Beneteau 50 In Mast Reefing vs Slab Reefing

[Talbot]

Have you considered In-boom reefing. That would avoid the cost of a new mast. It moves the effort lower as you reef, and allows full length battens.

clicky clicky

[svHyLyte]

An inexpensive fix would be to convert the fixed lazy jacks to retractable Ez jacks by replacing the top falls with longer lines that pass over a little cheek-block on either side of the mast, just below the lower spreaders, and then down to the boom on either side of the mast. With this, one can ease the upper falls and pull the lazy jacks down to run horizontally along the top of the boom at the foot of the sail, secured with a short length of shock cord around the front of the mast. One really only needs the lazy jacks when one is furling the sail anyway so why have them in the way all the time?

As for reefing, pre-mark your halyards for the first, second etc, reef points so that you can release as much slack as necessary--once you've freed the vang if it supports the boom or taken up on the topping lift if not--and then haul in on the reefing line, which if you use single line reefing should be passing through a block affixed to the luff of the sail and not simply a cringle. While I don't care for single line reefing, it does have the merit of acting like a down-haul on the luff of the sail when wind pressure may prevent the sail lowering of its own accord.

As for the slides, unless I am wrong, they are made of UHMW polyethylene and will respond well to a good rinse and once dried, a thorough spray of SailKote.

FWIW...

s/v HyLyte

[simon10]

svhylyte

Thanks for your help, I am going to go with what you have recommended. I will keep the Slab Reefing.

If the track spray fails I will fit a Harken track, which seems to be a cheaper, better, and safer option than In Mast Furling.

After all the advise, I think Slab Reefing is best for a long passage, if the weather gets bad it nice to know you can get the sail down.

The thought of being over 100 miles from land in a storm with the Main jammed scares me.

[Vasco]

A cheaper fix on lazyjacks is to tie them to the ends of the lower spreaders with bungee cord. This retracts the lines when hoisting the sail making a much bigger slot so the battens don't get hung up.. When dropping the sail the slot is closed when you tighten the lazyjacks.

[svHyLyte]

Simon--

If you continue to have difficulties with your sail slides and decide you need a change. A less costly alternative is "Strong Track", a supper slippery track system that simply slides into the slot on the back of your mast. An early discussion can be found at Main Sail Handling Systems

Regards,

s/v HyLyte :

[camaraderie]

Why replace the whole mast? Get an in-boom furler system like the Schaeffer or Leisure Furl...They are better anyway and you may be able to get your main re-cut to fit.
(Note...I have a Schaeffer on my 52' boat so I am biased!)