Reefing without a topping lift
Posted by Clinton350@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 26 comments
As a fairly new sailer I had my first experience of being over canvassed. I just got a new 150 Genoa and wanted to try it out. The forecast showed winds maxing out at 9 mph. As I made my way out into un protected water I realized the forecast was wrong and the winds were more like 12-14 mph with gusts to 18-20. I soon realized I needed to reef the main sail at minimum and maybe take the Genoa down completely.
I love my wife but she is not a lot of help on the boat so I am more or less sailing solo. One of the biggest problems I had was getting the boat to stay directly into the wind while I connected the pig tail to the boom in so I could release the halyard and take in the reefing line.
With much difficulty I managed to get the main reefed and the Genoa hauled down to the foredeck and brought the boat back to protected water.
I decided I need to make my boat more solo friendly by making the reefing a single line system and installing a topping lift so i could reef while hovering to instead of fighting that infernal pig tail on the back stay.
I would have to lower the mast (Catalina 22) to rig a topping lift which got me thinking “do I really need it?” Can I not just take up on the single reefing line while easing the halyard and keep the boom from drooping too much that way? If I’m reefing while hove to the boom wouldn’t be in a position to hit anyone on the head anyway. Opinions?
ChaserCO@reddit
It might be easy to make a temporary topping lift using the pigtail. Get a snap shackle and a long loop of line running through your pigtail on the back stay. When you want to reef, bring the shackle to the boom and then hauling on either side of the loop lifts the boom towards the pigtail. You can either remove the loop entirely or tie it off to the rear stanchions when not in use.
A setup like that could be done without leaving the tiller, which is a plus
Small_Dog_8699@reddit
Rigid vang strut? That’s what I did
Clinton350@reddit (OP)
It would be in the way of my pop top.
Small_Dog_8699@reddit
So you have no vang?
Clinton350@reddit (OP)
Yes. I just put a quick connect on the lower end of it so it can be quickly disconnected and moved. I don’t think I want to install any more hardware that has to be removed when I chose to pop the top.
crashorbit@reddit
If you are going to have your wife on board then she needs to be crew. At least train her at the helm keeping the boat pointed into the wind. Ask her if she wants to take a basic sailing class from someone other than you.
If you are single handing then it's probably worth turning on the engine and maybe an autopilot while you muck about with the sails.
1have2much3time@reddit
Having my wife take the ASA101 course was honestly the best thing I could have done. She doesn’t love sailing like I do, but when we’re out, I can ask her to do something and she knows what to do without explanation now.
Nephroidofdoom@reddit
You could also learn to heave-to in order to reef.
New_Day_Co-op2@reddit
Boom kickers are quite helpful
Otherwise_Rub_4557@reddit
Did it all the time on my 24 ft quarter ton. I have a topping lift, but never used it. I have 4 reef lines (two front, two back) to cam cleats behind the centre winch (around a dozen other lines) but same principal applies.
Winch in the rear reef line while lowering the halyard. When it is tight, winch in the front reef line until tight. Then tighten the halyard.
We had it down to way under a minute, sometimes did it 5 times or more during a race and could do it at any point of sail (though normally dead downwind before windward legs.
Electrical_Slip_1343@reddit
On my cat22mk1 I use lazy jacks from catalinadirect to support the boom while raising the sail, I want a single line reefing setup as well but have yet to set it up. I also plan on installing an auto tiller because I mainly solo or sail with near zero experience people.
The Catalinadirect lazy jack system was a fairly easy install and I have been happy with the results. Stingysailor has a step by step guide to installing an auto tiller, I’ll link it for you
https://stingysailor.com/2025/03/22/autopilot-solution-2/
2airishuman@reddit
Get a tiller pilot. Best money you'll ever spend on your boat.
Consider lazyjacks instead of a topping lift.
Fit_Act_1997@reddit
New cat 22 owner here. Im assuming a topping lift doesn’t come standard with the boat? If I were to install a rigid boom vang does that do both jobs of keeping the boom from rising and falling?
StatisticalMan@reddit
Not sure if it is standard or not but yes boom vang keeps the boom from both rising and falling. It usually has some kind of gas strut system which keeps the boom from falling and then there is an adjustable block system to provide tension to keep the boom from rising.
Like everything on boats there are probably a dozen flavors of the concept but that is the basic idea.
Fit_Act_1997@reddit
And a boom kicker is basically a rigid vang without the adjustable capability? So basically you’d have to either have a loose vang + topping lift, a boom kicker + loose vang, or a rigid vang which do it all?
StatisticalMan@reddit
The terms are often used interchangeably and loosely but I guess by the book a boom vang (aka kicking strap) only pulls the boom down. A boom kicker only pushes the boom up.
What most people call a "rigid boom vang" is really a combination of a boom vang and boom kicker. It has some component for pushing the boom down and some component for pushing the boom up. The doward force is usually (always) by a line and block system. The push the boom up part can be a gas strut, or potentially a bent rod which exerts upward force.
On boat stuff there are often multiple overlapping names. It doesn't help when people like myself use it informally. I usually just call the entire thing on my boat the "boom vang" even though that is I guess technically incorrect.
Maris-Otter@reddit
check out the link I posted from catalina direct. The photos show the springs inside. You can then use the vang line to lower or raise the boom.
Simple_Journalist_46@reddit
Ive seen a catalina 25 with a topping lift off the backstay. Dont know if that would work for a 22 though.
Also you want to reef at a close reach while keeping the jib/genoa powered to keep the boat moving through the waves and keep the main/boom from slamming back and forth from being fully stalled out upwind.
Bedrockab@reddit
I never go head to wind when reefing.
Reduce head sail. Sail close reached. Ease Main sheet to slightly luff main. Trim boom topping lift slightly. To support boom. Ease halyard slightly. Trim new reef crinkle at mast. Trim new reef clue. Trim halyard back up to remove luff wrinkles. Re-trim main sheet. All done while sailing close reached under reduced jib. Then if needed, reduce head sail more…
One_Detail5601@reddit
This. If I'm head to wind I find that I lose rudder authority quickly and am basically drifting to a random tack. I prefer reefing on a close reach, headsail pulling me forward a little bit, and letting the mainsail luff.
StatisticalMan@reddit
You likely 'can' do that but you would need to limit how much you ease the halyard and then tighten the reef, then ease more, tighten more, etc.
Ease the halyard too much at once and you are going to droop to much. Ease it too little and you will need to go through more iterations.
As Maris-Otter said you may find a boom vang to be more user friendly. The boom is now supported all the time. Reefing becomes a lot easier. Your halyard can be premarked to the reef point. Ease halyard to the reef point, lock the jammer, grind in the reefing line (to its premarked point). You are reefed. If you want a second reef you can mark those points as well on both the halyard and reef line.
Personally I do a single line system and have both #1 reef and #2 reef lines. I am never in winds which would require a third reef. This means there is never any need to go forward at all. It can all be done solo from the cockpit.
Clinton350@reddit (OP)
I cannot install a rigid boom vang due to my boats pop top.
StatisticalMan@reddit
Then I think your method will work. Best to try it out on a calm day. If it ends up being too fiddly then eventually you will run a topping lift.
Maris-Otter@reddit
Looking at pics of Catalina 22s, I'm assuming you don't have a rigid vang, either. Given that you want to be able to do this safely from the cabin, think about reefing in rough waters. Will you be able to balance the height of the boom while steering?
A vang wouldn't require you to step the mast
(https://www.catalinadirect.com/shop-by-boat/catalina-22/rigging/running-rigging/rigid-boom-vang-w121-purchase-blocks-c-22/)
Clinton350@reddit (OP)
I’d love to install a rigid boom strut but it would get in the way of raising the pop top and securing it to the mast. So that’s not an option. As far as starting while reefing thats not an issue while hove to because the tiller will be lashed.
Clinton350@reddit (OP)
“steering”