The "Hot knife" method was suggested by a sail maker "Mack Sails" as
a way of installing their Mack Pack sail cover on a bolt roped main,
with no adverse effect on the sail. In point of fact, all the boats
I've owned or sailed on have had slug footed mains, so passing the
reef ties was never an issue.

I spoke to the sail maker who made my sails (Jasper and Bailey). He is
not convinced that loose footed or fixed makes any difference on a
CRUISING main. This weekend, I'm going to remove the attached foot
of my main and fly it loose. if it works out, I'm just going to cut
the slugs off et voila, a loose footed main.

On Fri, 5 Sep 2003 19:57:28 -0300, "Capt. Mooron"
wrote:


"Marc" wrote in message
.. .
| Two ways.
| 1. make a slit with a hot knife 2" long just above the bolt rope and
| directly under the reef tie. Pass reef tie through slit.
|
| 2.Tie reef tie under boom LOOSELY so as not to stress the sail.
|
| Reef tie points are reinforced, but not enough to take the strain of
| a foot slug or bolt rope.

Yes.. I've utilized the loose tie under the boom. I found it lacking in
effect and prone to misjudgment by crew. I have never heard nor seen
employed the technique of cuts along the foot. I would imagine such a
procedure would adversely affect the sail... especially without
reinforcement.

At any rate.. I have never heard of a mainsail referred to as a "reefer
sail" either manufactured with your suggested cuts [ which I've never seen]
prior to or after the reintroduction of the free footed main by sail
manufacturers. Every vessel I've sailed on with a bolt rope along the foot
and equipped with reefing points used the tie around the boom method. Some
people believe the free footed design is a new concept... I doubt that's
accurate.

The free footed main allows for a cleaner, better shaped and easier method
of securing reefs.

CM