Setting up and reefing an Expedition 35

We no longer sell this sail but keep the article here for reference.

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The Expedition 35 is now available with reefing. To get the best out of the rig there are some important stages that need to be followed when setting it up. The halyard which is used to raise and lower the sail also has to hold the yard to the mast when it is set reefed.

 

Firstly put the end of the halyard through the eye on the top of the yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take the end around the back of the mast and tie it back to itself with a bowline knot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This forms a loop around the mast which will raise and lower with the yard and hold it to the mast.

 

 

 

There are two control lines on the rig. The cleat on the mast has a downhaul line which goes to the front of the boom and which tensions the luff (front edge of the sail)

The second cleat on the boom has a line running to the eye low down on the mast (the kicker) which puts tension in the leech (back edge of the sail).

 

 

Both these lines need the correct tension in them to hold the sail in the correct shape. The stronger the wind, the more tension the lines need.

 

 

 

If there is too much tension in the downhaul the sail will have diagonal creases running up  the front of the sail, from the front of the boom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If the creases are running diagonally up the sail from the yard to the  boom at the back of the sail then the downhaul needs tightening some more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the lines are tensioned just right the diagonal creases disappear.

 

 

To put the reef into the sail let go the halyard and lay the sail in the boat. Pull on the reefing line that goes through the front cleat on the boom and cleat it off tight.

 

 

 

 

 

Pull on the reefing line at the rear of the boom and cleat it off tight.

The loose portion of the sail below the reef can be rolled up to form a neat package. We prefer a continuous reefing line to tie the foot of the sail together.

 

 

 

Starting at the front of the boom, take a loop in the line through the cringle on the end of the yard and pass the other end though the loop to gather the sail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take the end along the foot of the sail to the first reefing eye, pass it through the eye, back under the sail to gather it and then through the formed loop, and then along to the next eye.

 

 

 

 

 

Eventually tie the end off when you get to the back of the boom.

 

 

Raise the sail and check that the foot is gathered in neatly.

 

 

It is important that this reefing line is just gathering the sail to itself and NOT tying it to the boom, otherwise you can put large strains on the reefing patches which could tear the sail.

 

 

The halyard can be adjusted to set the height of the boom.

When the sail is reefed it is best not to put the boom jaws back on the mast as this sets the boom and sail up at too high an angle. We prefer to set the boom lower with the down haul line and kicker tensioned to hold the boom at the preferred height. If the down haul is shortened the boom can be set higher and if it is lengthened it can be set at a lower angle.

 

 

 

The lower the sail is set, the less overturning moment the rig will have on the canoe in strong winds, however set it high enough so that you can still see where you are going.

 

 

 

 

When everything is set right the excess halyard can be coiled up and tucked above the cleat to keep it tidy