BYYB Forums

early this year, i remember hearing adla mention something about jiffy reefing. she said that she figured it would make it easyer to reef in heavy winds...... what is a jiffy reef? i think it would be cool to have reef points on my sails but before i plan them, i need to find out if there is something better. could someone please illuminate?

Aaron,
Jiffy reefing is just a quick way of getting the sail down for reefing. My system uses a line in the front of the main and at the aft. In my case lower the gaff, pull down on the starboard side lines lock them in the cleat on the boom and you have the sail where you want it. Raise the gaff, tie off the reef points and you're off.

In the pictures you can see a line through "B" blocks that goes through a grommet on the sail and down to the other side of the boom.

thanks for the info.

sooooo...... is your main sheet loose fitted at the boom? mine is not. would that make a difference? probably not eh? how far up the sail are your grommets? 12"? do you have more than one reef row? soo many questions. please to forgive.

You can't see too well in this picture, but I have 1 set of reef points about 2.5 feet from the bottom of the sail. I have never wanted more. If you look hard you can see the jiffy reefing lines fore and aft. Whether loose footed or not you just tie the reef (with a reef knot - what else) under the sail not around the boom.



This is what reefing looked like before my loose footed sail.

Aaren I have jiffy reefing All it amounts to is two lines through your reef points run down and back where you can pull the lines and make them fast your reefed. O yea mark your gaff lines where you will know how much to drop the sail before you reef. Bud.

Phil,
Is that a Socket rack holding the Clew on Your Sail?

Thanks for posting these photos Phil - I am going to do something very similar - any day now when I have a moment :roll:

I'd like to have the lines from the front run back along the boom to the cabin so I don't have to scuttle upfront just to reef....


a.

Brian, No that is some stainless hardware. The track and car were designed for boat use. I don't remember who found them, but it was years ago and he got a few extra.

I looked and looked for some small cleats that be placed on the boom for the Jiffy lines. I ended up using ones like these that Duckworth calls lateral cam cleats. They take up very little room and don't interfere with the sail.

In the picture they are the two at the bottom. My setup put them together at the center of the boom. I can't imagine anything working better.

thank you all so verry much for the priceless information! i am exited to get started on my mods. it looks like i am going to get all my odds and ends done a good space of time before hitching up the trailer for walker. that would be a nice change.

speaking of PeRcrAstiNation, how is that hole in morgaine coming, a?? i know you like to work all hours of the night and day.

bud- mark my gaff lines? zuu? whut er they? i better ask before i cause myself more work.

Pop is just saying to go ahead and mark your gaff halyard at the determined position for your reef points, then there is no guessing just simply ease off the gaff halyard to your predetermined marked spot and set the reef. I have a piece of red tape on the halyard and little red square paiinted just in front of the cleat, when those are lined up I know the gaff is at the right length.