SunCat questions part two

Posted By: Charlie, SunCat, Beaufort, SC
Date: 4/22/08 3:49p.m.

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Question 1. Reefing. This one has me worried a bit. I know, I know, reef before you leave the dock and if you are thinking about reefing it is past time to do so. Sometime, probably sooner than later I am going to be puttering about in a sweet breeze and the wind is going to change with the tide and I will be wondering why I thought this was fun. My first attempt at reefing was a clustermuck, providing much entertainment for the folks on shore. What are the ABC's here? How do I heave to with no jib? The way it looks to me: I am hove to, however one does it. I need to release and lower the throat and peak halyards to lower the sail enough to scramble forward to put the hook in the reefing cringle. Is the boat going to stay hove to since the sail is all fopping about now? When I lower the gaff isn't the boom going to come to rest in the boom crutch and isn't that pretty much the same as cleating the mainsheet and isn't that bad in a strong wind? Now I teeter back to the cockpit to tighten up the reefing line that goes through the leech reefing cringle and hope the hook in the tack cringle hasn't fallen out from the sail flapping about. Pull on the halyards and off (hopefully) we go. My first reef attempt really was a mild disaster. What are the steps, one, two, three for reefing a catboat when the wind is more than you are comfortable with? Question 2. Should I think about a boom vang and how difficult is the installation? A couple of times while on a run, going across stinkpot wakes the boom has bounced about pretty hard and I worry about an accidental jibe. Wouldn't a boom vang make a pretty big difference and is it a practical piece of equipment at my stage of newbieness? As always, thanks again y'all. This is a great forum. Charlie