Hey Tom,

The sort of rings Paul mentions work very well, are the easiest to use, and give you the most flexibility...

At the mast, my setup is probably a bit different than most. Instead of using a reefing hook at the gooseneck, I use a cunningham hook attached to a small Harken 6:1 purchase led from the base of the mast, using a light Spectra line, which takes care of both the cunningham and reefing. Works very well, dead simple to use - but I realize how adverse you might be to using Harken blocks, or anything other than manila 3-strand line on CHRISTMAS.... (grin)

I don't use regular cheek blocks on the boom, but rather regular blocks loosely attached by soft shackles to the boom. I think it is important - perhaps even more so with a wooden boom - to attach the end of the reefing line, and the blocks, to the same fitting. Then, by passing the reefing line underneath the boom and up to the cringle, the forces will counteract each other, a diminish the possibility of either attachment point being torn free of the boom...

You definitely want to experiment a bit before mounting the cheek blocks permanently. Remember, they will serve as your outhaul, as well, so in general it might be better to err a bit on the side of having them further aft, if anything. Ideally, of course, you want the angle from the cringle to the block to bisect the luff of the reefed sail in general, but one of the reasons I prefer to have the blocks adjustable rather than permanently fixed, is that it gives you a bit of wiggle room for opening up the leech a bit more, or whatever...

Lastly, you're going with a loose-footed main, right? When you run your reefing line, here's what I recommend: Starting from the side of the boom opposite the cheek block, pass the line underneath the foot of the sail so that it's on the same side as the blocks, then take it around the back of the leech, and pass it through from the opposite side, then back down to the cheek blocks... By doing this, you avoid capturing the bunt of the reefed sail between the Up and Down 'legs' of the reefing line and crushing it, it will simply fall off neatly to the opposite side, instead...

And, reefing lines are one instance when you really might want to try to overcome your aversion to high-tech, low stretch rope... you know, you can find that stuff nowadays with a 'traditional' appearance, no one will know the difference ... (grin)

Good luck, and best regards,

Jon