The reefing gear is much the same as that for the "Nautilus" racing canoe ; but the block g, Fig. 127, has been dispensed with by doubling the parts of the ropes and making one end fast at d (Plate %LI.). It has been used constantly, not only in canoes but in boats and is a most successful and sure working plan. The reef-line, in the first place, is woven cord (see page 444). The after part of the earing is fastened to the boom by a "clench," or by forming an eye by sewing the end back to the standing part, and then seizing the eye to the boom. Then lead the reef earing up through brass rings, which are firmly stitched on the sail on the patches (z in Plate %LIT.), and through the block f (Plate XII.) at after end of the batten d ; then through a thimble or ring stropped in above the next f block in on the batten ; then through the sister block g, and back to and through the last mentioned f block, and down through the rings e, and fasten to the boom. When the sail is fully hoisted the sister block g should rest nearly against f block, about an inch off. Next reeve the fore part of the reef caring. Make the standing part, e 2, fast by clenching it through the cringle or eyelet hole on the lull of the sail at d (as shown in the rigging plan, Plate %LIT.) ; then take it away aft in line with the batten, and reeve it through the block g ; lead forward again to and through f at fore end of batten; then down through the rings to and through block f at fore end of boom; then along the boom to and through fair lead block f abaft the mast, and then through R and into hand. The reef blocks for this rig should be not less than lin. blocks, and should have brass sheaves. The blocks at R should be two double blocks, 1 iin. or 1 fin. blocks, with brass sheaves strongly stropped. Copper wire grommets, if neatly made and seized, will be found to make most durable strops for blocks ; but where much twisting and working occurs rope only should be used.
The hand reef line it is fast to the batten d, and leads down through rings on the sail and a ring on the boom, and is finished off by having a ring spliced into its own end. This line is used for snugging that part of the sail where the reef gear does not come, and the ring at the end of h is in such case taken hold of by means of a boathook till brought into hand, and is hitched to the cleat n on the boom (Plate %LI.). The hand reef line may also be used when the sail has to be shortened quickly for a short passing squall, and then shaken out again.
The gear on the mizen is fitted in the same way, except as to the topping lift. It has been found in practice that a kind of crow's-foot form of topping lift is best to keep the sail and reef gear clear of the rudder yoke when the sail is lowered ; but as the mizen lug is to be shiftable, so as to set as a mainsail and give place to the storm mizen, it is necessary to be able to detach the topping lift; therefore the standing part is fast to the masthead on the starboard side, and the lift leads down that side of the sail, and at about two feet above the boom it divides into two parts by splicing a part to it. These two branches then go under the boom, reeving through two thimbles (seized on to the boom in a fore-and-aft direction), and then going up on the port side of the sail to about two feet above the boom, and there ending each in an eye splice. The hauling part, which is rove through a sheave
or block at the mast head, comes down to and toggles into these two eyes (v). The sheet is a single line toggled to the boom at 8, and reeving through an eye-bolt in the sternpost head, leads in to hand.
When the lug mizen is used as a mainsail, the storm mizen is rigged by gathering the lacing together in clear turns, and dropping them over the mizen mast head; then hitch the end of the tack below the halyard block, leaving sufficient play for gybing, &c. ; then hitch the head earing through the mast head sheave hole, and toggle the sheet on to the strop. The brail is kept on the sail, as shown in the drawing, a line fast to the clue then leading up to and through a ring on the leech at 2ft. 4in. up, then to a block on the luff at Mt. 8in. up, and down to a block at the tack. This sail should be roped all round, and a light bamboo boom laced on foot.
The area of mainsail, 32.5 square feet, and of mizen lug, l9.5 52.0 square feet, will be found ample for travelling in moderate winds, and then when it blows fresh the mizen lug is set forward, and the storm mizen of 9.5 feet is set aft—equal to 29.0 square feet—a nice snug suit.
The reef band (x) is made of wide tape, stitched on slack—i.e., the tape won't stretch, but the sail will when new, so the band has to be put on slack to avoid girting the sail. The batten bamboo (d) is passed into this pocket formed by the sail and tape band, and is seized to the sail cringles at each end. At the stations on the batten where the reef blocks are to be lashed, the band is slit and button-hole stitched (y). The slits must be long enough to allow the lashing of the blocks when the sail has been slacked in along the batten.
The yard and boom should be of bamboo, which, if possible, should have a " knot " at each end when cut to the right length. The mast may be of yellow pine ; a " grown stick " is best, though apt to buckle and kink.
With regard to the mainsail, where complete stowage is desired the sail may be kept on the upper mast—that is, keeping the halyards fast, let go the tack (c), and pull close up on the topping lift (b), and lower away the mast by slacking up 1 till the sail comes to hand, then unhook main blocks R either by hand or by boat hook, and roll them and all rope bights and ends into the sail, keeping tack and batten parrels on the mast above the mast joint. Then unclip the fore stay at masthead, and the jack stay at lower end, and unship the upper mast, frap the sheet round all, and stow below. Or, if only to be stowed for a short time, when the sail is set, let go the tack, haul down the reef, lowering halyards at the same time, tie the sail by gaskets (like reef points on the yard), and pull the sail " up and down " by the topping lift and halyard, and lower the mast half down. After a little experience and practice, it will be found that there are many other modes of dealing with this sail in setting, stowing, reefing, or shifting it.