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reefing the main

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/17/2004 : 22:14:01

Winds were strong this afternoon with gusts. I don't know how strong but frequent white caps, and I was dumping the main every 3 minutes to keep the boat on her feet. I'd guess 15 gusting 17 or higher. I was looking at a lot of other boat's keels. I had my genny rolled up to about a 90% and was still over powered, and a little overwhelmed single handing, even with the sail tight and flatened.

So I turned down wind, sheeted in the main, snugged up the topping lift, loosened the main halyard, and pulled the sail down to the first reef point. It took all of about 3 minutes. It's the first time I've done it at sea.

What a difference. The day went from being stressful to fun. I never had to dump the main again, and was able to unroll the genny back to the full 135%. I spent 2 more hours on the water and I'll never worry about reefing again.

The boat pointed better with the reefed main and full genny, and I still sailed 5 to 6 knots.

Bill Holcomb always says to do this and he is right on.

Learn something every time I go out lately!!!!

PS. Seas were a little too big for me to go out far. 5 to 6 foot with gentle period. I stayed within a couple of miles of the harbor in case it got worse.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - JimB517 on 01/17/2004 22:18:24

gnorgan
Admiral

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USA
563 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2004 : 01:58:07

Heading down to San Diego either afternoon Sunday and stay over to sail again on Monday, or early Monday morning and sail all day until sunset.
Will have to rig my 1st reef point this time down, too.
Gary

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2004 : 10:20:03

IMHO, the most important single thing a sailor needs to learn is how to tuck in a reef, but many people put it off, thinking that they will get around to it later. Learning how to tuck in a reef is important because you realize that you are not completely at the mercy of the wind and seas. You can keep control of the boat as the wind pipes up by reducing sail area and balancing the sail plan. Once you understand that, your fear of sailing diminishes, because you realize that you are not just a helpless passenger, but that you are "the captain of your fate."

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2004 : 11:04:23

Sometimes when I'm singlehanded out in a blow, instead of reefing the main I'll drop it and only sail with the full genoa.

I do this mainly because my genoa becomes fuller as I reef it in (my next genoa will have a foam luff) so it becomes terribly inefficient (looks like a mini spinnaker) and I can't point worth a hoot the closer the sail gets to 100% in size.

By dropping the main and leaving the full genoa up, the boat sails surprisingly well and in certain conditions will attain hull speed. Additionally, with me being primarily a singlehanded sailor, this arrangement greatly reduces my workload (don't have to bother with the mainsheet when tacking or gybing) and increases safety because I don't have to let go of the tiller to put in that second reef and with the mainsail on the boom, the boom won't swing into my noggin' during an unplanned gybe.

That said, everyone should know how to reef their mainsail because you never know when you'll need it.

Edited by - dlucier on 01/18/2004 11:06:39

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2004 : 13:00:26

Two years ago, nearing the end of the summer cruise that hadn't offered much sailing because of weather, I hoisted anchor after two days of gale winds on the Great Lakes. Winds had subsided to 25 knots and would be on our starboard quarter for a 65 mile run from our anchorage on the Upper Peninsula to Michigan's Lower Peninsula in five foot seas.

Under double reefed main only, we were overpowered and broached twice. Needing to reduce power... the main was dropped and we sailed under partial amounts of jib. Uncomfortable with loading the forestay too greatly, speed was maintained at one knot less than hull speed though full jib could easily have driven us at hull speed and beyond while going down the wave fronts.

I just didn't sense the freedom to load the forestay with effort to drive at hull speed and at times know that the forestay would be sustaining an overload presented by hull speed limitations.

How much will the forestay take on a C250? Was I being prudent or overreacting? Remember, on the c250 there are no forward lowers and with the CDI furler, there is no redundancy for a failed forestay. Was the one knot short of hull speed a reasonable number?

Edited by - on

John G-
Admiral

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793 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2004 : 17:59:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Arlyn Stewart
 Two years ago, nearing the end of the summer cruise that hadn't offered much sailing because of weather, I hoisted anchor after two days of gale winds on the Great Lakes. Winds had subsided to 25 knots and would be on our starboard quarter for a 65 mile run from our anchorage on the Upper Peninsula to Michigan's Lower Peninsula in five foot seas.

Under double reefed main only, we were overpowered and broached twice. Needing to reduce power... the main was dropped and we sailed under partial amounts of jib. Uncomfortable with loading the forestay too greatly, speed was maintained at one knot less than hull speed though full jib could easily have driven us at hull speed and beyond while going down the wave fronts.

I just didn't sense the freedom to load the forestay with effort to drive at hull speed and at times know that the forestay would be sustaining an overload presented by hull speed limitations.

How much will the forestay take on a C250? Was I being prudent or overreacting? Remember, on the c250 there are no forward lowers and with the CDI furler, there is no redundancy for a failed forestay. Was the one knot short of hull speed a reasonable number?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
 
Arlyn,
You may want to carry a storm tri-sail. It's safer on the rig.
I did a delivery of a Fres 41 from Bermuda to Montauk and we sailed with a tri-sail for three days and averaged 10.5 knots. The main was useless even with a double reef. Even the storm jib was too much in 25'+ seas.
We hoisted it a third of the way up the mast and tied the clew to an aft cleat. We had to maintain a heading into the wind that was impossible with the main. we would hoist the storm jib when wind allowed but did many miles under the tri-sail alone.
The only bummer was no one on board was a member of the storm tri-sail club. The requirement to get in is to sail under a storm tri-sail with a member aboard.
They host the Block Island Regatta.

Edited by - on

John G-
Admiral

Members Avatar

793 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2004 : 18:25:30

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimB517
 Winds were strong this afternoon with gusts. I don't know how strong but frequent white caps, and I was dumping the main every 3 minutes to keep the boat on her feet. I'd guess 15 gusting 17 or higher. I was looking at a lot of other boat's keels. I had my genny rolled up to about a 90% and was still over powered, and a little overwhelmed single handing, even with the sail tight and flatened.

So I turned down wind, sheeted in the main, snugged up the topping lift, loosened the main halyard, and pulled the sail down to the first reef point. It took all of about 3 minutes. It's the first time I've done it at sea.

What a difference. The day went from being stressful to fun. I never had to dump the main again, and was able to unroll the genny back to the full 135%. I spent 2 more hours on the water and I'll never worry about reefing again.

The boat pointed better with the reefed main and full genny, and I still sailed 5 to 6 knots.

Bill Holcomb always says to do this and he is right on.

Learn something every time I go out lately!!!!

PS. Seas were a little too big for me to go out far. 5 to 6 foot with gentle period. I stayed within a couple of miles of the harbor in case it got worse.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
 
Three minutes is good for your first time. The only thing I do differently is head INTO the wind. Reefing downwind is IMO risky.
Steve is absolutely right. There is hardly any better skill than being able to reef quickly.
With my reefing line, topping lift and main halyard led aft on the same side as the cabin top winch I can get the job done alone in under a minute. With practice you will be able to do it just as fast.
It means that I can single hand in variable weather with confidence.
BTW my new rule is, when I reef, the inflatable vest goes on and I clip in.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2004 : 12:56:47

I always wear my vest and clip in if I have to go forward. With all lines led aft, including reefing lines, I rarely have to go forward. 100% always clip in if on the foredeck.

Cal 28 Review

Yesterday the marine forecast was for a 7 foot swell. It wasn't that big at MB but at least 6 foot faces were rolling down the channel, breaking on each side along the jetties. Add that to a wind that would have had me reefing again, I didn't want to go out. So who appears by our radical South Africian sailing friend Sal, who's ready to tak on anything. So I put on my vest and jumped on his Cal 28. I took the helm all day - always ready to learn from those sailors with more experience than I.

The Cal 28 is a lot more boat than our C25s. Although the mast height is about the same as a tall rig, the boat is much heavier. I could feel it as soon as we backed out of the slip. I really liked the roomy cockpit and the tiller arrangement - the rudder is not hung on the stern but under the boat and is controled by a tiller leading to a shaft through a stern tube. This lets the helmsman sit much farther forward.

We had a small headsail and the full main, and tacked out the channel. I wish I had my camera because we watched a 30 something large sailboat coming in right at the worst possible place - along the south jetty where the waves break, jagged rocks have tumbled off the jetty, and white water was boiling everywhere. The boat surfed in on a huge swell without damage. The Mission Bay lifeguards were standing by.

We through in an extra tack and I felt the Cal take the large waves on the bow. These were nearly breaking over the MB bar. They were steep! However with 2 of us manning the boat we were never in any danger. The sturdy Cal climbed right over them without pounding or rolling excessively.

Once outside the waters are shallow (about 30 feet) for the first 1/4 mile and the swells were really piling up. Also the wind picked up. We need to point as high as possible because no on wanted the south jetty (now in our lee) to be too close. The Cal really went over on her ear - at least 45 degrees, but firmed up. I wanted to dump the main but Sal wanted to pile on more canvas! He was loving it. The boat did not tend to round up as much as my C25 but I did have to fight the tiller when the gusts and a big swell combined to push the boat. The extra weight of the boat resulted in less pitching and pounding. Plus I thought it was easier to maintain a course.

After we cleared the red bouy (to windward - Sal would not let me pinch the boat). We fell off 10 degrees and got the boat more on her feet. After that, we were in deeper water and the swells were not noticable. I looked back and we were much farther off shore than I expected - the Cal is quite a bit faster. In light air I can catch and pass Sal but in these conditions I couldn't get close.

We sailed around for a couple of hours, then surfed some of the smaller swells back in as the afternoon wind died. With just enough wind to barely move the boat and a helping tidal current that was ripping I sailed her back into the slip for the end of a great afternoon.

Edited by - on

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