Heel over 15 degrees
Is the time to reef. This is because: The Admiral is unhappy with higher heels. The boat is slower, and makes lots of leeway as heel approaches 20 degrees. However, it's OK to ease the traveler/sheets or otherwise tune the sails as a first response to keep heel down if there is no other indication that conditions are getting more powerful. It's also time to reef when wind causes other kinds of stress like excessive weather helm, or marked tendency to round up in gusts. It's definitely time to reef with any indication that the squall line is on the way including: - A line of clouds approaching rapidly - A hard, downward gust of cold air - A big, dark shadow coming across the water - A warning from the weather radio In fact, it's probably time to reef if you ask yourself: "I wonder if I should reef now?" Finally, learn to heave to. On our '77 h27, this just means tacking without releasing the jib, and lashing the tiller to leeward (same side as the mainsail.) The boat just relaxes! Everything slows down. You can leave the tiller and know that the boat will stay stable. Then you can clip your harness to your jacklines, and go forward to reef the main, whether you are singlehanding, or just "helping" the Admiral. I offer this because it is so easy, and relaxed to put in a reef, even if conditions are picking up. Finally, if I know that the winds are up over 20 knots, I put in a reef (or two) in the main before leaving the dock, since it is even easier to shake one out, than to put one in. David
