Adding a new row of reef points

[Yeadon]

Hi everyone ... I'm interested in adding a set of reef points to my lapstrake peapod, which has a sprit-rigged Catspaw sail plan.

I'm curious if there are basic guidelines I should follow in setting up the the first row of reef points. For instance, once the first reef is tied in, then the sail should be reduced X percent.

I'm also considering putting in a second set of reef points, but at that point, I'd probably just be better off dropped the sprit and scandalizing the rig.

- Tim

[Ian McColgin]

A major limiting factor is how short you can go before the sprit runs into the boat. I'd not take more than 1/5 out of the sail area in any event and for a boat that small, one reef is about it.

How does she sail in a blow if you scandalize the rig, just yanking the sprit out and letting the upper and outer triangle just flap?

If you do make a reef, arc the reef points in a very shallow inverted U so's you don't have a big loose floppydoodle along the reefed foot.

G'luck

[osteoderm]

The height of the sprit heel when reefed is definately the limiting factor. A friend here has a racy Bequia boat whose high-aspect spritsail is made essentially unreefable due to the sprit heel setting just above the partners. My own inclination would be to make a single reef as deep as possible withought otherwise affecting sail-handling, then sail scandalized (or row!) if/when it pipes up further.
I definately reccomend the other Apprentice; Emiliano Marino's The Sailmaker's Apprentice. It's the natural companion to Brion's book, and holds the answers to most of these sorts of questions.

[Yeadon]

Originally Posted by Ian McColgin

A major limiting factor is how short you can go before the sprit runs into the boat. I'd not take more than 1/5 out of the sail area in any event and for a boat that small, one reef is about it.

How does she sail in a blow if you scandalize the rig, just yanking the sprit out and letting the upper and outer triangle just flap?

If you do make a reef, arc the reef points in a very shallow inverted U so's you don't have a big loose floppydoodle along the reefed foot.

G'luck

Thanks Ian.

I haven't yet tried scandalizing the rig. I'll give that a run sometime in the next few weeks, if only just for practice.