A "gate" is easy to build and fit to the mast to allow the slides to go all the way down to the gooseneck. You might have to modify it a bit to fit your track. http://www.cncphotoalbum.com/doityourself/sailgate/sailgate.htm
Jim Watts Paradigm Shift C&C 35 Mk III Victoria, BC On 13 August 2015 at 14:32, Josh Muckley via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com > wrote: > See response inline. > > On Aug 13, 2015 4:53 PM, "Patrick Davin via CnC-List" < > cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > > > I have some questions on reefing. I know the basics, but want to get > more advanced so that it's easy even in challenging conditions. Especially > learning any handling characteristics that are specific to C&C's. > > > > Difficulty reefing was the one of the few sail handling issues we had on > our cruise of Vancouver Island last month. > > > > Typical Puget Sound summer winds are under 20 kts, so our practice > reefing has always been relatively easy. > > But in 25 kts (gusting to 30?) with 6-10 foot sharp waves from current > and wind driven water stacking up in the Strait of Juan de Fuca approaching > Race Rocks it was a whole different experience and somewhat scary. > > (and yes I know, reef early, reef often, but I don't need that lecture > ;) Besides, it doesn't change the fact you have to know how to reef in 25 > to 40 knots, because if you're ever in those winds you'll need to put the > 2nd or 3rd reef in). > > > > Anyone here have a procedure for easy reefing (or easier than what I'm > doing at least), that doesn’t involve ponying up $3000 to $5000 to install > a new mainsail track? (guessing it might cost that much or more if the > main sail needed to be replaced or restitched with new slides) > > > > Or is that basically an impossible wish? (ie, reefing in difficult > conditions will always be difficult) > > > > A few questions: > > > > - Do you use boat speed over water as a criteria for when to reef? If so > what's the speed for an LF38 at which you consider it overcanvased? > > This is really a function of wind speed not boat speed. More importantly > TWS not AWS. With my 37+ i can carry full sails to ~15kts but it is > getting uncomfortable and increasingly difficult to reef. > > > (keeping in mind that we're cruisers, not racers, so our priority is > keeping boat speed up without being uncomfortable or expending too much > energy) > > > > - The mainsail 1st reef tack cringle doesn't reach down to the reefing > horn on the boom, because the sail slides are stacked up on the track > stopper (which cannot go any lower, and prevents the slides from falling > out of the track). So I've taken to tying a line through it and tensioning > that around a deck cleat. Should I actually be removing the track stopper, > moving 3 or 4 sail slides below the stopper (loose) and reinserting the > stopper? That would be a major PITA, but I think the existing situation is > causing the reef tack to be a bit too high, which likewise causes the reef > clew point on the leech to be a bit high. > > > > Do you have dog bones? They help me but I'm not doing a single line > setup. I have to ease the halyard and then go forward and "hook" a ring > on the dog bone. > > > - Is it essential to release the vang before reefing? What's the reason > that's often recommended? Is it to make the foot of the sail slack and > billowy rather than flat, in order to make the clew reef point easier to > pull in? > > > > You have to release the all functions which are pulling down on the boom > so that you can tighten the halyard without overly tightening the leach of > the sail. You may even find that lifting the boom with the topping lift > helps. > > > Some info on the current setup: > > - single line reefing with the line run back to the cockpit. Not run > through the luff (tack) cringle (I may change this though), so I have to go > forward to tie down the reef's tack. > > - It's what's shown in "Single line and cowhorn" on this page: > http://www.offshore-sailor.com/index.php/seamanship-and-boat-handling/5-reefing-systems.html > > - I could switch to full on jiffy reefing (run the line through the > tack cringle) but am worried there's already too much friction in the > system. > > - mainsail track is built-in to the mast, standard “T shaped” track with > plastic sail slides and 2 cars on the top two full battens. > > - I lubed the sail slides with Mclube Sailkote a few months ago. That > helped, but there’s no way the sail will drop with 25 kts of wind pressure > on it when sailing off the wind (below a beam reach). I’m not sure even the > best mainsail tracks truly allow you to drop sail on a broad reach in 25 > kts anyway. > > > > A batt-car system or a tides marine strong track may not let you "drop" > the sail but it will certainly help make it easier. > > > We managed to do the reef by going to a close reach or close haul with > the genoa at ~100% and luffing the main. But this makes a tremendous racket > as the wind slammed the boom around in the minute or two it took to get the > reef in. Which can’t be good for the sail and hardware. I probably should > have sheeted in a bit more so it wasn’t luffing so bad. But it still > would’ve been bad. I’d rather not have to use this procedure for reefing to > begin with. Is there a better strategy? > > > > Seems like you pretty much have it. As mentioned above consider > application of the topping lift by a few inches. Then harden the main > sheet tight. This will lift the boom but minimize the flapping around. > > The advantage to doing a downwind reef is that the apparent wind is > significantly reduced. However the side loading on the slides is likely to > make a down wind reef difficult. Additionally if you have lazy jacks then > you'll probably get the sail tangled in the jacks which will need eased. > This will result in a sloppy and unmanageable sail. All of this makes the > upwind reef a little easier IMO. > > My suggested sequence for your setup would be to plan to do the reef into > the wind. Ease the main sheet to loose. If you can, tighten the topping > lift and then harden up the mainsheet against it. Ease the halyard far > enough to pull the tack down to it's proper location and hook or cleat as > appropriate. Tighten the reefing line until the foot is tight. Tighten > the halyard. Ease the topping lift. Tighten the mainsheet and sail on. > > If you still find too much friction in the slides then work with the > helmsman to "pinch up" and fall off to get the sail down and not go into > the irons. > > Josh Muckley > S/V Sea Hawk > 1989 C&C 37+ > Solomons, MD > > _______________________________________________ > > Email address: > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go to the > bottom of page at: > http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com > > >
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