. We also have an 18ft boom on our 28 ft boat that is very low to deck, a scary thing to have loose in bad weather and it has a nasty habit of tripping when running in a big sea. Nice to have it lashed down solid before things get ugly.

Since our main is only 280 square feet, very low aspect and made out of 9 oz cloth we don't worry to much about blowing its shape out when we do push on a bit too long with it reefed.

 

A solution to this is the use of a "railroad switch", so you can lower your main, then activate the "switch" so the trysail feeds up from its own track at the deck into the main track.

 

Do you know of any sources for these? I have looked everywhere but no one seems to make them anymore. Looked around for a used one when I was home in the states last summer but no luck.

Currently have to unscrew a chunk of track to feed the trysail in. Works, but could be a lot better.

 

Every one I have ever seen was a custom fabrication.