Just thought I would put in my few pennies on my reefing. I
still have roller reefing on my boat and I have a set of reefing ties a
ways up the sail. When taking a light reef I can do it with the roller
reefing, quick and easy. Most of the time a short reef is enough. This
does not present the problem of the boom dropping down to potentially
knock somebodies brains out as well as spoil the shape of the sail.
In a really strong breeze I can use the higher reefing ties. I have
found that n my boat sails so well on Roller genoa alone that I have
never taken a full reef using the ties. I am sure if I were to be
sailing for days in a blow I would just to take some k load off the head
stay.
This I am sure is nothing new to most here but thought I'd throw it
out in case someone is considering doing away with the roller reefing.
I am not a racer but have joined in a couple of races and found that
Sealeggs and I did not win but was fairly far up in the pack the whole
way and I had a reef in and was quite comfortable while most of the
other boats were staggering under too much canvas. With roller reefing I
didn't find myself under a disadvantage as compared to the others that
were reefed. So right or wrong this has been my experience. Since My
boat wants to be reefed earlier than some of the wide boats at about 20
deg. heel I like the idea that I can reef and shake it a out and reef
again with comparable ease. IF I had never raced my boat I wonder if I
would gained so much respect for her so quickly? Doug
still have roller reefing on my boat and I have a set of reefing ties a
ways up the sail. When taking a light reef I can do it with the roller
reefing, quick and easy. Most of the time a short reef is enough. This
does not present the problem of the boom dropping down to potentially
knock somebodies brains out as well as spoil the shape of the sail.
In a really strong breeze I can use the higher reefing ties. I have
found that n my boat sails so well on Roller genoa alone that I have
never taken a full reef using the ties. I am sure if I were to be
sailing for days in a blow I would just to take some k load off the head
stay.
This I am sure is nothing new to most here but thought I'd throw it
out in case someone is considering doing away with the roller reefing.
I am not a racer but have joined in a couple of races and found that
Sealeggs and I did not win but was fairly far up in the pack the whole
way and I had a reef in and was quite comfortable while most of the
other boats were staggering under too much canvas. With roller reefing I
didn't find myself under a disadvantage as compared to the others that
were reefed. So right or wrong this has been my experience. Since My
boat wants to be reefed earlier than some of the wide boats at about 20
deg. heel I like the idea that I can reef and shake it a out and reef
again with comparable ease. IF I had never raced my boat I wonder if I
would gained so much respect for her so quickly? Doug