reefing

Anyone has ideas for installling a reef in the mainsail?
Hook needed on boom, how deep the reef?

I installed the below described Jiffy Reef Kit for Boats under 22 feet in my Capri 14.2 mainsail last year and it works great. It costs $51 plus shiping. I highly recommend it. It really tames winds in excess of 20MPH.

www.sailrite.com
Part #34301
For boats 22' & under.

Sailrite's jiffy reef system focuses stress on the strongest parts of the sail—the leech and the luff. A line at the leech is secured to an eye strap on the port side of the boom. Then it is run up through a jiffy grommet on the leech above the clew and down to a bullet block on the other side of the boom. From there the line is lead forward to a jam cleat near the gooseneck. Another line is secured to an eye strap at the gooseneck. It is run up through a jiffy grommet on the luff above the tack and back down to a cleat on the side of the mast just opposite the eye strap. For extended passages short shock cord straps are used to secure the bulk of the sail around the boom.

To reef, simply ease the main sheet until the sail flogs; pull the boom up to the leech jiffy grommet; ease the halyard the proper amount (place a mark on it to indicate where it should be secured); and pull the luff block down to the gooseneck. That is all there is to it. The sail becomes very flat and much smaller in 10 to 15 seconds.

The only tools required are a zigzag sewing machine, a hammer, a screwdriver, and an electric drill. Installation takes less than two hours.

Reef Points

I reuse the downhaul that normally is used for the cunningham. Just pull it out of the cunningham hole and thread it through the luff reef point. Secure it before pulling on the reef leach line.

My reef points are just below the first batten.

Ed