Reefing lines DF 800

Mast, Boom, Standing and Running Rigging, Furler System, Reefing, Barberhauler, Lazyjack etc
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Paul
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu 28 Jan 10, 7:46
Your Country: Australia, Cairns

Reefing lines DF 800

Post by Paul »

When my boat was delivered by truck, all halyards including the reefing lines had been removed from their respective sheaves and jammers and were neatly coiled at the mast base. I had no problem sorting the halyards but have not figure out the reefing line system. Can anyone assist me with a diagram/description/photo of the system? The rear of the mast has 2 sheaves below the boom - I assume these are a part of the reefing system? I can see that the reef lines run through the cringles on the leach of the mainsail and then back to an eyebolt on the boom? What then? Any help much appreciated.

Thanks

Paul
Mika Harju
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Joined: Thu 02 Nov 06, 13:19
Your Country: Finland, Turku

Re: Reefing lines DF 800

Post by Mika Harju »

Paul wrote:When my boat was delivered by truck, all halyards including the reefing lines had been removed from their respective sheaves and jammers and were neatly coiled at the mast base.

Thanks

Paul
It was not a good idea to remove reefing lines. In DF1000 there are two sheaves inside the mast for reefing lines. They are on the front side of the mast and about 0.3 m above the boom. It difficult to get the ropes back there now. It might be necessary to drill out rivets and remove the sheave frame to reinstall the reefing lines.
I could make a simple drawing of the DF1000 system if you can't get more information of DF800 owners.
Mika Harju
DF1000 Racing #8
Double Horizon
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed 09 May 07, 0:18
Your Country: USA

Post by Double Horizon »

Paul -- whoever did that really did not think ahead. If they needed to completely remove lines (such as when removing boom from mast) they should have run temporary "messenger lines" to facilitate re-rigging. That also applies to folding lines, if you ever need to de-mount the cross-beams.

You should contact the factory for the diagrams if someone doesn't respond here. I'm not familiar with the 800 but the 920/1000/1200 all have some rather complex running rigging inside the booms and mast base. You will not be able to duplicate the factory setup without diagrams.

When running new lines through the boom or mast I have used an electrician's "fish tape" as a messenger, and when that is too stiff I have also successfully used thin bead-chain to feed into a sheave (assisted with the pull of gravity, the flexible and weighty chain will slide nicely) then attached the rope to that, to pull it through. Good luck.
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
Paul
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Joined: Thu 28 Jan 10, 7:46
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Post by Paul »

Thanks for the replies, I was not happy to find the halyards and reef lines removed. The trucking company did this after the ex owner and I packed the mast leaving all lines and halyards still in their respective rope clutches. I will use some stiff wire to run the lines through the boom and hope some 800 owner can provide a diagram of where they run on the mast, failing that I guess I will have to e-mail the factory and see if they can provide a diagram.
Double Horizon
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed 09 May 07, 0:18
Your Country: USA

Post by Double Horizon »

Paul wrote:Thanks for the replies, I was not happy to find the halyards and reef lines removed. The trucking company did this after the ex owner and I packed the mast leaving all lines and halyards still in their respective rope clutches. I will use some stiff wire to run the lines through the boom and hope some 800 owner can provide a diagram of where they run on the mast, failing that I guess I will have to e-mail the factory and see if they can provide a diagram.
Through the mast is easy. It's the inside of the boom that might be complicated. If the 800 is like it's larger siblings: In other Dragonflies there are sheaves on each side of the mast near the goose-neck. There are sheaves on each side at the forward end of the boom aft of the goose-neck.

The reefing lines for first and second reef exit the front of the boom on each side and go up to turning blocks attached to the forward part of the main sail (one side for first reef other side for second), then return downward to enter the sheaves in the mast, down to the turning block at the base then through the deck organizer blocks and to the cockpit. (Threading the line into the upper mast sheaves and out through the proper base sheaves will be challenging without the messenger lines, but can be done with a few tricks. A helper will make it easier. Try using very small bead chain through the upper sheave and hook it with a wire from underneath the mast to pull it out and through, then use it to pull your rope.)

At the back end of the boom the reefing lines exit the sheaves and go up to turning blocks attached to the leech of the main, then down to the boom where they are tied around the boom.
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
Paul
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Joined: Thu 28 Jan 10, 7:46
Your Country: Australia, Cairns

Post by Paul »

Thanks Larry, I will have a go over the weekend at re- running the lines and let the forum know how it went.

Cheers,

Paul
Paul
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu 28 Jan 10, 7:46
Your Country: Australia, Cairns

Post by Paul »

We got the reefing lines re-run today, it certainly helped having my wife as an assistant. Used some straight fencing wire and probed until I found the sheave then "moused' the reef lines through. The ballchain idea worked Larry and once we hooked that it was straightforward. Also replaced the swing wing lines which I have described in the forum under "hull issues" etc So a very productive day and I thank you Mika and Larry for your advice.

Cheers,

Paul
Double Horizon
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Joined: Wed 09 May 07, 0:18
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Post by Double Horizon »

Paul wrote:We got the reefing lines re-run today, it certainly helped having my wife as an assistant. Used some straight fencing wire and probed until I found the sheave then "moused' the reef lines through. The ballchain idea worked Larry and once we hooked that it was straightforward. Also replaced the swing wing lines which I have described in the forum under "hull issues" etc So a very productive day and I thank you Mika and Larry for your advice.

Cheers,

Paul
Glad it worked out Paul. Actually I had previously greatly overstated the run inside the boom -- it should have been a straight run. I had the lazyjack lines in mind and was confused. That became apparent to me when I went back out to my boat this week...

It is the lazyjacks that are complicated. I don't know why it needs to be that way. :roll:
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
Vimsa
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Joined: Sun 07 Aug 11, 18:46
Your Country: Sweden

Post by Vimsa »

I'm having the exact same problem here.
No reefing lines in the boom or in inside the mast. Can someone help me out with instructions how the lines go?
I understand how they exit the mast, go through a block in the sail and then into the boom. But where do they exit the boom and the rear?
Paul
Posts: 93
Joined: Thu 28 Jan 10, 7:46
Your Country: Australia, Cairns

Post by Paul »

At the rear of the boom there should be two sheaves, one for each reefing line to pass through, then the lines go up through the cringles on the leach of the mainsail and back to an eye bolt on the boom.

Hope this makes sense to you.
Vimsa
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Joined: Sun 07 Aug 11, 18:46
Your Country: Sweden

Post by Vimsa »

Oh yeah. I see now. Sadly someone has removed the sheaves. I'll have to fiX new ones first.
Bought a tool to pull wire through long pipes to help guide the line.

Also I don't find any sheaves in the front side of the boom. Can anyone post pictures of how it should look?
This is how it looks on my boat:

Please click on any of the photos to see them enlarged!

Image Image
Vimsa
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun 07 Aug 11, 18:46
Your Country: Sweden

Post by Vimsa »

Updated with images.
Vimsa
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun 07 Aug 11, 18:46
Your Country: Sweden

Post by Vimsa »

Anyone?
Christine
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Joined: Mon 19 Nov 07, 22:44
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Pictures of boom

Post by Christine »

I'll try and get one today for you if you've not had one yet.

Christine
philw
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Joined: Mon 02 Sep 13, 21:32
Your Country: UK, Poole

Post by philw »

I am going to run the reefing lines outside the boom and the mast this year.

Let me explain.... There is so much friction in the system that someone had to go to the mast and feed the line through when putting in or shaking out a reef. I will keep the same single line system and just run it all outside the spars, using bigger blocks. It will also get rid of the pinch-points where the line goes in and out of the mast and boom. On the boom I will have some small loops to stop any slack line from dropping into the cockpit.

If it works I will post some photos!

Phil
Phil Wheeler
DF800 185 - Trilemma

Poole, UK South Coast
gminkovsky
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Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 19:58
Your Country: USA, Long Island Sound

Post by gminkovsky »

I can see that it would be easy to attach 2 blocks on each side of the boom to feed the reef line to the sail. But how are you going to get the line from the sail down to the deck? Do you plan to attach a standing block to the deck next to mast? How are you going to reinforce the attachment point on deck?

Also, at the mast end of the boom, the flaked sail may interfere with the outside block...

I imagine that outside blocks on the boom will dramatically reduce the possibility of line chafing where it currently exits the boom at the mast end which would be a great plus.

I didn't understand the comment about small loops... When the sail is up, there should not be any slack long enough to drop into the cockpit.
philw
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon 02 Sep 13, 21:32
Your Country: UK, Poole

Post by philw »

This is still 'work in progress' and it's not easy to see what will work best with the rig down! I plan to attach a couple of blocks at the base of the mast. This will mean that the lead into the blocks on the roof will be slightly raised, but I'm not expecting that to be a problem.

I guess you're right about the slack on the lines. I would be happier as there will be time when the lines are slack when taking in or shaking out the reef. It shouldn't be a problem most of the time if the lines all run free as I hope they will!
Phil Wheeler
DF800 185 - Trilemma

Poole, UK South Coast
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