Slab Reefing Question

[Sluce]

I can't figure out how to run the reefing lines on our new boat. Every boat I have sailed before had reefing lines that ran through a block on the end of the boom, through the reefing cringle and down to an attachment on the other side of the boom.
I can't do this on our 40' Nordic. There are two reefing lines, one at the very end of the boom and one at a block about a foot forward, but they aren't long enough to go through the cringle and back to the boom. The sail is on a bolt rope so I can't just tie the reefing line around the boom, even if there was enough line.
Has anybody seen this system? Is there a trick I don't know? Should I get longer lines and put in attachment points?
Right now I have tied the reefing line to the cringle and then put another line through the cringle and around the boom, but there has got to be a better way.

Thanks
Stan

[Ex-Calif]

Pictures would help.

Setting up the reefing system is a lot of personal preference. And if you are going to change the setup you may as well get it the way you want and make it as user friendly to you as possible.

From what little I can tell about your setup I would consider installing eyes on the boom to secure the ends, another cheek block for the aft reef, run them both forward to another pair of cheek blocks on the boom, turning blocks at the mast base and run them back to the cockpit near the main halyard. That's how it is set up on my Selden boom except the lines run into sheaves at the end of the boom and run inside the boom to sheaves at the forward end of the boom.

You could also consider a single line reefing system.

For simplicity, it could be as simple as installing eyes and cleats on the boom and just reef it to the boom.

[Sluce]

Thanks. That's pretty much what I was thinking too. But the boat is 20 years old, just new to us, and it seems the reefing system was satisfactory so far. I thought there might be something I wasn't aware of.
I haven't tried to post pictures yet, I may give it a try this weekend.

[NormanMartin]

Aside from asking the previous owners if they ever reefed??? If the main looks pretty good, they may have never done so.

One of the first things I do when getting aboard a boat prior to a delivery is test the reefing system. Many are rigged badly if at all.

Bolt rope on foot of sail. We figure out where the reefing outhaul has to pass and cut a slice along the foot to accommodate the line. Or... mark sail with a pen and take to sailmaker for a neat job.

Hope to see you around the Bay this summer.

Reefing out hauls too short. Fit longer lines. You must have both the purchase and the direction of pull back and down to get reefed main to fit/set properly.