Slab Reefing Question

[rtooh]

Hello Forum! I have a question about appropriate knots to use in my slab reefing system.

I have an open footed main and I want to use that design feature when terminating slab reefing lines to the boom. Initially I tied the lines using a bowline, but the bowline is difficult to “snug up” around the boom and twice now, perhaps because the knot isn’t under load and it’s bouncing around while sailing, it’s come untied.

I’ve looked at photos in sailing magazines and looked at footage while Youtubers film, but I can’t tell what others are using.

So, can ya’ll recommend knots I should use to terminate reef lines to the boom?

Thanks!

[roverhi]

Bowline is best but you need to sew the bitter end to the standing part or whip them together so it doesn't come undone. The beauty of a bowline is it is a very strong knot that can be undone after subjected to high loads. Get some whipping twine and a needle. The line needs to be able to slide along the boom as the clew is pulled back so no slip knot will work.

[Benz]

A buntline hitch will snug up to the boom nicely. You might need a fid to pick it apart if it got REALLY loaded up, but it's the appropriate knot for this use.

[UFO]

I use a Timber Hitch which works perfectly....


https://www.animatedknots.com/timber-hitch-knot

[OzDean]

I think the bowline is the knot of choice for reefing lines. Are you concerned about the "snug upness" because it affects mainsail trim, or the boom droops, or is it because your reef clew hits the reefing line knot as you tighten the line? I am guessing the last one. How much sailcloth of the mainsail foot is bunched/flaked along your boom, even on your first reef? With the reefed sail foot flaked onto the boom the reefing line should not be able to pull the new clew all the way to the boom anyway, the sail is in the way. Well that is my case, I have a 54sqm open foot main. In perfect world reefing the mainsail is neatly flaked onto the boom. I guess the better the sail is flaked the more "bowline snug upness" is required. I have found that neatly flaked reefed mainsail is something that happens when the reef position is prepared prior to hoisting the main, like at the dock or anchorage or light airs. For reefing down while underway with wind/swell, particularly at night, my goal is to get a decent job done pretty quick, the sail is likely to get bunched up as it flakes down onto the boom, even with the lazyjacks to guiding it. That is unless you can convince a crew member to flake it in, not an easy task in a bouncy sea while hanging onto the boom, also noting that if you are course constrained you may not be able to bring the boom in far enough to do this safely. If you must flake while reefing then good communication with the crew trimming the mainsheet is essential. As I go to 2nd and 3rd reef there is even more of the main sail foot in the way as it self flakes onto the boom so having the bowline real snug on the boom is not so much an issue. If you do have a snug knot on the boom then something to watch out for is damaging the flaked sailcloth by over-tightening the reefing line.

I can recall using a running bowline on occasions, simply because it seemed easier/faster to tie the bowline back around the reefing line rather than around the boom. This is particularly the case when going from 2nd down to 3rd reef where I might have to rethread the 1st reef line to the third reef clew. So up on the deck in rough conditions trying to get a snug knot around the boom in the right spot. The potential issue here is that yes a running bowline will be very snug on the boom, and easy to undo after, but the reefing line loop may actually need to slide along along the boom a little so that it can tighten on the boom just aft of the reef clew. Yes you can have all this prepared in the right position but it may not stay there as you put in the reef.

I have not seen the issue of the bowline coming undone due to being slack. As mentioned below a bit of twine (or tape, or a hitch) will fix that.

Happy Reefing!

[OzDean]

Re the slip knot option, I agree with comment below from roverhi (Peter O.).

I remember crewing on a boat where the owner had riveted a saddle to the boom for each reef line. Popped out during a gybe. The ideal position along the boom will be set by wind strength, halyard tension and sailing angle. Yeah so best if it can slide along.

[Mike OReilly]

I've gone back and forth with both bowlines and some version of buntline/anchor hitch. They all work, but I prefer a snugly tied bowline for its security and ease of removal.

[OzDean]

some pics and articles, note the position of the clew above the boom and where the excess reefed sailcloth sits/hangs

https://www.northsails.com/sailing/e...ogging-flutter

https://www.cruisingworld.com/seaman...-reefing-main/

https://www.jollyparrot.co.uk/blog/w...%80%99-reefing

Reefing - SailBerkeley

[jackdale]

I have found this method of tying a bowline will give a snug fit around the boom.

https://youtu.be/J2AWR90lALc

[kmacdonald]

A halyard hitch.

[Cheechako]

Bowline is fine, keep it snugged enough to not be flailing around.

[Kestrahl]

A bowline, but not tied to the boom. The rope goes around the boom and then a bowline back on to the rope. Then it pulls up tight when reefed, while still able to slide to the correct position.

[NevilleCat]

Sorry, what am I missing here? (genuine question).
Why does the reefing line attachment need to slide along the boom?
I have always had a set up where the aft reef is set up to pull aft on the sail giving it some clew tension, automatically flattening the sail (as you would want in a reefed condition). Usually from a point roughly level with the reef cringle and back through a turning block forward along the boom. Generally had a saddle, the reef line attaches to that then goes under the boom to shed some load, (if you were worried about pulling out the saddle and had a loose footed sail just pass it around the boom one more time), then up through the reef cringle back to turning block and forward.
Maybe I have been doing it wrong?

[Draughty]

Originally Posted by UFO

I use a Timber Hitch which works perfectly....


https://www.animatedknots.com/timber-hitch-knot

Timber-hitch works for me too: whatever you use don't fall for the idea that the reef-line will find the "right" position along the boom when you tension it. If you need to reef you want the foot tight. I find the timber-hitch will hold the reef line at the right spot on the boom and keep the clew nice and snug to the boom.

Rgds