Reefing the mainsail, headsail or both in combination allows the skipper to keep the. One critical feature of boom furlers is the angle of continue reading boom furling. This pulls the bottom of the mainsail down toward the boom. Reefing is an important part of sailing to learn and understand how to do efficiently and effectively. Just lower the sail to a predetermined mark on the halyard, tension the reefing line and trim the sail all from the cockpit. In sailing the boats we can offer these general ideas and observations that will apply to the 311s through to the newest. A small diameter control line guides the hook to the mainsail reef point, where a sheathed, high load dyneema strop is sewn into the sail. It is important to remember that the while the intermittent reef points, now along the foot, are used to. Fitting instructions for single line mainsail reefing system for yachts up to 9m 30ft part no. Fitting instructions for single line mainsail reefing syst. Auto trim packages on its 2015 jeanneau sun odyssey 519 under the name assisted sail trim ast. Reefing the mainsail, headsail or both in combination allows the skipper to keep the trim of the boat in a more upright mode.
We also have a selection of sail tie kits that come with highquality sunbrella webbing. Using a winch, hoist the main halyard to apply tension to the luff first. Sail handling fitting instructions for single line mainsail. Mainsail trimming is the key element when making a keelboat. Sails may have builtin alternative attachment points that allow their area to be reduced. We can call this the sail s presentation to the wind. This single line reefing kit allows reefing control lines to be led aft to the safety of the cockpit. Very effective when you have a crew to coordinate the process of mainsheet, halyard at the mast and reefing line boom gooseneck end. Then, you can pull in on the foresail reefing line until the sail is the desired size before cleating off. It is difficult to determine when a catamaran is over powered because of course it does not heel significantly, heeling being the main warning or being overcanvassed on a monohull. From the foot of the sail up, each row of reefing points shortens the sail a little more. This reduces heeling and depowers your sails to improve safety and stability in rough weather.
Lower main to drop mark, taking slack out of reefline as sail drops, 2. In this sailing basics video you learn how to properly trim sails when sailing upwind. Any other point of sail, force on the sail increases and decreases as the boat surges and slows. This article compares the various methods of reefing the main sail, specifically mainsail reefing systems. Put safety line on reefing outhaul in case the reef line breaks, 6.
Your boat looks absolutely beautiful and steering is so much fun. Dont release more halyard than you need, and stop when the main is too tight to move down by hand. Impression, dufour, southerly, outbound, fingulf, valiant, delphia, grand solie, x41, continue reading mainsail slab reefing. This required versatility is achieved by adjustment and trimming. September 2000 the other day i made a statement on one of the internet discussion groups to the effect that i think effective reefing is the most important factor in determining the seaworthiness of a small boat chuck responded by asking me to write up my thoughts on sail reefing. Since 1968, west marine has grown to over 250 local stores, with knowledgeable associates happy to assist. So the present method of adding camber to a junk rig sail is cut the camber into the bottom and top edges of the panel. Mainsail you will need a sailmaker to put in the reefing points. Reefing the mainsail is like partly furling the jib when your boat has a furling jib. Secure the new mainsail tack to the boom, either by inserting the reefing hook into the tack reef cringle on the sail, or trimming in hard on the.
In high wind situations knowing how to reef a sail, or reduce the surface area exposed to the wind, can be a boatsaving procedure. The sale runs from october 15, 2019 to october 31, 2019. The ins and outs of inmast furling mainsails modern sailing. With detailed instructions, illustrations, and photos, these downloadable guides are a musthave resource for every sailor.
Their combined affect is to adjust the sail angle to the wind and the amount of twist in the sail. To alter the sail angle you adjust these based on the wind and the amount of twist in the. The yacht showcases elements like an aframe mast, a mainsail with roller reefing. It certainly is more accessible to the beginning than many of. Between the reefed tack and clew may be a row of evenly spaced smaller. Whereas in a cambered junk sail the shelf foot construction technique is simply used to add camber to the sail. Care must still be given when raising the mainsail so as not to catch the battens of the sail on the lazy jack lines. This was not anywhere as near as good as the authors book on jib trimming, perhaps because it is far more difficult to concisely describe effective mainsail trim than headsail trim.
Raising the mainsail can be frustrating, and it can be hard to get good sail shape. The mainsail can be furled from the cockpit as easily as furling the jib. A standardbatten mainsail has a conservative amount of roach e. Too much mainsail for the wind conditions can be dangerous. While slowly easing the main halyard, take in the reefing control line. The jib itself creates lift and provides a portion of the boats forward momentum. The shelffoot and loosefoot constructions are options that allow us to add a. The system makes reefing your mainsail a quick and easy operation. Sew your own custom mainsail cover with a kit from sailrite. Traditionally, all sailboat mainsails were reefed by simply pulling down the reefing lines through cringles in the luff and leech of the mainsail, then securing the reefing pennantsoften permanently attached to the mainsailto the boom to tidy the sail up. Finding the best handling system june 21, 2017 the first in a series on sail handing systems, quantums expert david flynn dives into the options for keeping or getting a handle on your mainsail. As soon as the sails are eased and sailing lower downwind angles even as little as. A reef hook is installed close to the booms axis with a lashing.
Essential reefing tips for cruisers yachting monthly. Tuck the outhaul into the winchs selftailing line jaw and if necessary, grind the winch handle until the sail is all the way out. Second, the reefed sail must have a shape appropriate for the conditions, which means flat. Most sailboats have a roller furling system for the foresail and reduce the size of the sail to however small they like. Downloadable sail trim guides articles quantum sails. Turn the boat toward the wind and ease the mainsheet to reduce pressure on the sail. The main derives power first through angle of attack. Dependable in all weather and sea conditions, the sail can be hoisted, reefed and furled by one person from the safety of the cockpit. If playback doesnt begin shortly, try restarting your device. Most sailmakers, including us, compute mainsail area as if the sail were a right triangle with three straight edges. Reefing, or shortening, a sail can allow you to maintain control of the boat in heavy. With the boomvang set as outlined above the mainsail will have close to the right trim for downwind sailing. In this series, quantum sails expert david flynn shows you how to get the most out your sails with the right trim, starting with the mainsail.
In the old days, your sailmaker offered you one kind of mainsail, and sailors. The main halyard is dropped and the lower part of the main sail is rolled up into a mandrill located inside the boom. Mainsail covers in stock lengths these mainsail covers are premade, in stock both in generic sizes and for specific high demand boats. It should be very tight, pulling down and out to flatten the reefed sail. The simplest and most informative indicator to correct mainsail trim is the top leech ribbon, particularly in lighter airs. By nature, a mainsail is the most durable and flexible sail in any inventory.
Once the mainsail is fully unfurled or unfurled to a desired reef point, steer away from the wind to a close haul or reach and let the wind fill the sail. The mainsail is primarily set and controlled using the mainsheet, kicker vang and traveller. Also keep an eye on the sail if it is backwindingif so flatten the sail aggressively. With the right crew we could put a reef in in about 30 seconds. How to trim the mainsail grenada bluewater sailing.
I drop the sail to a pre determined point, marked on the halyard, then attach the reef point to a tack hook. Therefore the top of the sail is trimmed freer than the base of the sail. Dont scare the beegeebees out of those on board by heeling the boat over too much. You will see that this also helps lower the whole sail and not just the leech. Guidelines for good mainsail shape sailing breezes. In extended sailing, many prudent sailors add an additional safety line to the clew in case the reef line fails. On site, apart from the comprehensive chandlery, there is a well equipped sail loft and specialist rigging division. Reefing and hoisting when it becomes necessary to reduce sail by reefing topsails, if all hands are to be employed, direct the boatswain to call. May 20, 2015 when a mainsail is reefed, it essentially becomes a loosefooted sail even if the actual foot of the sail is slotted into the boom. Mainsail trimming is the key element when looking for good performances on board. Look at the jibs leading edge, or luff, as you begin to determine its trim. Mainsail reefing systems cruising design international. The standardbatten mainsail is usually less chafe prone and easier to raise, reef, and lower than a fully battened mainsail. When getting underway, mainsails are either hoisted up the mast or unfurled unrolled out of the mast.
Reefing the mainsail involves lowering the sail partway to reduce its size when the wind increases. Impression, dufour, southerly, outbound, fingulf, valiant, delphia, grand solie, x41. There are many different systems for reefing the mainsail these days, but the most common system is slab reefing. Contents of your single line reefing kit 1 x reefing slide on 25mm t track with end fittings no. A list of production yachts at the annapolis boat show using slab reefing include. When surging, less sail force makes it easy to increase halyard tension. On the contrary, the boat will be operating close to its limits so every scrap of sail efficiency will help. Newcastle based storrar marine store is truly one stop shopping. Then, in the late 1960s, the rolling boom was developed. First there were simple reef points short rope pennants that could be used to gather up parts of a sail to reduce its area. Trimming the mainsail boat handling sail cruising tips. Most sailmakers, including us, compute mainsail area as if the sail were a. Equally important is the fact that a loosefooted mainsail enables you to more easily rig reefing lines by tying the.
If the sail looks like it is floating around and is unsteady a solid pull on the cunningham will settle it down. Flaking the mainsail, what you need to know sail fanatics duration. Discounted orders must be shipped to a us address and purchaser must take delivery by december 31, 2019 unless otherwise dictated by quantum sails. A reefed sail s draft and twist control is not unlike a headsails. In a mainsail, pairs of grommets, called reefing tacks, reefing clews, or reefing cringles may be installed in the sail.
The mainsail reefing system eliminates flogging sails in the cockpit when reefing or furling. Reefing a cruising catamaran is normally determined by wind speed and not the action of the boat itself. This is the way that 90% of the fleet will reef their mainsail, and when done correctly it is the simplest and most reliable system. Proper reefing for racing mainsail sailing anarchy.
Dec 07, 2011 while all sailboat designs are different and will sail optimally at different heel angles and reef points, there are a few generalities that well cover in this sailing blog. Reefing is meant to increase your easeofuse, flatten sail shape, reduce sail area, and reposition the boats center of effort. There is much opinion about the height of the points above the boom, here is mine. The reefing system must pull the clew out along the boom, like an outhaul, as well as pulling down. For light airs work on the top ribbon working 100% of the time, in medium air 50% and for heavy airs 100%.
A correct trim in the mainsail not only makes your boat more performing but, above all, it is synonym with a wellbalanced boat regardless of wind power, sailing points and sea conditions this ambitious project inevitably requires two essential things. Island sailing clubs joshua shenkman and rhys balmer show one method to reef a main sail while under sail. This is a safer, more comfortable and faster way to sail in strong breezes. When the sail reaches the desired reef point, secure the. When reefing the mainsail, you are reducing the size of the sail area presented to the wind. The design is based on the timeproven cdi flexible furler. May 19, 2016 to some extent, mainsail reefing has turned full circle. With this method, area equals the luff times the foot divided by two.
Reefing a foresail requires easing out the sheet so that the sail loses the wind and the pressure is taken off. As a result, say goodbye to big, high load reefing lines and high load jammers. A reefed sail reduces heeling of the boat and makes the boat easier to manage. Mainsail trim pointers, reefing and sail care for the beneteau oceanis series the following points on mainsail trim apply both to the furling and classic mainsails we produce for beneteau usa and the oceanis line of boats. If you sail a ketch, then the setting of the mizzen, though often small in size, can have a great influence on your boat speed. If you are trimming a racing mainsail, do not raise the head of the sail. There are a number of effective reefing arrangements, but all have two common elements. Wind speed increases and frees a little with height. Since more and more boats these days are leading the halyards aft, single line reefing has become a very popular method for reefing your mainsail. Im going to be replacing the main sail on my 40er soon and ive heard in the.
Sailing basics how to reef your mainsail the right way. Adjust tension on the outhaul to trim and shape the sail. Advanced inboom mainsail reefing system pompanette, llc. The mainsail can be adjusted to vary the amount and location of draft, and trimmed to control the shape of the leech and its angle to the wind. To feel this, apply moderate turning force to the winch handle. There is occasionally some confusion with respect to mainsail area. When reefed, all the load should be on the reef tack and reef clew. Weight saving on the boom the remote command lines used to activate or release the hook can be smaller in diameter as they only need to operate the hook. May 16, 2016 if close hauled, ha ha, as if cruisers sail close hauled but if so, just ease the mainsheet a little. In this video we will show you the simple steps to simplify the process of raising your mainsail, and we will explain how to get the proper halyard tension to guarantee that you have perfect sail shape. A mainsail can have a flattening reef or a roll reef, a shelf. The mainsail reefing system from cdi offers a reasonably priced system that can be owner installed.
Apr 27, 2016 putting highquality sails on your boat is a great start. When you see a vertical crease appear along the luff, that should be enough. Depending upon your setting, the boat will be more or less heeled and will have more or less helm. Then there were rotating booms, around which a sail could be wound to achieve the same effect roller reefing, in fact. Take our learn to sail course and learn the proper way to trim sails. Tips for reefing safely and effectively north sails. A sail s luff should face directly into the wind so that air streams evenly on both sides. Our kits include sunbrella fabric and an instruction booklet. There are three sources of mainsail power, as with any sail. Together with a mainsail that has sail slides, a sail slide stop, halyards led aft, and single line reefing, a downhaul kit will now allow for total control of the mainsail without going forward onto the cabin top.
Secure the new mainsail tack to the boom, either by inserting the reefing hook into the tack reef cringle on the sail, or trimming in hard on the tack reefing line. Single line reefing essentially means that the outboard and inboard reef cringles use one line to tuck or haul down both ends of the sail. Pulling these points down to the boom forms a new tack and clew, reducing the sails area. Man the topsail clewlines and buntlines, weather topsail braces. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Reefing points are 1, 2 or 3 horizontal rows of cringles reinforced grommets and reefing lines attached ties on the mainsail. Slab reefing the mainsail is the subject of this article. We look at each type of main reefing systems, describe the mainsail reefing equipment. Guidelines for good mainsail shape by david dellenbaugh. The mainsheet, kicker and traveller are used to control and trim the mainsail.
If we make our sails too full or sheet them on too. The reef points along the belly of the sail are used only to tie up the loose body of the sail. Trim your main properly so the boat sails more efficiently and provides the crew with a comfortable ride. I have a reefing line that runs from the boom up through the reef point on the leech back down to the boom around a sheave and forward inside the boom to an exit block and back to a boom mounted winch. A reefing hook avoids this, ensuring mainsail shape is stable and maintained. When a mainsail is reefed, it essentially becomes a loosefooted sail even if the actual foot of the sail is slotted into the boom. Reefing the mainsail involves lowering the sail part way to reduce its size when the wind increases. In addition, reefing the sails importantly affects the balance of the boat and can increase or decrease the amount of. Choose between a throated sail cover, a sail pack or a rectangular sail cover style. Weve put together some helpful tips for beginners about how to trim the mainsail. To some extent, mainsail reefing has turned full circle.
A reefed sails draft and twist control is not unlike a headsails. Mainsail trim pointers neil pryde international sails. Take in the slack of the boom preventer in any kind of seaway where the boom might. This video covers the basics of what is involved in reefing a mainsail, as well as tips on how to safely and easily carry out the operas while sailing in heavy weather. After first casting off the mainsheet, we would hoist the end of the boom a full six feet into airthe depth of the reefwith the topping lift. Faster mainsail reefing on my old yawl, iolaire, i always used a mainsail reefing method that seemed odd to guests, but was very fast and worked well. Mainsail reefing is an important part of mainsail trim.
If you pull down on the luff, you should be able to start lowering the mainsail. On almost every boat, one main must cover the entire wind range from drifter to howler and from flat water to big chop. Dec 25, 2016 boom furling system work similarly to slab reefing in the sense that the main is reefed top down unlike in mast furling. We look at each type of main reefing systems, describe the mainsail reefing equipment, describe reefing techniques, and mainsail reefing tips. Slab reefing, also known as jiffy reefing, is a process of temporarily removing sail area from the main by lowering the halyard and refastening the boom to the sail using reinforcements sewn to the sail at the reef tack and reef clew. How you attach the pennants to the boom depends on whether the sail is loosefooted or set in a track, but what matters is that theyre in. While the mainsail provides a good bit of power, it also has a lot to do with the boats directional control. Single line mainsail reefing system 430 for boats 22 27 ft 6 8 m with mainsails under 150 ft2 14 m2 installation manual intended for specialized personnel or expert users 4171 12 reef mainsail with one line easy to install reef from cockpit in seconds use with regular or fulllength battens. Poorly set sails will add to leeway, which is probably already quite significant. You only need some grommets in the sail and some blocks and reefing lines to make this system work.
I went for a sail on a monohull about a year ago 40 hanse and they had single line reefing. Reefing is done by lowering the mainsail, establishing a new tack and clew using control lines, and hoisting the mainsail again with the bottom part no longer exposed to the wind. If the mainsail is hoisted, then to reef, you will be lowering the sail slightly. Mainsails must perform over a wide variety of sailing conditions. Just because there is plenty of wind and the boat is making good speed doesnt mean sail trim can be ignored. The area of the mainsail is reduced by a technique called reefing. Print them and keep them on your boat, reference them as needed for unusual conditions, or to teach the new guy on the boat how to approach trim. Singlehanded reefing a mainsail sailing wisdom youtube. In contrast to slab reefing, the furlboom system flattens the sail as it is reefed, further depowering the sail. When we look for more power we obviously need to make our sails fuller and sheet them on tighter the top leech ribbon will let us know how much without overdoing it.
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