In-Boom Reefing

by John March 18, 2006

Question: Would you, if you had the chance to refit free of cost considerations, stay with your slab-reefing system, or would you yourself seriously consider in-boom reefing? If so, why?

Slab Reefing And Lazy Jacks

by John April 18, 2006

Question: Is slab-reefing (jiffy reefing) and lazy-jacks genuinely viable for a 667sqft sail, given we will be only two sailing our boat most of the time?

Fore Triangle Sail Area

by John May 18, 2006

Question: What is your thinking on how sail area should be positioned between the fore triangle and mainsail on short handed cruising boats?

How Much Sail Area

by John May 18, 2006

Question: How much sail area do you think an offshore boat should have for a given weight?

Reefing System Friction

by John May 18, 2006

Question: I have a Hunter 40.5 with a single line reefing system which has more friction in it than a shooting star. What can I do to decrease the friction?

Securing The Tack

by John May 18, 2006

Question: How do you secure the tack of the mainsail on Morgan’s Cloud—do you have the conventional horns, or do you have a two-line reefing system?

Dealing With The Bunt

by John May 18, 2006

Question: When slab reefing, how do you deal with all of the excess sail when you bring the sail down to the third reef, under real hard-wind conditions?

Single-Line Reefing

by John May 18, 2006

Question: Would you contemplate a single-line reefing system on a 667sqft sail?

Reefing System Tension

by John June 18, 2006

Question: With your slab reefing system, do all your clew reefing lines enter the boom at the aft end and, if so, how do you get proper tension along the leech and foot, particularly on the last reef?

Dead End Reefing System

by John July 18, 2006

Question: With your slab reefing system, does the last reef line not crush the bunt of sail accumulated from the previous reefs?

Rod Rigging

by John May 18, 2007

Question: Our Swan 51 is at Morris Yachts for a mini refit this winter and my plan, in addition to everything else, is to start to replace some of the existing rod rigging. It turns out that the rod is 24 years old. Navtec says it should be replaced every 11 years or 30,000 miles. [...]

Staysail Stay: Roller Furling And Fixed Versus Hanks And Removable

by John April 18, 2008
Aluminum expedition sailboat Morgan's Cloud underway in front of an iceberg and mountain at Uummannaq, West Greenland.

Question: I’m refining the deck layout on the 41′ voyaging boat I’m fitting out from bare hull. She will be sailed as a sloop, but fitted with an inner forestay for heavy weather. I am currently weighing the benefits of keeping that sail on a furling unit versus hanking it on to a removable stay. [...]

Carbon Boom

by John May 18, 2009

Question: Did you change your boom to carbon fiber or just your mast?

Un-Stayed Masts

by John May 18, 2009

Question: I am curious if you are keel stepped or deck stepped. If keel stepped, could you get away without stays since the aluminum deck could be reinforced enough to hold the mast upright? You could keep running backstays in place for heavier winds.