Andrei, I use the same approach as Rick. It works fine. I think the block that you have at the far aft part of the boom is probably for your outhaul or topping lift. The best thing I've heard for you is to take advantage of getting together for a weekend of sailing with someone that apparently has "been there, done that" Joe Seafrong M17 651 ----- Original Message ----- From: <JDavies104@aol.com> To: <andreic@math.wisc.edu>; <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 8:53 AM Subject: Re: M_Boats: How do you reef?
Andrei,
It's a little hard to tell exactly what your boom arrangement is, but I have found that the easiest way to handle the luff of the main is to mount a reefing hook (West Marine) on the gooseneck and lower the main until the luff cringle hooks into it, then tighten the halyard. Only takes a minute or two. My reefing line is made fast to the end of the boom, runs up through the leech cringle and back to a turning block just outboard of a point directly below the cringle, then is cleated on the boom just inboard of the turning block. After lowering the luff, it only takes another minute to haul down the leech and make the reefing line fast to the cleat. The reefing ties on the sail should then be tied just around the sail, (using reef knots, naturally) not the boom, just to take up the slack in the sail. You now have a loose-footed reefed main.
I always do this while hove to with the jib backed (cleated on the windward side) so the boat rides easy while I'm working on the reef, but I usually do it with a 135% genoa roller-reefed down to about 100%. I don't know how how well heaving to would work in a breeze with a full 150% headsail.
Good luck,
Rick M-17 #633 Lynne L
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