Mizzen reefs

Posted by Thomas Carlton (Finesse@…>)
I am having new sails made for a F-33 (standard booms). Does anyone have thoughts on the need for a third set of reef points on the mizzen?
Thomas

Posted by geraldfreshwater (freshwater@…>)

We have two reef points in the mizzen sail (wishbone boom- I assume this is
standard
on the F-33 cat ketch?), but only one reefing line rove. We hand the sail if the
wind is
more than 25-30 knots; steady, not gusting. The main, with one or two reefs in,
keeps the boat sailing as fast as is comfortable in the 3m. + waves which
accompany
stronger winds around here.

I would have thought that by the time you had got the third reef in, the drive
from the
mizzen would be superfluous, not to mention having the cockpit knee-deep in
string!

Regards,

Gerald Freshwater
Shetland Isles




— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, Thomas Carlton <Finesse@s…>
wrote:

Posted by Jerome Weinraub (zayde@…>)

I have 4-have used only 2,but,if you plan offshore trips,they might be necessary. Mine are Haarstick vintage 1997

----- Original Message -----
From: Thomas Carlton
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2004 12:55 AM
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Mizzen reefs
I am having new sails made for a F-33 (standard booms). Does anyone have thoughts on the need for a third set of reef points on the mizzen? Thomas

Posted by mike_c_f35ck (mike_c_f35ck@…>)

Thomas,

As far as my knowledge goes, there seem to be sailmakers rules as
which percentage of total sail area should remain if the wind pipes
up. The surface of hull, cabin and masts also counts in this
equation. Ask your sailmaker for this general rule and help him think
out how to apply the rule on the catketch rig.

My own experience is that even in very strong winds it can be very
useful to have a small piece of mizzen up, this helps to steady the
boat against wave action throwing the boat off course. Remember the
storm capabilities of the conventional ketch and yawl as described by
K. Adlard Coles.

I agree with Gerald that you will have to wade in rope if you have
three or more reefpoints with strings for all of them rove in.

I have an F33 wraparound rig with two reefs in each sail. My mizzen
originally had only one reefpoint, I had one extra made, a little
higher up the sail than usually. There is no reefline rove into the
second reef; I use a snaphook to attach the second reef cringle to
the first reef line in case I need the second reef (seldom); this
works fine.

Regards,
Mike

regards,

Mike


— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, Thomas Carlton
<Finesse@s…> wrote:

Posted by Thomas Carlton (Finesse@…>)
Mike, Gerald Jerome,
Thanks for your help. I think I shall go with two reefs in the mizzen, probably with the second one fairly deep. My booms are the non-wishbone type,and I was thinking that a deeply reefed mizzen might work reasonably well for heaving to. I am talking both with Haarstick and my local Ullman loft
Thomas

Posted by geraldfreshwater (freshwater@…>)

Hadn’t thought of using a snaphook on the first reef pennant: very cunning!
I’ll give it
a try next time the wind pipes up if I’m on a broad reach or a run, although
there is
still quite a lot of sail above the 2nd reef point.

Regards,

Gerald



— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “mike_c_f35ck” <mike_c_f35ck@y…>
wrote:

My own experience is that even in very strong winds it can be very
useful to have a small piece of mizzen up, this helps to steady the
boat against wave action throwing the boat off course. Remember the
storm capabilities of the conventional ketch and yawl as described by
K. Adlard Coles.

I have an F33 wraparound rig with two reefs in each sail. My mizzen
originally had only one reefpoint, I had one extra made, a little
higher up the sail than usually. There is no reefline rove into the
second reef; I use a snaphook to attach the second reef cringle to
the first reef line in case I need the second reef (seldom); this
works fine.

Regards,
Mike

regards,

Mike

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, Thomas Carlton
<Finesse@s…> wrote: