Boom Rotating while Reefing

[ralay]

Good idea.  I had been wondering how the PO had got the boat all the way down to Panama and back with that setup.  We're looking around for the best price, but 3 new blocks and 3 padeyes are on our shopping list.

[CharlieJ]

 :D
I told James about doing that, the day we looked it over. I guess he missed that part

;D ;D

[marujo_sortudo]

Here's another money and hassle saving thought.  I too have 3 reefs in the main, but only cheek blocks and pad eyes for the first two.  In fact, the third reef doesn't even have reefing nettles in it.  If you're good enough with rope and knots you can spend a little bit of extra time simply setting up the third reef without any hardware (as long as you have a point you can tension to aft on the boom.)  After all, putting in the third reef will be an incredibly rare event.  As a plus, you don't have to deal with the incredible mess that a permanently rigged third reefing line would make when you lower sail.  Plus, you'll sail faster in the meanwhile.  At least 0.01 knots :)

[ralay]

If you don't have it permanently rigged, when do you add it?  Do you rig it up before you head offshore?  I figure that whatever we've got set up, it better be easy and set up in advance, because it's likely to be truly nasty when we want to use it.  Of course, if all else failed, we've got a trysail down below, though we still need to take it out and get to know it.

Also, more questions on using a buntline hitch to secure the clew: I've read that buntline hitches have a propensity to jam.  Do you do anything to prevent this?  I suppose under 3rd reef conditions, the last thing we would care about was having to cut the boom free at some later point.  Also, will the knot stay put or do you need to have a way to keep it from forward on the boom?  Are the slides on the foot of the sail enough to hold it, or do you need to add some kind of outhaul component? 

Thanks for the advice.

[ralay]

While we're at it, would you guys like to chime in on the topic of fasteners?  I removed our broken cheek block which was held on by one aluminum rivet and what I (a not so mechanically educated lady) would described as three SS wood screws.  As in, pointy ends (not self-tapping), widely spaced threads, fat protruding heads.  I also removed the fasteners from a topping lift fitting that had pulled itself free from the boom end - same screws.  Looking in the hole at the thickness of the boom wall, I can't imagine that there are that many threads actually in the material.  I wasn't aboard when the topping lift fitting let go, but obviously, the fasteners were not up to the job of keeping it in the boom.  Unless there is a story I haven't heard, the topping lift shouldn't have been under any impressive amount of strain. 

So my questions are:  When we remount the new hardware, what should we use?  Machine screws, some antielectrolytic goop, and a tap?  Will we be able to use the same holes by retapping them (if they were ever tapped) at a larger diameter?  If we can't use larger fasteners or if we want to reposition things, do we need to worry about having clusters of closely space holes (ie~the previous blocks are each mounted at 4 points, shifting the block might require 4 more holes nearby)

[CharlieJ]

Next you're down, I'll show you the buntline. I use it often. But it IS a jamming hitch... Hard to undo.

On my boats, I leave the first two reefing lines rigged, and add the third after second reef is in. Third reef for me is an "OHMYGAWD" thing. Hope to never use it :D

And I almost always drill and tap, or use rivets, depending on load and circumstances.

Can you retap? Depends on whether there is damage to the boom at the holes. If they are ripped, no, you can't.

Also, if the boom end can come off, the topping lift fitting COULD be bolted, and the first reef cheek block might also. Doubt any others could- too far forward to reach

[Grime]

There is a way to fix the buntline so you can untie it. Check this link to see both.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--KIVs_B9Rc0/UFPVq_PabCI/AAAAAAAAAS4/Ww-2T8C21Fo/s1600/Buntline.jpg

[CharlieJ]

Kewl- something new. Never thought about slipping it. Wouldn't want to do that for a halyard, but for many purposes it would be great.

[marujo_sortudo]

For my set up, I'm lucky enough that the pad eyes and cheek blocks line up so that they are bolted on.  Next best would be properly tapped machine screws.  You are correct that wood screws are a very poor solution.

Best goop for fasteners is Tef Gel.  In this 20 year old boat, I have many SS fasteners in my aluminum mast with no sign of corrosion at all.  It's expensive, but you need very little of the stuff.  Lanocote or other varieties of anhydrous lanolin are also great options.

Slipping any knot is always a good option to make it easy to untie, but I don't like to do it where security is a bigger priority.  Buntline hitches often need a marlinspike to pry them apart, but their security and compactness are unbeatable.  One of the knots everyone should know, IMHO.

You do need an outhaul component to secure the clew.  I'd imagine doing a loop around the boom secured with a buntline hitch, running up to the clew, then down the other side and through the loop and back to an attachment point aft on the boom. Then tension the whole thing up well, making sure that the loop was tied between the right slides so that it's not pressing against any of them.  Experiment in fair weather, of course.  I haven't tried this, yet, as the third reef is brand new, to me.

[rorik]

......Also, if the boom end can come off, the topping lift fitting COULD be bolted, and the first reef cheek block might also. Doubt any others could- too far forward to reach

Seize a wrench to a long enough piece of pipe or bar.
Lightly tape the nut into the wrench.
When you tighten the bolt from the outside, the wrench will hold the nut in place and the bolt should push the tape off the the backside of the wrench.
Wiggle wrench until it comes off nut.
Warning: Doesn't work worth a poop if you're on your own.......  ;D

[Captain Smollett]

One trick that avoids permanent rigging of the third reef line is to rig a very small diameter messenger line through the third reef clew fitting.

When the second reef is put in, you can use this messenger line to pull the actually reefing line for the third reef and have it ready to go if the third reef is needed.  If conditions abate to the point where the second reef comes out, simply pull out the third reef line (still attached to the light messenger) out leaving the messenger in place.

I got this idea from a "Heavy Weather Sailing" video.