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Old 22-04-2022, 08:27   #1
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What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

I have a 46' Lagoon catamaran with all 3 mainsail reefs rigged for single line reefing. This is great for reefing and makes things fairly fast and easy. My issue is that every time I drop the main I have 10 foot loops of reefing line hanging off the end of the boom. I usually go tidy things up and stuff the lines back into the sail bag, but every once in a while they get tangled and then the next day when I raise the main I'm spending time with the main 1/2 way up with me trying to untangle the reefing lines.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I don't think pulling in all the reefing lines every time the main comes down is a good idea. Seems like a lot of friction and wear for nothing, and I'm not sure I could get it all in as fast as the main drops and don't want to take longer. Maybe just pull the leech slack in from the gooseneck and have the slack there?

Again, looking for any suggestions to just make this easier. Thanks.
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Old 22-04-2022, 11:34   #2
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

I just have two, but make efforts to pull in the reef line’s as sail drops. Yes, its work, but ends up tidy. . As an option, reef using a short tack and a out haul line?? How often do u reef?
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Old 22-04-2022, 12:08   #3
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

Mine drop into the bag
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Old 22-04-2022, 15:55   #4
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

"I don't think pulling in all the reefing lines every time the main comes down is a good idea". I think you are wrong. I think it's essential, every time.
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Old 22-04-2022, 16:00   #5
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

Depend on wether you have a stack pack....if so, put the lines in loose. I have an actual sail cover, and wrap the reefing loops around the sail like sail ties. Then the cover goes over all.

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Old 22-04-2022, 18:01   #6
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

I have experimented with single line reefing and I had it for a while on my curent boat. I agree with kiwin, get comfortable with pulling them all in once the main is down. Having lines dangling is not a good idea IMO. Dropping them loosely in a stack pack would probably be ok but I don’t understand the benefit of wrapping them around boom. I understand the friction added, but I would not worry a bit about possible added chafe, unless you have some bad leads or blocks there somewhere. As far as the tangling, I’m not sure about that one; the lines should be in the bag In a way that they can feed out quickly. Having lots of line to deal with is just part of single line reefing. You might consider only using the single line for the two deeper reefs to cut down on the bulk. With a catamaran stability and room to work, I would think old fashioned slab reefing would be ok if not preferable, if the single lines get to be a hassle.
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Old 22-04-2022, 21:56   #7
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

Or switch it out to double line reefing and as you lower the sail you reef it
More line but shorter less friction and the ability to get better sail shape
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Old 23-04-2022, 02:04   #8
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

Dangling lines from boom end are dangerous.
So basically you have two options, whichever you prefer.
1. Pull the lines back to the cockpit. Just remember that these must be free when rausin mainsail.
It will be more of an effort to raise the sail due to the extra friction.
2. Just take the dangling tails and throw back into the lazy pack before you close it. This may be difficult on boats where the end of the boom is out of easy reach.
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Old 23-04-2022, 05:38   #9
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

That must be a long boom. Do you have your reef lines led to the cockpit or it the mast end of the boom? I am sure you have a stat pack or similar so the extra lines should fall inside the bag. I am not clear why would you have lines coming down from the boom in the cockpit. Do you a picture?
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Old 23-04-2022, 05:46   #10
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

We have the same issue on our lagoon 42. Part of the problem is that with a (very) roachy main sail, the reef points are all pretty far aft so the lines fall off the back.
After dropping the sail I go aft and tuck the lines in the stack pack on top of the sail. Once zipped up, they stay in well and they don't tangle when we raise sail.
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Old 23-04-2022, 05:50   #11
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What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

The multihull group did a utube on just single line reefing on a Lagoon cat. It did look suspiciously easy. One trick tho, is marking the lines with sharpie to indicate proper position relative the line clutch.
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Old 23-04-2022, 05:58   #12
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

I have 3 reefs and pull the other 2 in if feeding, but just let them fall into stackpack when lowering full sail
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Old 23-04-2022, 06:06   #13
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

I tuck them in the bag. Over many decades, never a problem. If they are rigged properly, with a forward point under the reefing clew, they usually fold themselves in with the sail.


Of course, if you can't safely reach the bag because the boom is rigged ridiculously high, that makes things more complicated and pulling them in makes sense. Just one of the joys of having a larger boat.
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Old 24-04-2022, 03:31   #14
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

I have a 29-foot monohull with 3 mainsail reefs, each with a separate line at tack and clew. These 6 lines are led back to the cockpit along with kicking strap (boom vang) and mainsail halyard. It takes me about a minute to reef (longer to tidy the lines) and usually longer to un-reef (to sort out any twists in the reefing lines which occasionally cause snags in the clutches). When reefed the reefing lines are stowed on the coast roof under the sprayhood (dodger). Obviously the clutches are all labelled. 3 clews lines to one side of the companionway hatch and 3 tack lines to the other side. The system works brilliantly for me.
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Old 25-04-2022, 07:40   #15
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Re: What do you do with reefing lines? Any tips?

Thank you everyone for the replies.

As ChrisMac commented, with the large roach of our sail, the reefing lines are well aft and very near the end of the boom, so they don't fall into the sail bag (especially since we drop into the wind and they are blown aft). On our boat, the boom is above the soft bimini, so I can barely touch the boom when standing on the top of the cockpit roof, and the end of the boom extends past the roof, so my only way to stow the lines is with some fancy wrist work and a long boat hook. I can't even drop the boom down unless I take down the bimini first. Eventually, I'll get a hard bimini and I can then stand up next to the boom.

I think I'll play with pulling in the slack for the leech reefing points at the gooseneck but not pull in the slack from the luff reefing points as that is neatly in the bag. Then, when raising the main, the leech reefing lines can play back out. Or, I can expedite getting a hard binini! :-)

Again, thanks for all the replies!
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