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Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 10:26 pm
by Woreign
Since the original roller reefing isn't as efficient or recommended as slab reefing, I decided to add jiffy reefing to my DaySailer II. Being a DIY kind of guy, I opted for Sailrite's Jiffy Reefing Kit: https://www.sailrite.com/Jiffy-Reefing-Kit_2

Jiffy.JPG
Jiffy.JPG (46.03 KiB) Viewed 10143 times

The kit comes with everything shown in the photo plus a set of instructions. The roll of sail material is actually 6 triangles which you stack on top of each other to make the patch for the grommets. The roll of tape is used to hold them together and to the sail until they are sewn in place. The white roll of nylon webbing, shock cord, and four plastic hooks are used to hold the loose sail to the boom. The webbing is cut into four pieces and sewn as loops on each side of the sail. The instructions are very straight forward and easy to follow. The only question is where to install the reef points on the sail. The instructions specifically say that this depends on the boat, anticipated sailing conditions, sailor preference etc. So my question to you all is where do you recommend that reef points be installed on the DaySailer? Some of my research suggests right below the first batten, while another option is where it would reduce the sail area by 10% or 15%. So what say you fellow DaySailers?

Once I decide on the location of the reef points, I will attempt to sew them in place. All of my friends with sewing machines are apprehensive about sewing on a sail, so I'm going to go pick up a good used machine for $25 tomorrow. If it works out, great! If not, I'm only out $25. But its something the wife and daughter would like to have, so it's really a win either way.

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2019 2:47 am
by GreenLake
Placement:

Mine are placed so that the top of the patch on the leech is directly below the first batten. The one on the luff is a bit lower. From a photo I have it looks like about 1/2 a patch height lower, but the view in the photo has perspective so I cannot be positive. Does your kit include a general discussion on how to "angle" the line connecting luff and leech reef point relative to the boom?

The reduction I get seems reasonable for a first reef, that is, it feels like shifting down one gear at a time, not several.

If you expect to be sailing in very high winds frequently (or under conditions where you can't or don't want to get off the water) you may need a second (or third) reef, rather than going with an oversized first reef.

About sewing machines: you need a pretty strong one. Some people end up hand-stitching these reef points because they don't want to spend the money on something beefy enough. There's a reason people make special machines for sailmaking.

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2019 7:50 am
by tomodda
Woreign:

Chiming in, I agree with GL here, a regular sewing machine is not going to do it. If you don't want to hand-sew, a suggestion - find a local upholstery maker or repair shop. They have the machines and you should be able to convince them to do piece work. Won't be a zig-zag stitch, but you don't need it.

Of course, for $25 is still a nice price for used home sewing machine. If it makes your wife and daughter happy.... :)

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2019 8:48 am
by Woreign
The instructions do state to position the luff point 1" lower than the leech, which will raise the end of the boom a little and reduce the chance of it touching the water when heeled.

I figure I can try the sewing machine on the patch material without thread and see if it can punch the needle through. I'll test it in the area where the grommet will go, so if I'm left ugly holes, they will get cut out.

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2019 11:10 am
by jalmeida51
I have 2 sets of reef points. One set is about 20% of the sail area the other is about 40%. I mostly use the 40% set. I usually reef when the wind goes above 12 knots or when it is gusting to over15. I always reef early. I sail in Charlotte Harbor Fl. which is a large open body of water. You could put in a set at 20% and if you needed a set at 40% you could do that later. That's what I did when I realized the 20% was not enough sail area reduction. Second set cost me about $200 by a sailmaker in Sarasota. Have fun sailing John

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Fri Feb 22, 2019 9:43 pm
by GreenLake
The difference luff to leech is definitely more than one inch. Or did you want to say one foot?

Mine is somewhere between 34 and 36" on the luff (very approximate measurement because I'm not about to unroll the sail). Don't know how that compares to locating the leech one at the bottom of a patch that just touches the batten pocket. By class rules, battens are spaced equally across the ~22ft leech, so the lowest would be a little under 4 ft 4" from the boom. That would make the difference in reef point locations almost a foot (accounting for the height of the patch).

Single-handing, I'd agree with @jalmeida51 about the wind range where I would put in a reef - except that I put in the first reef. With the right crew, and especially when racing I don't necessarily reef until winds get above 20. Much above that, I'll stay off the water. Such conditions are a bit rare around here, and that means we don't get to practice. For some of the Nationals, people reported winds up to 35 knots and claimed there were boats that sailed the course. I wasn't there, but I'm sure that takes practice working up to that.

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 12:55 am
by Woreign
I'm happy to report that the $25 sewing machine was capable of sewing the patches! Not too bad for having never used a sewing machine before either!

Leech Patch.JPG
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Luff Patch.JPG
Luff Patch.JPG (91.17 KiB) Viewed 10107 times


And here is what the grommet looks like:
Luff Grommet2.JPG
Luff Grommet2.JPG (74.01 KiB) Viewed 10107 times


The instructions say to position the luff grommet 1" lower than the leech grommet. Based on the location of the lowest batten, I installed the grommets at 40" and 41" from the foot. I'll post the instructions next...

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 12:58 am
by Woreign
Here are the instructions:
Jiffy Reefing_1.jpg
Jiffy Reefing_1.jpg (51.55 KiB) Viewed 10107 times

Jiffy Reefing_2.jpg
Jiffy Reefing_2.jpg (69.29 KiB) Viewed 10107 times

Jiffy Reefing_3.jpg
Jiffy Reefing_3.jpg (38.93 KiB) Viewed 10107 times


I don't care for the jam cleat that came with the kit and will probably swap it out for a v-cleat. I'm also using a reef hook from D&R Marine, so I didn't need to any hardware to the mast. It wasn't all that difficult to install, and if i decide to add a second pair of reef points, I would source the materials individually (unless they are cheaper in the kit).

I haven't rigged the sail on the boat yet, but from what I can tell, there' no real elegant way fold or roll the excess sail when it's reefed, is there?

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 12:08 pm
by jalmeida51
Nice job on installing you reefing kit. I agree with you about no elegant way to secure your excess sail area. I was told by the sailmaker that installed my second set of reef points just let the excess sail area hang. No need to secure it. As long that it doesn't block you vison. Less damage to the fabric letting it hang. He did install a set of intermediate reef points and lines to secure the excess sail in case I didn't want it to hang.

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Sat Feb 23, 2019 9:37 pm
by GreenLake
For a first reef, with reasonably stiff sailcloth, there's not really a need to worry about securing the excess; I was surprised when my sailmaker told me he wasn't going to provide any ties, but then I find you can tuck that portion into folds and the wind doesn't blow them out.

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 1:24 pm
by GreenLake
In another thread, @DesertRat was wondering how to place reefs corresponding to 25% and 50% of the sail area.

My first thought would be that the location of reef points really isn't something that you can adjust totally freely, because of the fact that the DS sail has battens. What sailmakers apparently do is place the first reef below the first batten. They also don't put the new clew and tack in the same horizontal plane: the new tack is dropped a bit to make the boom angle up.

On a keelboat, that would be to make it harder for the boom to hit a wave, but on the DS, it might be to make the boom align (somewhat) with the angle of the batten, so it's not in the way.

A second reef might go to below the second batten for that reason, rather than aiming for a particular percentage. But if anyone is measuring their sail, I would be curious to see what actual percentages of sail area these two reef placements correspond to.

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 3:39 pm
by sextant
GreenLake wrote:IA second reef might go to below the second batten for that reason, rather than aiming for a particular percentage. But if anyone is measuring their sail, I would be curious to see what actual percentages of sail area these two reef placements correspond to.


I made reefs couple of years ago for as large sail area reduction as possible considering batten locations. Calculator gave 28% and 56% sail area reduction assuming sail as a triangle and measured from luff length. I also needed to re-install part of batten pockets due to some overlapping with patches. It was nice winter project when lake had 2 feet ice cover.

Re: Sailrite Jiffy Reefing Kit

PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 5:48 pm
by GreenLake
Thanks for sharing the data. Those numbers would seem close enough to the 25% and 50% that @DesertRat was aiming for.

Note that for increased reef, the ratio between heeling moment and forward drive should change noticeably, as the center of effort moves down.