Slab Reefing , Ready to Go?

[gjordan]

Depending on the size of the boat, and the weight of the boom there is another way to reef. I learned to reef watching the San Francisco Folkboat fleet on their afternoon races. They would come around the down wind mark and drop the spinnys, and turn up wind, and in a matter of seconds have the main reefed. It would not work single handed, or with a less than adept helmsman, but what I watched was the deck crew go to the mast, and un- coil the halyard, and the helmsman loosen the main sheet. The mast man then pulled the reefing line(raising the boom), and then lowered the halyard enough to get the tack onto the gooseneck fitting, and then tension the halyard. Amazingly fast. I almost always reefed my 26 foot boat that way, and sometimes did my 37 footer that way. I took more time because I tied in the reef points if I thought I would be reefed for more than an hour or so, and I put a sail-tie through the clew cringle if It was nearing dark, and I thought I would stay reefed overnight. It would not work on a bigger boat, but you might want to try it on a smaller boat. ______Grant.

[Ex-Calif]

Reef lines and halyard come to my coach roof.

The mastmans only job is to hook the rams horn.

If it takes 30 seconds to reef it's because we paused for a rum break.