Reefing again

Apologies, but I'm coming back to an issue from another thread that didn't go anywhere. I sail my H!6 solo in The Bay so it is often 20+ knots. In that much wind solo the mainsail is a handful even with max rake, downhaul etc. (and no jib). The obvious solution is to reef the main. The problem that crops up in the forums every time the issue of reefing is raised is that the sail headboard will pull out of the comptip. My question is: has anyone actually experienced this - the headboard pulling out of the comptip when the sail is reefed? Or, is it more that folks think that something that might happen, or is suspected to happen?

Thanks in advance,

If you have a comptip, you would not have the old style halyard with a reefing slug though. Do you plan to just cleat the halyard? I read that's also not recommended.

I guess you could use an non-comptip halyard with a comptip, but not the other way around. I know, dealer gave me a comptip halyard for my all aluminium mast.

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Marc...
1978 Hobie 16 Keoke, sail# 36 84

I would make up a halyard to suit at my local West Marine.

I got the feeling from my earlier post that nobody had put a deep reef into their main and could not say if the headboard would pull out of the comptip or not with such a reef. I am sure they will pull out with the original reef position on the old sails sold prior to comptips used with the wire halyard. However with a 6 foot high reef point there would only be a foot or two in the comptip and I doubt it would pull out. Of course you could put the reef so high the headboard never even reaches the comptip. That would still leave you with lots of mainsail up in a good stink. I am getting mine modified this winter so I cannot give you a definite answer.

Thanks ChrisD,

That is a good solution - I would prefer a deep reef anyway (for those stiff Bay breezes).

Cheers,