Reefing Time

[bartmac]

Its also a comfort thing....the sailing a boat with too much sail is harder work,fine with the boys or for a short/medium time thing but for longer period with SWMBO aboard its just easier to reef....more likely to get a cup of something if the galley is still where you left it.Mind you my wife would initially not go below if we were sailing/heeling but now she has some confidence that a Mac heels to a certain degree quickly and then settles as the water ballast takes effect.If you own a Mac you by nature have already signalled you are not in sailing for ultimate speed but concede the other advantages make up for it!
The attraction of parking the boat on my property,the ease I can work/modify it at home,being able to drive it and launch it anywhere out weigh any disadvantages.

[Obelix]

I realy like all these high-tech definitions

My rule is much easier, I look at the admirals face and know exactly when it is time to reef.

Cheers

Obelix

[Phil M]

With respect to the thread, unless you've done a rudder angle indicator mod, you need to turn the wheel until the rudders are at approx 10 deg angle, and just note where your king post is. I'm sure it varies with steering type and even boat to boat.

When my kingpost is approx 110 deg left or right of top dead center, I'm about there.

Again what’s nice about this…it takes the “When should I reef??" guesswork out of the equation for me. I just do it when I have that helm over a ¼ turn of the way for extended periods.

"Sub" Ed Tordahl
S/V LAIKA
USCG Auxiliary
Qualified Crew
Qualified Aids (Nav) Verifier
Qualified Public Education Instructor
NYS Qualified Safe Boating Instructor

Okay, that does make sense now. The boat heeling over does not neccessarily mean you need to reef, but a prolonged rudder angle is a better indicator that a reef is needed.
I don't know what a rudder angle indicator mod is, but I'm sure I could figure out what top dead centre is, and then measure when the rudders are 10 degrees.

Thanks for that advice on reefing. I tend to reef early and often, as it is often quite blowie.

Phil M

[vizwhiz]

I tend to reef early and often, as it is often quite blowie.

I'm a newb to sailing...is "blowie" a technical term?

[Catigale]

We use the following commands at the helm when the girls take it...

Starboard 1/4, 1/2, Full (one full turn) and hard (to lock)
Port ....the same
Rudder admidships (centre rudder)

Neutral
Astern
Idle forward
Make your revs 3000 or the like.

The girls have been trained to repeat the command to confirm, then repeat it again after it has been executed.

[Phil M]

I tend to reef early and often, as it is often quite blowie.

I'm a newb to sailing...is "blowie" a technical term?

Nope. I heard 'blowie' used a couple of weeks ago listening to a tv weather newscast while in Scotland. There was quite a strong wind that day.

Phil M

[vizwhiz]

LOL...kinda figgered that...thought it would get an eyebrow arch or two...

[NiceAft]

I have a Musclehead for a main, so I need to reef at a much lower wind speed than I did with the factory main. With all of that additional cloth up high on the Musclehead, when the wind picks up, the boat can be spun around. Adjusting the roller furler genny only does so much to even out the boat. Thankfully the Admiral finds it thrilling to sail at 35+ degrees.

On the other hand, all of that additional cloth makes it easier to sail in low wind conditions.

Ray

[Sugar Bear]

Newbe question. I have never had to reef my sail. Do I just turn into the wind, lower the main to the reef holes then tie lines throw them to the mast? What I have read makes it sound very simple but I am sure that the first time I really have to complete this task during an unexpected storm that I will have proublems. What effect, if any will adding a boom kicker help to keep me from having to reef the main sail as I other wise might have to and will it aid in lowering the sail in a strong wind? I have a 150% jib keep it as is, or roll it up and how far? If yes main or jib first?

I realize that every thing is variable so say a 20 - 30 mph wind no current (lake sailing for now).

While I intend to be a fair weather sailer, I have had Mr. Murphy follow me at times.

[Sugar Bear]

I ment to say tie the main sail to the boom not the mast.

[NiceAft]

With your correction, you basicly have it down correctly. With the , you have to remove the lowest slug from the mast in order to reef because the sail bunches up too much. I don't know if that applies to the . If you do not have a reefing system, and I don't, then you will have an easier time reefing before you are on the water.

You do have a topping lift, so I can't see how a Boom Kicker will make a difference with reefing.

Ray

[seahouse]

Disclaimer: I have never sailed a Mac... (Boooo!)

With other sailboats I've seen the general rule of thumb has been 6 degrees instead of the 10 mentioned above. Any more than 6 degrees of correction on the rudder means that drag is slowing you down unecessarily and your sails require trimming.

How do you know when it's 6 degrees? I've noticed many boats use a piece of tape at the top of the wheel to mark the rudder centred position (unless the wheel's leather ). A second pair of tape marks will tell you , (you can use different colour tape ).

Measure directly off the rudders when on the hard and mark 6 degrees (or maybe 10 is Mac-specific, any reference on this anybody?) rudder deflection port and starboard on the wheel. Then, when one of the outside tape marks on the wheel is straight up when you are maintaining course, it tells you you need to trim, of which reefing might be a part if nothing else works.

Anybody with a GPS notice much speed difference between 6 and 10 degrees on a Mac?

Regards! - Brian.

[Hamin' X]

Newbe question. I have never had to reef my sail. Do I just turn into the wind, lower the main to the reef holes then tie lines throw them to the mast? What I have read makes it sound very simple but I am sure that the first time I really have to complete this task during an unexpected storm that I will have proublems. What effect, if any will adding a boom kicker help to keep me from having to reef the main sail as I other wise might have to and will it aid in lowering the sail in a strong wind? I have a 150% jib keep it as is, or roll it up and how far? If yes main or jib first?

I realize that every thing is variable so say a 20 - 30 mph wind no current (lake sailing for now).

While I intend to be a fair weather sailer, I have had Mr. Murphy follow me at times.

First, don't wait for the thunderstorm to learn how to do it. practice in fair weather. If you do not have a topping lift (not standard on an X), then a boom kicker is great. I have one on mine. You will need one, or the other, or have a crew member hold up the boom for you.

Next, learn to heave to. With the 150 genny, you should roll it in until the clew is just aft of the mast before heaving to. Reefing while hove to is very easy, even under difficult conditions. The rest of the operation depends upon the reefing system that you have. Some have single, or double reefing lines led back to the cockpit. I have a single line on the aft end of the boom and hooks on the mast for the reef tack. I like this system for several reasons. First, it is the same as I learned on, I believe that it gives me better sail shape (flatter) and I don't have to deal with more line clutter in the cockpit. To each their own.

~Rich

[c130king]

Rich,

Why roll in some genny before heave to? I heave to with full 150 unrolled with no problem.

Ray,

I assume you need to undo the bottom slug because you are trying to slide your reefing cringle over the reefing hook. I don't need to do that but I do have the single-line jiffy reef setup.

SugarBear,

As to tieing the main to the boom...I have read several different opinions. I don't think those holes are designed to take to much stress so be careful. I don't tie mine at all. Recommend a reefing system led back to cockpit if you don't already have that. I hardly ever have to leave the cockpit.

Great advice from Rich...practice in calm and light winds several times. Good luck.

Jim

[NiceAft]

Jim said:

I assume you need to undo the bottom slug because you are trying to slide your reefing cringle over the reefing hook. I don't need to do that but I do have the single-line jiffy reef setup.

You are correct.

Now, as to

I have read several different opinions. I don't think those holes are designed to take to much stress so be careful

I have never heard that. If that is correct, then I learn more and more from this site. Not being familiar with how double and single systems work, do those systems also use the holes If yes, why do those ways of reefing place less strain on them than does reefing without a system If those systems don't use those holes, then what are they there for Inquiring minds want to know, or at least I do:D

Ray