Reefing Lines
The factory 250 jiffy reef setup has some problems. First, as the line exits the boom, it doesn't do so fare and scuffs on the extrusion because the port boom cheek block is too high. Second, that port boom cheek block effecting a 180 degree switch back induces major drag into the system.
An owner wishing to optimize the reefing settup should first decide where they wish to reef from, coachroof or cockpit. Wherever... all lines should be there, including those for the second reef, which Catalina never addressed.
Coachroof Reefing
If a decision is made to reef from the coachroof, the goal should be to get all lines on the starboard side near the mast. This will allow going to that location and securing oneself with a short tether from the mast while the reef is set or shook out. The picture below shows such a setup. Note that the cheek block from port on the mast is moved to starboard and a little lower. The reef has also been changed from a single to two line system because the single line system simply has too much drag and was a pain.
The second reef lines are added with hardware on the starboard side of the boom. The halyard, topping lift and reef lines are all within a couple of feet of each other on the starboard side of the mast.
Cockpit Reefing
If one desires to reef from the cockpit, all lines should be to the cockpit. If possible, provide enough deck managers for two lines for the 1st reef and one for the 2nd. If the 1st reef can't be afforded two lines, then there are two options. 1. Use the technique of placing small blocks at the reef cringles to overcome the extra drag that is associated with the port mast cheek block. 2. Better however would be to get rid of that port boom cheek block, which unfortunately means either abandoning the interior boom routing or cutting an exit hole in the top of the boom (problematic) rather than exiting the line on the bottom of the boom. Abandoning the interior routing requires adding cheek blocks fore and aft on the boom similar to what is needed for the second reef.
The interior routing can be kept however if going to a two line reef on the 1st reef... but the goal should be a reef system that doesn't require a winch to set because winches can easily pop sail slugs.
The 2nd reef will need two cheek blocks added to the boom and can reasonably be a single line system because it won't have a 180 degree turning block.
R&R's Settup
R&R is settup for coachroof reefing and I'm quite comfortable doing all sail management from on top. In fact, one can never avoid totally the need to go on top so one perspective is to make it common enough to be comfortable with it and common enough that safety equipment is provided and used.
Once on top however, I want management to be as easy and safe as possible. So... all lines are withing reach once a short tether from the mast is clipped to harness.
The single line on the first reef was abandoned for a two line system after the two line system on the second reef proved far easier to set than the single line on the first. See the article on the Pineapple Sails website.
The needed changes from the stock setup are to relocate the block from the port side of mast to a position well down from the lower starboard mast horn cleat or add a turning block at the base of mast to handle the 1st reef clew line. The second reef requires a bit more effort. A cheek block, eye strap and jam cleat need added to the starboard side of the mast as illustrated in the drawing.
click image for larger view
I got 2/3 the way through the race today and started breaking sail slugs
Mike,
Sorry about the misfortune at a crucial time. This scenario has in fact been a topic of recent discussions so while unfortunate to you, serves as an illustration to those discussions. Metal reinforced slugs may avoid the breaks but unless identifying why the plastic slugs were over stressed, they may stress the sail.
Not familiar with your specific setup, my comments are generic. There are two potential problems involved. The first is that when setting the reef, the reef tack should be able to be drawn to the goose neck without any slugs binding and failing in the related stress and causing the domino effect. This can be accomplished by either a mast gate or reef slugs mounted on a jack line.
The second problem is in the dynamics of a single line reef. It may see the reef clew pulled aft whilst the reef tack is not set. This would suffer the strain of pull to be on the lower sail slugs rather than transmitted through the reef tack to the goosneck. Neither the slugs or the luff of the sail are designed to handle the stress of the pressures on the foot. Those pressures should be born exclusively by the reef tack and clew.
Some sail makers recommend double line reefing to ensure that the reef tack gets set properly first so that the reef clew when drawn down and aft is done so against the resistance of the reef tack and not the lower slugs. A single line reefing system, especially one done from the cockpit may result in an a reef which is incompletely set, meaning that the reef tack is not fully drawn to the goose neck with the result that the foot load is on the slugs rather than the reef tack. Setting the reef from the mast will usually avoid this. I abandoned the single line system on my first reef point after I discovered how easy and less problematic it was to get good reef sets on my 2nd reef which was double line.