MainSail Reefing...

[Bajamas]

Hi all,

I have a question on MailSail Reefing.

I have a Bristol 32 that has a main sail (the original I believe) that has no reef points in the sail whatsoever. The bottom 3 slides for the track are not attached to the sail but to a rope that connects the bottom three grommets on the luff of the sail. The bottom 3 attachment points are actually doubled up so there are 3 sets of 2 grommets at each point with the rope that passes thru all 6 points allowing the track slide to float up and down between each set of grommets.

There is also no way to attach a rope or reef point to the entire length of the leech?!?

Has anyone ever seen a reefing system like this before? (Maybe it's not even a part of the reefing system but the way that the bottom 3 slides are connected but I can't understand why). How does the Leech of sail make contact with the boom when reefed?

Is it possible that I have a mainsail that cannot be reefed?

Bajamas (confused)

[besemo]

It does sound a bit like an old roller reefing system, where you rolled the sail around the boom. So - if your boom does not roll, it is probably not the original sail (or boom). The main sheet must be fixed at the end of the boom and there should be a turning mechanism where the boom meets the mast (sorry I dont seem to know all the right expressions in english)

[Bajamas]

Besemo, You nailed it!

Once the mast was steped, my wife and I installed the boom and got the topping lift hooked up. My sailing buddy came walking down the dock to see if there was anything because it didn't need any. To reef the main, I simply throw a handle on the boom and ratchet it down, rolling the main around the boom.

Now, can anyone tell me where I can aquire one of these handles??? I went thru the hardware inventory and didn't find anything that looked like it would work with the furling main!

Thanks again Besemo

Bajamas

[besemo]

I would think it easiest to have one made by the next locksmith - or find a given-up boat with a similar system...