Single Line Reefing

Two years ago, I purchased a Barton single line reefing system (about $200) to install on Piao.  Since I sail alone a lot, I thought it would be prudent -- and more convenient -- if I were able to reef the sail from the relative safety of the cockpit rather than stand at the mast as the boat rolled and pitched.

It also came with screws, but I lost those....

The installation instructions required me to drill and tap machine screws into the metal boom and mast.  So I borrowed a set of drill bits for metal work from Ric, and purchased a small tapping kit from Lowes.  But then I got cold feet.  I had never before drilled into metal nor tapped screws.  The reefing system kit sat on my garage work bench for the last two years.

Instead of separate reefing lines for the fore and aft reef points, this system uses a single line.  Secured near the aft end of the boom, it leads under the boom and up and through the aft reef cringle, down to the block on the slide, forward along the boom to a tang block, then up and through the forward reef cringle, down the opposite side through a bullseye to a turning block on the deck, and then back to the cockpit.  Sweet.

This year I was determined to face my fears -- and to return the borrowed drill bits to their rightful owner.  So the day before launch I got to work on installing the single line reefing system.  I learned a lot of things.  I learned the difference between tapping screws and machine screws; I learned that '8-32' screws has 32 spirals per inch (and you must have the corresponding tap size to do the job correctly); I learned that it is easier than you think to drill through metal (depending on the metal, and assuming you have plenty of WD-40 and some safety goggles).

Tapping a hole for an 8-32 pan head machine screw in the mast, as I mount the tang block

It took only about an hour for me to drill, tap, and mount the slide track, two eyes straps (on the boom), tang block, and bullseye (on the mast).  I opted not to drill into the cabin top to mount the mast base block, going instead with an existing turning block I have attached to the cabin top mast step.

Life Lesson: Fear of the unknown is (usually) much worse than the reality of the unknown.  I look forward to more drilling and tapping later....

😉