Converting away from rolling boom reefing

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svMira
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Boat Name: Mira
Boat Type: Pearson Wanderer 30
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Converting away from rolling boom reefing

Post by svMira »

My Pearson Wanderer has the factory rolling boom reefing. I'm finding that very awkward, slow and frustrating to manage. I had serviced my boom and got it working nicely. The process just isn't one that seems reasonable for a solo sailor to do when it is rough enough to warrant. Just cranking the boom seems to need two hands and the leech of the sail wants to creep forward as it gets wound up.

I have no issues of going up to the mast to do some/all of the reefing work. If I want to give up the rolling and go with slab reefing, do I just do it on this boom and hope it seizes up in time in the right position? <grin>

Anyone have examples of a successfully converted rolling boom to slab reefing system? Any particular things I should take into consideration using this boom for that kind of reefing system? I also wouldn't mind being pointed to any particular elegant reefing installs. This will be my first time setting up this kind of system and would love to get it right the first time. I'm particularly interested in learning where which lines are run to and what systems you are using to tie them off and/or manage all the left over line.
Marvin - s/v Mira - 1971 Pearson Wanderer #174
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atomvoyager
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Re: Converting away from rolling boom reefing

Post by atomvoyager »

I sailed for years with a roller furling boom that I disabled the roller by drilling and tapping a bolt that jammed the gears. I guess you could squeeze in a gob of thickened epoxy instead. Sometimes the booms don't move out of vertical on their own so you don't even need to jam them.

On several boats with old booms I've installed 1" jiffy reef tracks from Garhauer with three reef cars. It may not be in their online catalog but you can order by phone. That way you can reposition the cars to suit different reef point locations if you ever modify or replace a sail or if you are not sure of the best position. Otherwise you can just use three cheek blocks. If there's no boom bales available for the end of the reef lines I just tie them around the boom if the sail has slides instead of a continuous boltrope along the foot, in which case you can install eye straps. You can see this system at 2:30 in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aIKJlfC7GA

We later replaced that old boom. If the boom is beyond saving you can get the US Spars Z202 boom kit that includes under boom bales, inboard fitting, outboard fitting with 3 sheaves, end cover, boom lift attachment for about $1,000. You can see that boom on my boat at the 22:00 on the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQNwghP2now&t=10s

It's a bit shaky but maybe you can see that I ran the 3/8" reef lines from a stopper knot on the bales up to the sail reef grommet then back to the internal sheaves at the end of the boom and inside the boom to exit holes I cut into the boom, then to a winch and cleat. All three lines are passed through the cleat and have 1, 2, or 3 knots in the ends to identify them. I just coil the lines and store them on the boom cleat or hang them on a mast cleat or gooseneck hook. I have a lot of halyards and topping lifts, etc hanging from the mast and boom that I guess could be stowed more neatly but it never bothered me.

Here's some other views of an old boom on another A30:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa7k8LJRk1s&t=525s
CapnK
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Re: Converting away from rolling boom reefing

Post by CapnK »

Those jiffy reef cheek blocks are a great idea, thanks for the heads up - and this topic, too!
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