Roller reefing boom

[Silkie]

Apologies Paul, your post disappeared into the black hole I've just stumbled upon. This is a record elapsed time (and one never to be exceeded I hope) between first post and approval.

[DaveS]

Hi

I also have a Pioneer 10, with what I assume is the original roller reefing system - photo attached. You put a winch handle in the fixture on the forward side of the boom and turn. The handle on the stern side of the boom is a release handle so you can turn it back. I have had the boat a year and am wanting to convert to slab reefing as I find the system a pain - not only can you not use a kicker when the sail is reefed, but th shape of the sail is terrible too. Also, putting a reef in or shaking one out is fiddly because you need to release sliders from the slot in the mast, which at the same time turning the handle! (or put them back in - equally fiddly). Finally, it is of course impossible to use lazyjacks with this boom system, so single-handed sailing is almost impossible.

I don't suppose anyone has any experience of removing this system do they? Any advice would be welcome,

Paul Radcliffe

I had a roller reefing boom on my first boat and I also found it a bit of a pain. I did fit a claw so that the kicker would work, but the sail shape when reefed was still lousy. I eventually fitted slab reefing and just left the old roller gear in place but unused - other than as a convenient point on which to tie blocks for the reefing lines.

[sahona]

I haven't got a photo, but my boat came with a roller reefing boom (mechanism siezed) and a (single)slab sail. An immediate problem was the lack of a horn for the tack, so a lanyard had to be used first time round. A large shackle with one eye cut off at an angle was later bolted through the hole originally intended for the windy handle. Clew outhaul hardware is a cheekblock just aft of the new clew position and a jamcleat near the gooseneck
Another consideration may be the lufftrack and position of the gate.
I also added reeflines to the three eyelets across the reefed foot to help contain the bunt in the stackpack.