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(maximum in service load)=5.5kN, the Rig Loads and Lines reef load to MSL=3.5kN (10 New- ton=1 Kg f). This will be true for all three Figuring kilo-Newtons and finding practical solutions. of your reef points. If you’re concerned about an over- ecently, while working to crowded , Seldén suggests upgrad- Radd third-reef controls ing to a new internal single line-reefing to the reefing on pect. I have reefed and sailed boom. (See illustration below.) my Morgan 382, I realized I in winds up to 35 knots. Noth- But before trying to convert kilo- had no idea how to calculate ing has broken yet. Past that, Newtons or investing in a new boom, loads and, therefore, no con- I need the third reef. But how you might consider some simpler, less cept of the size and strength do I figure out the strength I expensive (and more practical) reefing of hardware to install. need in my hardware? I want solutions. The first and second reefs PS advisor sufficient strength, but it gets Reefing line(s) and hardware should have clew controls that, on re- harder and heavier to add big stuff be used to set a reef, not to take the full flection, vary greatly in their strength. to the boom. What would you suggest to load. An easy way to reduce load is to use The end of the reefing line is attached calculate loads and size the hardware? an earring. This is a length of line passed to the boom using Schaefer padeyes of through the new clew and around the about 750 pounds safe working load. Terry Thatcher boom. A 3/8-inch line passed three times The 7/16-inch line runs through Gar- Morgan 382 and knotted with a square knot serves hauer blocks with safe working loads Portland, Ore. fine. Once the reef is set, but while the

(SWL) of over 2,000 pounds. One of the sheets are still eased, simply lash the Illustrationcourtesyof (www.seldenmast.com)Seldén lines is secured in a Harken cam cleat To answer your question about loads, we earring to the reefed clew. Slightly eas- attached to the boom, with only 300 turned to the engineers at Seldén Mast ing the reef line will put the load on the pounds SWL; the other line is belayed to find out how they calculate loads earring rather than the reef line. Because on an aluminum horn cleat. Both lines when boats. According to Per the reef line doesn’t hold the load, your are managed using a small single-speed Wretlind in Seldén’s Sweden office, a reef lines won’t chafe through during a Anderson winch. common misconception is that the sail long passage. So, when I add a third reef point, I area is the dimensioning factor when To handle your third reef, you can use have no idea what kind of loads to ex- looking at rig loads. But they actually a simple messenger. This short length of are the result of the boat’s righting light line is run between clew points 2 moment. and 3, and is permanently attached as a This sketch of a single reef line control- In the case of your Morgan, he loop between the two. When the second ling both the luff and the leach shows said, the righting moment at 30 reef is set, free the first reef line and use one approach to setting up a reefing degrees of heel is estimated to be the messenger to feed it through the clew system that’s fast and easy to use. 46 kilo Newtons (kN). This can be of the third reef point. If conditions de- estimated with the boat’s beam, teriorate, you’re ready to reef again. The ballast, draft, and displacement. same stout tack hook can be used for You can use the right- each reef. ing moment and rig If you do add boom hardware, you geometry to calculate can help prevent galvanic corrosion by rig loads. Seldén isolating any stainless hardware from the estimates the aluminum boom with a dielectric bed- main reef clew ding compound like Duralac or Tef-Gel, force to MSL or a caulk like Sikaflex 291 fast cure.