What knot would be best to secure the leech reefing lines to the boom?

[Kupe]

Hey gang-

The previous owner of our boat had removed the reefing lines from our Air Force mainsail (I don't know why).

I am going to reinstall them, but am wondering about one fine point. I've attached an illustration and wondering what knot to use to secure the leech reefing lines to the boom (I've circled those in green).

Text accompanying the original illustration said to use a "locking loop", though my go-to list of knots doesn't have that exact knot. I was looking here: https://www.animatedknots.com/knotlist.php

I am inclined to go with a Round turn with two half hitches but that doesn't look quite right either.

Of course a bowline would do, but I was looking for something that would tighten around the boom when under load.

Thoughts or suggestions much appreciated!

Kupe

[rgleason]

Bowline

[El Pinguino]

I use buntline hitches... https://www.animatedknots.com/buntline/index.php

[AiniA]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

I use buntline hitches... https://www.animatedknots.com/buntline/index.php

That is what I though of too.

[Kupe]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

I use buntline hitches... https://www.animatedknots.com/buntline/index.php

Perfect! Gawd I love this forum!

Thank you all!

Kupe

[Paul Elliott]

A timber hitch is often used. I would have thought it would easily shake loose when not tensioned, but I've sailed many miles on boats rigged with it.

[Alan Mighty]

Running bowline.

https://www.animatedknots.com/bowlinerunning/

[Training Wheels]

+1 running bowline.

[Snore]

+2 bowline

[estarzinger]

At various times I used the running bowline and buntline, but prefered the timber hitch (I would put a stopper knot on the end of the tail) - they all create the right lead and are secure - its advantage is it is always pretty easy to undo even after very high load - sometimes it is useful/necessary to untie these - when taking off the sail, or sometimes useful to be able to move on reef line to another spot, the timber hitch is the easiest to do that with.

[MLOI]

We moved to spectra reefing lines for the low friction.
So we have a spliced eye on the end and use a soft shackle through the eye and around the vertical standing part of the reefing line. The layout is the same as using a running bowline around this standing section of the reefing line.

Worked well for the 6 months we lived aboard last year. Using spectra means I didn't need to have blocks attached to the sail for single line reefing.

Massive overkill in strength though.

Mike

[roverhi]

You want the line to move on the boom as the reefing cringle is pulled down to the boom. A fixed knot like a bowline allows the line to slide along the boom. A slip knot like a buntline hitch will cinch up and bind on the boom fixing it in position. That may not allow proper aft pull on the reef cringle resulting in a baggy sail.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by roverhi

You want the line to move on the boom as the reefing cringle is pulled down to the boom. A fixed knot like a bowline allows the line to slide along the boom. A slip knot like a buntline hitch will cinch up and bind on the boom fixing it in position. That may not allow proper aft pull on the reef cringle resulting in a baggy sail.

I use a light line under the boom (as shown in blue in the OP's diagram) to keep everything in place. Works good.

[fxykty]

We have SS bales mounted on the underside of the boom at the locations of each reef clew ring, at the location of full foot stretch at each reef. We send the reef line down from the reef ring around the boom, through its bale, then made fast with a bowline on a bight to itself back on the top of the boom. No problems getting proper foot tension and leech tension.

[Roniszoro]

I've had bowlines shake loose. I always use a buntline. Do it once and do it right!