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Slab reefing

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I am a great believer in slab reefing, simple and effective.  A number of boats I have sailed on over the years have been fitted with the correct number of cringles on their mainsails, for reeving pennants and for securing a reef’s tack to the rams horn; but not all have had sufficient sheaves in the boom to take lines for the clew outhaul, a hardener and 3 reefs.  I was following a thread the other day on an internet forum, and someone came up with the idea of reeving the pennants through blocks which could be moved up the leach for the third reef to be taken in.  The author of this idea concluded with the point “just a shackle to move”.  I wonder if a snap shackle would make this idea a lot easier to set up?  I suspect that there is a danger with such a system, that if the reef is not taken in early enough, there will be a risk of flogging sail with a block attached to it to try to tame.  Worst still, the reefing pennant adrift with a flogging block to retrieve.  I wonder if anyone has used this system and would like to comment on the idea?

This entry was posted on November 13, 2007 at 12:04 pm and is filed under Rigging, sailing tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

3 Responses to “Slab reefing”

  1. bil bailey Says:
    December 12, 2007 at 4:09 pm | Reply

    Regarding set-up for 3rd reef…..

    Numerous boats I’ve sailed on are rigged with sheaves for 3 lines only at the boom end – outhaul, and only two clew reef pennants. As mentioned, what do you do about the sometimes-needed third reef?

    Whenever I have a ‘slab reef’ in for any length of time, I secure a strong sacrificial strop tight around the boom and through the relevant clew eye 2 or 3 turns, then ease the reefing line to protect it from chafing through. Webbing sail ties, with a loop tied in, fit the need.

    When going for the next reef, I tend to lower the boom right down and secure it temporarily, avoiding it swinging about ( Eric Taberly et al ) When I’ve pulled down the SECOND reef, it is but a moment’s extra work to ease the first reefing line, clip a snaplink onto it and reach up to attach the snaplink also to the THIRD reef clew-eye ( or clew ‘spectacle’, if fitted ).

    That facilitates safely pulling the third reef down to the boom in wilder conditions, then attaching my next strop, before hauling on the halyard, sheeting home, then putting the kettle on…..

  2. Francis Witt Says:
    May 29, 2010 at 6:22 pm | Reply

    sailhelp.wordpress.com’s done it once again. Superb writing!

  3. Elvia Dickey Says:
    May 30, 2010 at 11:59 am | Reply

    Really great writing. Truely!

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