How to use the Reffbaendsel of a sail

Korsan

Korsan

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Hi every body
Can anyone explain to me ,how the Reffbaendsel are used in practice ( I don't know the english term of it, it is numbered as 4 in the attachment) .
Actually without this baendsels the sails look boring. IMO they give a nicer look and make the sails more attractive for the models.
Many thanks in advance for the responds
and
My best Wishes for the Group Members

IMG_4731.jpg
 
Take a look also at this post where @Gilles Korent is explaining it more in detail

Reef points

hi all just a quick question were reef point's and the rope that hung out to tie up sails on both sides of the sails on 1700-1800 sail ships.ie were the ropes on both sides. cheers snowy
shipsofscale.com
 
Uwek said:
Here two photos of them on a sail of the Hermione, the photos are showing them from both sides of the sail - reef points or bendsel

View attachment 371483

View attachment 371484


The Elements and Practice of Rigging And Seamanship

archive.hnsa.org archive.hnsa.org



When reefing a sail at the yard, the so called square knot or reef knot was used

Click to expand...
Hi Uwek
Many thanks for the very very detailed info-material about the sails.Actually I want to know whether these bendsels are used to repair the damaged sail parts to put or connect the torn parts together ,or for minimising the sail area and how they are used.
 
usually for reducing the sail area when the wind is blowing stronger
 
Uwek said:
usually for reducing the sail area when the wind is blowing stronger
Click to expand...
It should a very hard job to climbing up to knot the bentsels together to reduce the area by a strong wind and wild sea conditions,nothing to compare with todays sailing facilities. :) Beer Pirate Flag
 
Take a look at the Hermione video. Especially at second 38 of the video they reef the sails during the night at heavy weather


BTW: The replica of the La Hermione is made exactly like the original ship, she has no motor for sailing, only for immergency situation

or

and here nice weather with some wind - very good visible also the reef points

 
My understanding is that these reef points were used only to reduce sail area in high winds. That is not how sails were repaired when torn. They would have been patched just like you patch clothing and sewn all around.
 
The reef ties would be used to secure the reef, but not to take it.
tackles are rigged at both ends of the reef band to the ends of the yard, the sail is lifted and stretched by those tackles.
then topmen would trice up and lay out to loosely fasten the reef lines just to control the now loose upper part of the sail, thus avoiding flapping and damage.
very much the same as happens at the bottom of a modern sailboat main sail, only way more acrobatic
 
"Seamanship In the Age of Sail" by John Harland is an exhaustive reference for all things related to sailing full rigged ships through the centuries.
Well illustrated, it is an invaluable reference tool for the model shipwright, granular in detail.
I think it is widely available.
 
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