Reefing Grommets

[gary l. britton]

Hi to all:

I am going to install jiffy reefing for my DS I, and I need to get grommets for the mail sail. My question is, is it advantageous to go ahead and have a second set of grommets on the sail so I can double reef if I wish? Do many DS I sailors double reef.

Thanks in advance for the advice and fair winds to all !!!!!

Gary
1966 DSI
"Dancing Girls II, #3235

PS: Home the moderator gets rid of the person that is spamming the webvsite !!!!!!!!

[Roger]

I have a DS II with a single set of reef points located just under the first batten. There are days that I wish I had a second set of reef points. For the cost, I would recommend getting them put in at the same time. I think I would still only jiffy reef the first set, but it would add a certain measure of comfort to know that I could manually reduce the sail area more to get back comfortably.

[gary l. britton]

Hi Roger:

Thanks for the reply. I do think that I will go ahead and have a second set of grometts placed for exactly the reason you mentioned. Once I set up the jiffy reefing system I will only use the first set, and the second for comfort and insurance if things get bad around here and I am accidently on the lake.

Hopefully the winds will calm down sometime this weekend so I can get the "Dancing Girls II" out for a trip around the lake. As I write, the winds according to Wiley Post Airport, which is approx. 3 miles from Lake Hefner where I sail, are 24 mph gusting to 34 mph, and has been that way all day. Probably would not be out on the lake with those type winds.

Thanks again for the reply. I will be trying to ship my main sail early next week. The sailmaker said it would be about 1-2 weeks for me to get it back. Do not want to miss too much summer sailing.

Fari winds,

Gary

1966 DS I
"Dancing Girls I#3235

[Roger]

Further to my above post, I keep my boat in the water all season, and the sail on the boom under a sail cover, so this next idea may not work for you if you dry sail your boat.

When I'm finished sailing for the day, and before I lower the main, I jiffy reef. I then lower the main and stuff it fan style into the pocket created by the first reef alongside the boom. When the whole sail is in the pocket, I roll the bundle up and over so that it it sitting on the top of the boom, lash it down with some sail ties (adjustable bungee cords), and cover the whole thing with the sailcover. It creates a neat package to store the sail, but the added advantage is that the next time I go out and raise the main, the first reef is already in. If conditions permit, I let go the reef line and raise the sail the rest of the way. If not, I am already reefed and can continue sailing without worrying about taking in a reef in rough conditons.

[gary l. britton]

Hi Roger:

Thanks for the tip, but I do not leave mine in the water. Have a dry stall to keep it in. Usually take the sail down after an afternoon of sailing, mainly due to not having a sail cover. Although, that would shorten the time it takes to rig.

Thanks again. By the way, I shipped my main sail to the sailmaker to have the grommets placed. I decided to have him place two reefing points, so I can do as you suggested, jiffy reef the first reefing, and if conditions get rougher, do the second reefing, not using the jiffy reef system.

Fair winds.

Gary

1966, DS I
"Dancing Girls II", #3235