BC23 Reefing Lines

[Robin Bailey]

Hi,
Does anyone have any suggestions/neat solutions as to how to keep the ends of the reefing lines tidy on the boom when the sail is down? I keep getting them rapped around my head/neck if I am not paying attention.
Many thanks in advance before my hat gets flipped overboard!

[Paul Beardsell]

Robin, I too take this opportunity to declare my recent purchase of a new (second hand 2015) BC23, number 027. Previously "Jaggie Thistle" I've renamed it "Lunar Blues". I've been out in Chichester/Langstone harbour four times all in benign conditions and so haven't had to reef yet, but I'm thinking of trying poking my nose out into the Solent on Wednesday and want to make sure I'm ready for all eventualities, and reefing is concerning me. Almost zero wind today (I hope) will allow me to practise reefing while on the pontoon. And I too have exactly the same problem as you with those stray lines with the sail down.

[Rob Johnstone]

I agree the reefing lines are a nuisance on a BC 23, especially if you have single line reefing. I found the answer was to tie a short rectangle of net along under the sail bag, where it was over the cockpit so that the reefing lines were inside the net. Although this didn't catch the reefing lines when taking in the reefs (or when the sail was down), at least you could tuck the lines in the net with a reasonable chance of them staying in place.