Reef barriers

[SailboatOwners.com]

Are you comfortable tucking a reef into your main? Is it something you do without a second thought... or are you a little reluctant?

When the wind kicks up, do you always shorten sail, or do you try top tough it out, or drop the sails and crank up the ol' Yanmar?

Tell us if you're a reluctant reefer then vote in the Quick Quiz on the home page.

 

[Patrick , S/V Shangra-La]

Shorten sail....save the rig.

Though I used to get a big kick out of burrying the deck in the water, as I have matured, and the cost of the boat went up, I found I prefer to put less pressure on the rig, and less stress on myself by not heeling so much.

As you heel less it is a more comfortable ride and you can carry a faster speed. My wife enjys the ride a lot more when she doesn't feel like she is ready to fall out at a moments notice. As we all know "when mama isn't happy....no one is happy. You bet I reef early. I only run the engine when I have no other choice

 

[phil]

in mast furling

If the question applies to in mast furling boats then, oh yes, it's so easy to reef so definately I will do it and keep going more confortable. Wind drops, roll it out again.

 

[Dean]

When we lower it, we reef it

Living in Northern Michigan and sailing on Little Traverse Bay in Lake Michigan, we (on orders from the admiral) have gotten in the habbit of reefing our sail everytime we drop it for the day. Why? Because our weather is so flukey that when you get to the boat all happy and relaxed, cast off, and round the breakwall you could be sailing flat for a few minutes then poof, you get blasted with a gust, just after popping one open and relaxing to be on the boat, the relaxation and some beer goes overboard, out the window so to speak. So we have found it is much more enjoyable to sail awhile with the reef, then turning it loose a little later after we (the admiral) has a couple more cans of COURAGE. Fun sailing is better than scary sailing.

Dean

 

[johnrock]

Reffing made easy

Years ago when we first bought KILLICK, our 1970 CAL 34, we were reluctant to reef because we had to leave the safety of the cockpit. I tried talking my wife into helping but I'd get a dirty look, then something like..."It's now blowing like stink and you want me to do what?"
Then we mounted two winches on the cabin top and brought all lines thru stoppers under the dodger. Now everything can be done by one person while being comepletely safe and comfortable.

 

[Alan]

It should be easy

Tucking a reef in should be just another form of sail trim. Practicing putting one in and shaking it out should be a routine just like a MOB drill. The fact that so many people have issues with it only goes to show that lack of training leads to, shall we say, less than optimal sailing skills.

There is no reason that anyone shouldn't be able to put in a reef in a couple of minutes. Heck, you could do it several times a year just motoring out into open sailing waters. These few valuable minutes of practice will make all the difference when it comes time to need one for a safe passage.

 

[thisoldspouse]

Can't reef just yet, TimO

I will not use the "roller reef" on my 77 V22 again. Just bought the jiffy reef. Waiting on TimO to give an class on installation.

 

[marcus]

how do?

What is the proper procedure for reefing on a Catalina 30?

 

[Benny]

I like Patrick's of Shagrala answer.

Reef early and don't put undue stress on your rig. Happy wife, happy life.

 

[Tereza]

Reef b4

I often leave the dock with a reef - it's easy to shake it out later.
I singlehand in a very tippy boat, on a lake with wildly changeable winds, so if I want to stay dry, I reef.

 

[Alan]

PS

You can always reef after heaving to. No matter what the wind or waves are doing, heaving to will gain a little rest-bit and allow time to put in your reef with little complication or effort.

 

[Paul J. Rusyniak]

REEFING

As the wind reaches a steady 25kts and I'm sailing single-handed or with experienced crew, I'll put the first reef in our AE28, which is equipped with single line reefing.

If my Wife is aboard or I have non-sailing guests aboard, the reef goes in at 15kts.

I have no interest in frightening folks and possibly ruining their sailing experience. Likewise, and secondarily, I have no interest in busting the equipment.

Paul

 

[Skip]

Liquid courage?

You say you shake out the reef after you and the admiral have had a couple more bottles of liquid courage? How stupid is THAT!? Geez!!! remind me to never go sailing in your vicinity.

 

[John]

In Boom Furlers

Sailing in the San Francisco Bay can be challenging at times. There is nothing that compares to climbing on the cabintop in 30-35 knots of wind to put in a reef. When we purchased our C400, we had a Schaeffer Boom Furler installed. It is by far the best Boom Furler on the market. It is easy to reef and you never have to leave the cockpit. You can lower the sail to any position you like. It really makes sailing in a lot of wind fun.
John

 

[Timo42]

I looked at the parts Saturday

Stole the line to use on boomvang, it's on my list, waiting for the sewing machine to be fixed, maybe I will buy a sail with reefpoints already in it... Alright I'll admit it, I like to bury the rail, the sound of stuff sliding off the table onto the cabin sole is music to my ears, if I can see anything but green through the lee port, I am not trying hard enough, ask Frank... I feel better getting that off my chest, maybe there is a 12 step program somewhere ;D Just finished installing tracks on the cabintop for the jib, wasn't blowing hard enough Sunday to take the 150 down and try them with the 100. More wind!!! Tim

 

[rardi : H36 ( Cherubini)]

During the Summer Seems Need to Reef Is More Frequent Than Not

All-in-all, I've become comfortable with reefing and sailing with reduced sail area. Turns an impossible or difficult wind day into an exhilarating but much safer outing.

I sail in San Francisco Bay, between GG Bridge, Alcatraz, SF Waterfront and Angel Island ... the "slot" As I’ve posted before, with just one year under my belt, I’m relatively new to keel boat sailing and I’m undoubtedly more conservative than more experienced sailors. So for now at least, not reefing would greatly reduce the number of my “it’s prudent to sail” days on the central Bay (and definitely most summer afternoons when 25-30+ kts is normal).

I sail solo frequently; or friends/family that actually do enjoy sailing outings are “best-to-stay-in-the-cockpit” types (due to age or inclination). It would not be safe for them in any way to help with reefing tasks when out on the water in stiff winds. (On my boat I need go on deck to manually attach the reef point tack grommet to the reef hook at the gooseneck and then I need to manually tie the reef point ropes around the foot. The clew haul-in is achieved with lines running from the boom end through the boom to be cleated at the mast).

The solution for me is, depending on the forecast, the wind velocity info from the wind gauge on Angel Island and my intuition, I’ll decide to set a first or second reef before I leave my slip. Later if the wind isn’t as strong as anticipated, I have the choice of sailing a bit slower for the day, or to shake out the reef, which is easy in light/moderate winds (as was the case yesterday morning). But if the wind is much stronger than anticipated and I’m not reefed, it isn’t much fun for my guests to be on an excessively heeling boat (and I get apprehensive for them as well). Or for them to be concerned watching me on the deck contending with a flapping around mainsail and a moving around-boom in a strong wind and rocking boat.

If I am caught un-reefed in a too strong wind, I might take a path so that each way's wind is a beam reach with the sails let out, and/or I cut the outing short and go home with sails luffing a bit if need be.

 

[Tom Perkins]

Reef or Brake

I reef. I prefer to use my rudder to steer and not as a brake.

 

[jrpla]

Try a to use a Sail Pack

We found that using a Sail Pack is the easiest way to reef.

It should be better with a boom or mast furly but if you don't have one this is the best economic way.

We reef in following these steps: 2 person crew:
1. Main traveler all the way down
2. Ease the main sheet
3. Secure your toping lift
4. Ease the main halyard; remember to place the line in your winch, give this line to your first mate and go forward to your mast.
5. Tell her to ease the main so you can secure your reef ring
6. Go to the cockpit secure and trim your main halyard
7. Trim your clew reef line.
8. Ease your toping lift

With the Sail Pack you don’t have to worry about the reef knots. If needed you can use a line from the reef to your cockpit so you don’t have to walk to your mast.

We have a Beneteau 32, so we reef after 15-17 knots, true wind.

If you see it windy reef at the dock, is always easer to remove a reef than to put one.

 

[Tom Monroe]

Kind of proud ....

When I singlehand, I have a tendency, as others have noted, to reef before I leave the dock, and shake it out later if things are too slow. So Saturday, for the first time in several years, I had to go through a couple of major sail reductions while I was out singlehanded. When I got home Saturday night, I fell asleep confident that at 59 I could still manage the boat safely and efficiently in a bit of wind by myself.

For purposes of generating discussion on singlehanded technique, here's how I reef my C27 tall rig tiller boat by myself:

1. Main halyard is pre-marked at the right place.

2. Set boat up on a balanced reach, somewhat forward of broad off, so she balances well into the waves.

3. Drop travellor and ease sheet so that pressure is off the main but not flogging really bad. Check balance.

4. Ease halyard to mark.

5. Go to mast, pull luff down to reefing gromet, secure (mine is a line, not a reefing hook, and I don't have to pull any sail slugs out of the track cause they are spaced such that the gromet comes down far enough).

6. Return to cockpit, pull travellor up enough to easily reach boom within safety of cockpit, secure leech gromet.

7. Tighten halyard and reset.

The whole thing takes a minute or two ... less time than to write about it, but I hadn't done it by myself in awhile. I was pleased that I was able to carry it off quickly and effectively. For me, I think the key is NOT the actual reefing procedure but understanding boat balance well enough to set a boat up on a sustainable course and be sure she'll stay there while you do a few things, like go to the mast.

I find reefing the main just a whole lot easier than changing out a headsail, which I also did on Saturday. Maybe at 59 I ought to finally break down and get single-line reefing, a furling headsail, and autopilot.

Tom

 

[Rob]

Reefing in NY Harbor

I was once a "non-reefer" but have learned to reef and my enjoyment has increased 4-fold. I have a 150% Genoa and now only pull it out to about 100% before deciding if more sail area is needed. The winds in NY Harbor can be quite challenging due to the buildings and topography.

There have been cases where the wind was a nice 10 knots, just north of the Colgate clock, only to increase to 24 knots out by Ellis Island. I find it’s better to reef, keep my eye on other boats and make the decision for more sail if it’s warranted. I’ve also become very good at putting sail back if the boat seems overpowered, like one of the other replies mentioned reefing is sail trim.

Since I’ve adapted my sail trim to include reefing, my sailing is faster and more enjoyable for everyone on board, as you don’t have to worry about being overpowered while sailing with “newbie’s to sailing”. This has been the best sailing season by far, more memorable sails with less stress on the rig and the skipper!