Re: Original Manual for 7.60 Attached / Reefing
Posted by David - Moon Chaser on
URL: http://kelt-sailboat-forum.30.s1.nabble.com/Original-Manual-for-7-60-Attached-tp5347215p5470213.html
Folks - I did reef my main last Saturday using the 3-line system provided by Kelt/Isomet. Had a few people out and wind speed forecast was all over the place (b/t <10 to >15, checking both Environment Canada and NOAA), but direction was ESE backing to E. Where I am on Lake Ontario (Just E of Toronto), that means around 15kt winds traveling the length of the lake = pretty deep/high waves, and given passengers' inexperience, I though I'd at least reduce some of the heel for them and not expect to change the headsail once out. (Still had 2 folks eliminating their stomach contents and the other gritting his teeth in fear most of the time. Though they were good sports and hung in there.)
The results of my reef were a bit rough looking, though I did it generally correctly. I have original green, yellow and red lines. Mine was rigged with yellow as the outhaul (middle line). Too bad, thinking it'd be fun to have green be no reef, yellow (caution) be 1st reef, and red (panic [smile]) be the 2nd reef. Since each has plenty of line, and I reefed before departing (no need to try running the reefing line aft) it didn't matter practically which colour to use. I followed the manual directions as such:
1) Release the green lever below the gooseneck
2) Untie the securing knot on the bitter end of the green reefing line at the boom aft end, being careful 1st to pull plenty of line out to avoid losing the line into the boom
3) Running the line from the boom aft end, up to and through the 1st crinkle, back down, around the boom,
4) Then running it up and through the crinkle at the foot of the sail, (That crinkle is located in a straight vertical line down from the upper reefing crinkle and is smaller in diameter than the reefing crinkle on my sail)
5) Tied a knot at the bitter end of the line right at at the lower crinkle.
6) Hooked the leech (mast end) reefing crinkle under/onto the gooseneck reefing hook. For some reason I don't recall I chose the port side hook.
7) Then pulled the green line taught at the mast and secured it with the green lever.
8) I too tied a couple of my sail ties through a couple of the other lower crinkles and around the boom to help secure the excess sail along the boom.
What I didn't like is when raising the sail and winching it tight, it wasn't fully taught along both the luff and foot edges. I think I needed to diddle a bit more, between the halyard and reefing lines, or now that I think of it maybe release the outhaul a bit, and maybe even work with the boom vang. I'd also have to check where I was with the topping lift. (It helps the thinking to write this stuff out.) I think some combination or one of these items would have given me taught edges on both the luff and foot. As it was I wasn't getting much power from the bottom 1/4 to 1/3 of the main and the telltale there was slack. (Plus the lack of full trim was the coarse-looking part and a bit embarrassing looking). I'm glad to hear of Ben using ties along the boom, as I will be more aggressive with these next time.
All in all, it was a great opp to go through reefing using the Kelt/Isomat system and a 1st step to tweaking for better performance and trimming. I think, given the reduced mainsail power (due to my trimming issue, vs. the actual reefing) my boat was a bit more tedious to steer, more quick to go off bearing. I kept my Genoa up (I'm guessing it is =/>150%, so the boat was probably a bit out of balance between the head and main sails affecting the ability to more easily stay in a straight line. Ah, so much to try and learn and so little season left up here.
PS: I found a great area on the US Sailing website for calculating an array of performance areas. I'll post that on a new thread. It's pretty interesting to plug in our various Kelt 7.60 specs and see what comes up for areas like speed, stability angle ("angle of vanishing stability", or the angle a boat can heel and still right itself), capsize ratio, motion comfort, etc, etc.)
Good, safe sailing! - David (Frenchman's Bay, Lake Ontario, Canada)