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Nothing on this website or in direct communications received from us, or in our articles in the media, should be construed to mean or imply that offshore voyaging is anything other than potentially hazardous. Dangers such as, but not limited to, extreme weather, cold, ice, lack of help or assistance, gear failure, grounding, and falling overboard could injure or kill you and wreck your boat. Decisions such as, but not limited to, heading offshore, where you go, and how you equip your boat, are yours and yours alone. The information on this web site is based on what has worked for the authors in the past, but that does not mean it will work for you, or that it is the best, or even a good way for you to do things.
Why not the other way around the boom?
Hi Harald,
Yes, I know that looks wrong, but when it loads up that way works, and stays put, a lot better. Try it both ways and you will see what I mean. Hard to explain, but easy to see in practice.
Have I missed something? If bowline is around rope to make a slip, not round boom itself, it is as tight as you want and comes off easily….
Hi Richard,
That’s true, but it’s amazing how often you see the bowline around the boom, rather than creating a loop as you say. But even then I prefer the timber hitch because it’s easy to untie, which is useful in a bunch of ways, for example if we want to end for end the pennant. Also, I think you will find that the timber hitch sits better on the boom when under load. Give it a try and see how you like it.
A few years back, I switched from using bowline slip loops to using halyard bends, following the advice in Beth Leonard’s Voyager’s Handbook. The halyard bend is very secure and, with three wraps around the boom, it does not change position on the boom, which is key to getting a good reef in on my boat.
Hi Seth,
Yes, the halyard bend, a variation on the timber hitch is a good, maybe better, alternative, thanks. That said, I have not had any trouble with the timber hitch slipping down the boom.
bowline hard to be undone? Must confess never heard of such situation…
Hi Inhat,
Wait until you have loaded it really hard for days at sea. I have had to take combo pliers to bowlines after that.
well, I did 🙂
moreover, the rock climbers use it a lot, and still after repetitive high loads (10 ft body weight fall, e.g.) it always opens nicely
My guess is that you add salt air/salt water, and it changes the equation a bit.
Hi John.
I am somewhat new to sailing so please forgive me if this questions is naive or I am misunderstanding something.
All of the reefing lines on my boat are quite old and I would like to replace them. In Running Rigging Recommendations Part 1 you suggest going to high-modulus rope for reefing pennants. Can the timber hitch that you highlited here be used with high-modulus line and if so are there any precautions to take to in order to reduce the chance of the core slipping?
Thanks JD
Hi JD,
Good question, and definitely highlighting a possible inconsistency in my advice that I had not thought of.
That said, I have been using the timber hitch that way for years in high mod line, without problems. I’m guessing the reason it works is that the timber hitch distributes the load over a long length of core and sheath and so the figure eight is not heavily loaded and keeps the two together fine. So this would act in the same way a splice does by having a long bury.
However, there is no question that this termination method will weaken the rope some, although probably less than a bowline, probably around 30%. Generally not a problem though, since reef pennants are usually sized for easy handling and so loaded at way less than their SWL.
Anyway, your comment highlights that we should not undersize the rope in this application and we should make sure we make the timber hitch as long as practical.
Thanks so much, John.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve been sailing for only about six years and have much to learn. Your site is my go-to resource and has helped me immensely in trying to become a better sailor.
Ho J N,
That’s great to hear, thank you!
How is this knot for noise? Our reefing lines are really loud from the bowline rubbing on the boom.
Hi Ray,
I think it should fix that since it tends to stay tight and I have never had a noise problem. Give it a try and see.
I double checked the date and it’s definitely not April 1st. So you must be serious. I can’t believe that outrageous mess has a name! I think ill stick to the good old bowline around the pennant. One of the few times I find myself in disagreement with your superior knowledge.
Hi Pete,
Each to their own, but be aware that the words “dangerous mess” very nearly got your comment deleted. You can disagree, but we don’t talk to each other like that at AAC. Once that tone gets going things go to bad place fast.
Please have a read of our comment guide lines, particularly #1: https://www.morganscloud.com/2013/11/10/aac-comment-guide-lines#Guidelines
I said ‘outrageous mess’, which was supposed to be light hearted and humerous.
‘Dangerous mess’ has a much more serious tone.
Perhaps I should have added a wink emoji 🙂
Hi Pete,
There’s a fine line between a joke and a problem. Remember when you call something someone has done for years a mess you are implying that their thinking behind it is stupid or messy. See our guide lines.
That said, I do agree that the timber hitch looks kinda sketchy but it has worked well for me without issues for over 50 years on boats large and small.
It’s certainly in the form-follows-function camp. Don’t worry, I know you’re far from stupid, your careful consideration of systems and practices and granular detail is why I’m here!
Back in my sea scout youth we learned the timber hitch, and actually used it to tow dead-head logs off the Columbia River – lots of logging back then. We were taught that the timber hitch is only trustworthy under load. It was easy to tie blind with cold hands under a log in cold water. It was not to be used if the line was going to be slack and flogging, when it may well untie itself. A bowline snug around the boom has always worked well for me. It need not be constrictor tight on the boom. And no, I don’t cut them off.
Hi Randall,
If a bowline works for you, that’s great. Just like the timber hitch has worked for me for over 40 years without ever coming undone. Each of us has a well tested solution we are happy with, so it’s all good.
I put the sails back on the boat after having them off for hurricane season. I did not get around to threading the reefing lines and tying them to the boom, but I’m going to give a timber hitch a try when I do. I’ve never been happy with a bowline because of the problems with untying it with wet, cold, and tired fingers after it has been under load.
(By the way, I have Magic Marker marks on my boom to remember the best location for attaching the reefing lines to the boom.)
I have three reefs in my mainsail and two reefing lines on my boom and have been puzzled over how to best handle the third reef; something that mercifully I have never done. I keep a messenger line in a loop through the second and third reef clew cringles to thread the idle first reefing line up to and through the third reef clew cringle should the need to use the third reef arise. Do you have any advice on doing this maneuver?
Hi William,
Hope the timber hitch works well for you. It certainly has for me.
On the reaving the third reef, yes I do have advice: it should be permanently reeved. It’s just too dangerous to be messing around at the boom end in conditions where the third reef is required. More here:https://www.morganscloud.com/2025/02/16/reefs-how-many-and-how-deep/
John:
My Sabre 426’s boom has three internal sheaves for reef 1, reef 2, and the outhaul (in the middle) respectively. All lines are brought back to the cockpit. To permanently rig reef 3 would require either rigging the 3rd reef externally or repurposing the outhaul sheaves to accommodate a reefing line and re-rigging the outhaul (and purchase system) externally. Frankly, neither option is attractive.
My rigger’s ‘solution’ is to sacrifice the 1st reef and just have the 2nd and 3rd reefs rigged for offshore use. I’m not in love with that idea either.
Accepting the necessity for a permanently rigged 3rd reef. How would you approach the rigging modification needed in a boat with these limitations? I’d like to be better informed when I re-address this problem with my rigger.
My thanks and appreciation in advance.
Tim
Hi Tim,
A really hard question to answer without seeing the boat, but I would be thinking about adding a third reefing line externally by adding a cheek block on one side. I would also consider not bothering with a forward reefing line for the third reef, but rather using a hook. That will mean going to the mast when putting in the third reef, but will also decrease clutter. With the external reef you will want to add some fairleads along the boom to retain the reefing line so it does not hang slack down from the boom.
I converted to the timber hitch years ago after racing as a winch grinder on a maxi-50 off Newport Rhode Island and saw that used on the reef lines. I have a bit of a variation. I keep the line winding around the boom and up the other side and slip the bitter end back under the loop around the boom. Never a problem in many years and thousands of miles. I think it is a clean look and clean in fact and of course no line slap when the line is not being used to reef.
Hi John,
That’s a nice tidy up, thanks.