Reefs
18.
2
Grand Soleil 43'
Taking in a reef
Once the reef line has been installed, do as follows to take in reefs:
• Whether the boat is fitted with a stiff boom vang (opt) or with a
tackle one, always release a little the sheet of the main sail before
commencing the operation, as for any other sail.
With stiff boom vang (opt)
• The boom is propped by the vang itself.
With tackle boom vang
• Do as usual, so draw boom topping lift tight to hold it up.
Then:
• after having released the main sail halyard and opened the sliding
blocks catch on the mast, hang reef tack point to one of the hooks
located on boom binder on the mast.
• Haul taut the main sail halyard again.
• Haul in the reef line with the winch located on the deck house.
When the operation is completed, release the winch by shutting
the reef stopper on the deck house (see page
11
.2).
• Release boom topping lift, adjust the tackle or stiff boom vang
(opt) and haul in main sail sheet for normal navigation.
• If you reef sail for a long time, tie up the extra main sail section
with gaskets onto the boom. This operation must be always carried
out if you take in 2 or 3 reefs when there will be too much extra
cloth hanging on the boom.
Letting out a reef
• Release a little the main sail sheet so that the boom will not be held
back while operating.
• If the boat is fitted with a tackle vang, draw boom topping lift tight
in order to hold it up while releasing vang tackle.
• Carefully open the halyard stopper: to do it, you must first haul in
the line with the winch and then open the stopper.
• Slightly release main sail halyard to release reef tack hole. Run the
free slide blocks on their mast slot and then place back the
stopping pin.
• Release the reef line while hauling in the main sail halyard until
the manoeuvre is completed.
• Adjust main sail sheet and boom topping lift and vang for normal
navigation.
