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usefulness of 2nd reef ?

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 08/09/2012 : 11:16:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JohnP
 
I don't need a second reef.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

So, upping the ante, I should mention that I have other options besides the 2nd reef. I have a 6' triangular stay sail to replace the double-reefed main. If I needed to sail off a lee shore in the Chesapeake Bay in 40-80 knot winds, and couldn't anchor, I would just pull out my riding sail with 5x reinforcing at the corners, and then hoist my storm jib.

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blanik
Navigator

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Canada
210 Posts

Response Posted - 08/11/2012 : 02:11:38

my initial question was more about the fact that Catalina designed our boats with only one reef so i was wondering precisely about that zone between first reef taken and lowered main, maybe they figured that if the first reef was still too much people would drop the main and go find a shelter since our boats weren't designed for ocean crossings

i don't mind the extra 40$-60$ for the 2nd reef it's more the drilling of the boom and running a 2nd line and having it there, high on the sail all summer long for maybe nothing that was perplexing me... i was asking this question/survey just to see if it would be worth the extra line all year round for something i might never use ;-)

edit:
as someone mentioned maybe having a single reef put a bit higher might be an interesting compromise?

Edited by - blanik on 08/11/2012 12:31:24

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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Response Posted - 08/11/2012 : 19:50:30

It all depends on where you sail.

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cshaw
Captain

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USA
460 Posts

Response Posted - 08/12/2012 : 05:44:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pastmember
 Reefing the foot of a headsail is pretty much a non starter now that furler/reefers are so cheap for boats our size. When you consider the number of hanks on a 110, I think I would rather change headsails on hanked on sails rather than mess with reef points on a genoa.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi Frank,

Well, I do not think its a non-starter by a long way. Being a firm believer in multiple smaller sized reefing points in the main, I also have a single set of reefing points in my 140, 130, and 110. I do not have reef points in my 150 since it is not normally used when the wind is blowing harder anyway. All are hanked on jibs since I much prefer hanked on sails to roller furling since even though a partially furled jib gets smaller, it also gets more full (which I do not like as the wind comes up). I have seen roller reefing jibs that have a foam pad in the mid hoist area of the foil to help get rid of the fullness, but most roller furlers are just that, a furling system not a reefing system. However, in nice conditions, I do love the convenience of roller furling for sure!

For me, since I use hanked on headsails, it is many times easier to pull in a reef in the jib than to change jibs. For racing that is especially true. I can go to weather with my 140 reefed to a 130, and off the wind shake out the reef and be back to a 140 in 30 seconds. The sail shape stays perfect for reefed and unreefed. The sheets for when reefed come down to and through a loop at the normal clew, so that when I lower the halyard to hook the luff to the reefed tack point, I simply take a strain on the reefed sheets and release the normal sheets. If we do this off the wind before hardening up to go to weather, I momentarily over trim the jib to get it in close, and use the bunting lines I keep in the sails to clean up the extra cloth at the foot, otherwise I let it flap since it does no harm unless we are taking solid water over the bow going to weather.

To me, reefing has two totally different reasons for being important. The first is safety motivated to make a potentially uncontrollable situation controllable, but the second is to keep the boat sailing effeciently and just as importantly comfortably when you are only slightly overpowered with un-reefed sails (especialy handy cruising or when taking new folks out that are not used to sailing). The second reason is what primarily prompts me to have multiple smaller reefing options rather than a single larger reefing point. Factory sails almost always seem to have a single larger reef point if they have any at all. Its been my experience that most folks do not think reefing is as important as I believe it is, till they eventually find themselves in a situation where they really needed it. To not have the ability to turn a survival situation you accidently get caught out in into something you can have a reasonable chance to manage effectively depends on your experiences and I guess your tolerance for risk out on the water. I think Jean Andre said it right: Better to have it and never use it than not have it and wish you did.

This is a good thread to help see all the perspectives I think!

Cheers!

Chuck

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