The reef hook

[Tony G]

Here's a question demonstrative of blatant ignorance. What is a reef hook? What is it's primary task? Yes, the name suggests when it's used, and, it's basic shape indicates that it holds something down. But what does it hook to or to it? Is a reefing line that runs through the reef point tack tied off to it or does a ring hook onto it? None of my other boats have one and I've (obviously) never used one.

Because we're adding a rigid boom vang I thought I'd have a fixed gooseneck made this fall. I somehow neglected to notice the reef hook(s) on some of the goosenecks that I looked at for desing ideas. Yet some of the designs didn't have one at all. So I did not include one in my plans just to simplify things(K.I.S.S.)even though the original assembly had one. Now I'm seeing reef hooks everywhere even in my sleep!

It seems this question should have been asked BEFORE I went to the shop plans in hand. :o :mad:

Maybe all is not lost. The reef hook that came off the boom has a hole in it where it was attached to the casting with a screw. That screw hole is exactly large enough to allow the pin of the d-shackle (that acts as the mainsail tack pin)to pass through. So I could attach the original reef hook to that pin and have a mobile hook much like the original design just different. Does anyone see a definite problem with this? Is the welded reef hook essential or prefered for the proper function over the original moving design? Have I wasted another $100? Tony G

[Bill]

If you have "jiffy" or "slab" reefing, a "reef hook" should not be necessary. The reefing lines will hold down the luff of the sail.

[commanderpete]

A reefing hook goes into the reinforced hole ("cringle") in the sail.

They come in various shapes, and are either bolted on or shackled on. They cost about $5-10. Some examples are at the bottom of this page:

http://www.suncorstainless.com/sscart/hooksclipsmain.html

Easiest thing is to shackle one on to some part of the gooseneck assembly.

You just want to get the cringle close to the corner formed by the boom and the mast.

Like Bill said, you don't use a reefing hook with a single or double line reefing system. The line pulls the sail down and keeps it there.

Man, its getting cold around here. I bought some fancy space-age thermals at a clearance sale. They only had women's tops. First time I've ever worn ladies underwear--I swear.

[Tony G]

Everything starts with a 'first time'.

I feel better about the reef hook thing now. But then again, I was walking by the mast this morning and saw something gleaming in the eary morning light. Another reef hook!?! It can't be!

[ebb]

Mark Mathews on

www.sailnet.com/collections/articles/index.cfm?articleid=matthe522

[commanderpete]

That hook should work. Just seems a little high off the boom.

[Theis]

I have two reef hooks, each located on either side of the boom at the gooseneck. Referring to Commander Pete's on-line catalog reference, I use the angle hook on the left side of the page. I used to use the one on the right side of the page and one line up but found it difficult to keep the cringle attached and changed.

There are four bolts that bolt the gooseneck to the boom. I use the lower bolt on either side, with a lock washer, to bolt the hook, facing upward, to the boom as well as to attach the gooseneck to the boom.

My mainsail has two sets of reefpoints, and I use one hook for each (my reefing stuff is on one side for one set of reef points, and the other for the second set). Near the luff of the sail on both sides is a ring for each set of reef points. The ring goes through the hook, and the weight of the boom at the gooseneck keeps the ring from falling off. Of course, if you have a rigid goose neck, there would be no weight of the boom so you would need tighten the halyard immediately while holding the cringle on the boom.

Keep in mind, if you have two sets of reef points that you will likely not want to shake one set out to set the second (and higher up) set. For that reason, two separate reefing systems appeared to me to be advisable although you might be able to get along with only one hook.