Adding a 3rd reef

[Bertie1972]

My Bav 30 currently has two reefs and single line reefing.  There are also horns at the forward end of the boom - am I right in thinking these are for a third reef?

There appears to be room for an additional sheeve at each end of the boom.

Has anyone else done this - is it a straightforward modification to make?  Is it worth doing?

I probably won't do it until I replace the mainsail (which is a year or two off), but am not sure how the extra reefing line would be routed.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Bertie

[Salty]

If you look at the area above the start of this topic, you have a search facility. Clicking on “Search” provides an area where you can type in, for example “third reef,” and this will bring up all of the previous times that someone has made comment about the “third reef”

Can I suggest that you try that search facility as there are many references to your particular query, (and many, many others), not least of which was the following thread   http://bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php/topic,2248.msg14428.html#msg14428.

I hope the search will provide you with all the clarity you need on how to install the third reefing line.

[Bertie1972]

Good point well made!

Lesson learnt!

[catlotion]

My Bav 30 currently has two reefs and single line reefing.  There are also horns at the forward end of the boom - am I right in thinking these are for a third reef?

There appears to be room for an additional sheeve at each end of the boom.

Has anyone else done this - is it a straightforward modification to make?  Is it worth doing?

I probably won't do it until I replace the mainsail (which is a year or two off), but am not sure how the extra reefing line would be routed.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Bertie

hi Bertie,

did you get this sorted?  I've been searching the site but still not clear.   I've just bought a 30 Cruiser and trying to sort out the reefing (not to add a 3rd but for the 1st and 2nd).  Our old Beneteau had a rams horn at the boom for every reef but not sure about the Bavaria.  There's a 'dog-bone' at the mast end of the sail (bit of webbing through the sail cringle with an eyelet at each end).   No line through it though...   Should this hook over the rams horn for 1st and 2nd reefs or should the lines do it all?

cheers,

Toby

[geoff]

I am in the process of ordering a new mainsail . In 20 years of ownership  and 25000 milesI have never used the 3rd reef which I had added to my main. I use reef 2 maybe once or twice a year . I cannot think that for my sailing the extra expense and complexity is worthwhile. That said my sailing does not get more than about 10hrs or so from a safe all weather haven. I will have 2 reefs to the max depth possible. Geoff

[catlotion]

sorry, wasn't so clear in my post - I meant I wasn't clear on the arrangements for 1st and 2nd reef (rams horn use or not)

[Symphony]

No you don't need ramshorns as it is in-boom single line reefing. You can find information on the Selden site as to how it works. Google Selden single line reefing and you will get the diagrams and links to the manual. You should have a single line for each reef coming down to a block at the foot of the mast and then back to the cockpit. For a third reef you pull down the first then use the second reef line for the third reef if you have one in the sail. There is not enough room in the boom for a third set of line. However as already suggested in coastal sailing you are highly unlikely ever to be out in conditions that need a third reef. Different if you were going ocean sailing, but then you might be choosing a different boat from a Bav 30 - although at least one has circumnavigated.

[catlotion]

Hmmm. Not sure mine's setup correctly then as the cringle at the boom that lines up with the second reef only had a dog bone through it and no lines...

[Bertie1972]

Hi Catlotion

If you don't work it out, let me know and I'll take some photos on Saturday & pm to you.

Bertie

[catlotion]

Thanks Bertie,. That'd be great.

Cheers, Toby

[sunshine]

No you don't need ramshorns as it is in-boom single line reefing. You can find information on the Selden site as to how it works. Google Selden single line reefing and you will get the diagrams and links to the manual. You should have a single line for each reef coming down to a block at the foot of the mast and then back to the cockpit. For a third reef you pull down the first then use the second reef line for the third reef if you have one in the sail. There is not enough room in the boom for a third set of line. However as already suggested in coastal sailing you are highly unlikely ever to be out in conditions that need a third reef. Different if you were going ocean sailing, but then you might be choosing a different boat from a Bav 30 - although at least one has circumnavigated.

I own a Bav30, and have done so for 7 years. Having specific knowledge of this particular model there are a few things I'd like to clarify about this post (while acknowledging the great extent of Symphony's knowledge and numerous valuable contributions to this forum). My boat does not have single line reefing, instead having separate lines to the luff and leech. I believe it was supplied new like this, but perhaps done by the dealer at the purchaser's request. Either way its not certain that the boat in question has single line reefing. Sailing on the west coast of Scotland, with winds getting up to the high 20s, I have often wished to a third reef, or alternatively that the two reefs on the original sail were positioned to reduce sail area more than they do. The 30 is a light, beamy boat that does need to be reefed early, but is an excellent boat for sailing even in quite tough conditions - so I cant really agree with the comment that you are highly unlikely to be coastal sailing in conditions where you might want an extra reef.

[sunshine]

Hmmm. Not sure mine's setup correctly then as the cringle at the boom that lines up with the second reef only had a dog bone through it and no lines...

Could be the previous owner was happy to go up to the mast and manually hook the relevant cringle ring over the cowhorn.  If you have spare clutches on the coachroof, then I might suggest runnning lines down from the cringle to a spare wheel at the bottom of the mast and back to the clutch (one each side for each reef). This alleviates the friction that you get fro a single line reefing setup, wit the minor downside of needing to pull two lines instead of one to put the reef in.

[catlotion]

thanks Sunshine.

from what I understand the boat is pretty original and hasn't been sailed a great deal in her life.   here's the only photo I have to hand showing the two reefing lines on the boom (testing with second reef in) - sounds like I need to do more digging about to see how they're routed.    From looking at the Seldon documentation I'm assuming the reefing lines should end at the mast cringles for single line reefing...

I'm not the best yachtsman and although I'm only sailing on Windermere it does gust up unexpectedly (had 34 knots the other day), so I like the option of reefing easily (particularly when I'm solo).

[sunshine]

You look like you have an excellent set up - crew on the foredeck enjoying the view, two empty drinks glasses under the starboard sprayhood and another sneaky one on the cockpit table presumably drained by the helmsman.

Anywhere with high hills and valleys for the wind to funnel through (lake district or many bits of west coast of Scotland) can cause pretty high gusts, although usually temporary and once you build up local knowledge you can come to anticipate them. Or at least look at boats ahead and see if they are over on their ear!

If you ease the mainsheet in plenty of time its not a problem, once the crew get confident that the boat leans in the wind, but is no danger whatsoever - its only a seastate that's an issue and you are not gong to get much of that in the lakes.

Its worth mentioning that these boats sail ok on most points of sail under genoa alone so if the wind really gets up you can drop the main entirely.  The boat will still heel though - it has relatively high topsides so will heel in high gusts even with no sails up.

Happy sailing.

[Rampage]

On Rampage when we bought her we only had two reefs: I got a sailmaker in Falmouth to fit a third reef before we headed out across Biscay.  The boom has 4 sets of pulleys: the outer two are for the first and second single line reefs, one of the centre ones is for the outhaul, leaving one vacant.  I used that for a leach line for the third reef.  I go to the mast to clip the luff spectacle for the third reef to the boom.  I’ve looked at running a line from the luff back to the cockpit and it’s towards the bottom of a fairly long “to do” list.

[catlotion]

thanks everyone.

yes, it can gust up quickly from the mountains.  I find it a bit tricky when short handed to get past the wheel to the mainsheet to ease it.  Any tips?  Almost want it on a winch on the coaming...

Mine has 4 pulleys at mast end of boom - using 2 for reefing lines and 1 for outhaul.  1 spare.  I can't work out whether I have the in-boom cars for single line reefing though.