Securing the reef tack involves a specific system rather than traditional knot tying. The reference describes a method focused on securely holding the reef tack in place using dedicated hardware.
Understanding the Reef Tack System
When reducing sail area by reefing, one critical point to secure is the reef tack, which is the forward corner of the reefed sail. The system described utilizes a combination of a line and a shackle to achieve this.
- Components: The system involves a piece of low-stretch line that is attached to a pad eye on the mast with a snap shackle on the end.
- Purpose: This setup is designed to efficiently and securely fasten the reef tack grommet to the mast area, preventing it from lifting.
Steps to Secure the Reef Tack
Based on the provided method, securing the reef tack involves a simple process using the pre-rigged line and shackle:
- Identify the System: Locate the low-stretch line attached to a pad eye on the mast, which has a snap shackle at its end.
- Locate the Reef Tack Grommet: Find the grommet in the sail at the desired reef point's forward corner (the tack).
- Thread the Shackle: Pass the snap shackle through the reef tack grommet.
- Secure to the Opposite Pad Eye: Once the shackle is through the grommet, clip it down to the pad eye located on the opposite side of the mast.
**Summary of the process:**
1. Shackle originates from a pad eye on one side of the mast.
2. Pass the shackle through the reef tack grommet on the sail.
3. Clip the shackle onto a pad eye on the opposite side of the mast.This specific method ensures that the reef tack is securely held in place, simplifying one part of the overall reefing procedure. While "tying a reef line" can also refer to managing the reef clew or reef points, the described method focuses solely on securing the tack using this hardware system.
