Wind speed, reefing .

[BillyO]

Just a quick question for anybody sailing a CD 22. With a main and working jib, at approx. what wind speed will you reef down ?

[hughesw]

If it's really gusty, say blowing 10 mph gusting to 20-25, I'll reef early. If it's not really gusty, but a steady breeze I'll go with the full main up to the 15 mph range, or maybe a bit less to cut down on weather helm.

I seem to have rigging adjustment issues; my boat seems to be faster, point higher, and have less weather helm on a starboard tack than on a port tack.

Warren

[hughesw]

If I had an easier to use traveler (i.e. Garhauer) it would make things better. The current (original) traveler is a PITA to use.

[Gary M]

Hi Billy O,

I'm truly a fair weather sailor! Though I like speed, I also like comfort.

Out day sailing and wind pipes up to 14?- I carry the main
(unless it is gusting or I'm a long way form port! Then I reef.)

Haven't left the dock yet and the wind is 14 - I reef

Out day sailing and the wind is 10 to 14 - Great day (so is 8-12)

My rule of thumb has always been reef early and reef fast, and don't be embarrassed about it, you can always shake it out!

Reef when you feel the boat is over powered and don't be intimidated by other sailors trying to hold on to a full main, after all reefing puts a boat more on her lines.

BTW, it was on this board that I learned I was over sheeting the main. I now use the traveler. It is one more thing to do when you tack, and it makes a world of difference in comfort, weather helm, and when to reef.

Have your sheets ready to go, helms a lee, and when the main sheet goes slack for a moment, reach behind you and push the traveler to the low side of the boat. It is no problem once you get the knack and remember to do it!

Have a great week end.

And remember our fallen soldiers on this Memorial Day.

Gary

[Neil Gordon]

>>And remember our fallen soldiers on this Memorial Day.<<

And our fallen sailors, too (including 20 shipmates lost on October 1, 1972).

[tartansailor]

That's the real meaning of Memorial Day.
Neil,
I guess that you're lucky to be alive.
Dick

[SeaBelle]

I don't go by wind speed; I reef when I feel about to be overpowered. When sailing to weather I use angle of heel as a guide and keep it below 20 degrees. Also, I don't want to be fighting weather helm so I reef as soon as it starts to develop. All this works regardless of boat size.

[Warren S]

I say "early is good", and that's esier said than done if you have to heave-to and just want to put it off hoping the wind will level off or reduce.

Judy and I got into so much trouble one time (ripped the main for the second time), we decided we would force our selves to stay in the slip until we could add the second set of reefing hardware to the boom.

As a reward, we were just messing around one time on Blount's Bay in a "fresh breeze" and broke 7 knots speed with both reefs in! it's true what they say - the boat is designed to go faster with the "right" amount of sail power dialed in, not "more is better". It still amazes me that the speed record for that hull, at least for us, was with 2 reefs firmly tucked and the genny down to about 2/3.

[BarbofCapeCod]

As a sailor who sailed a lot 30 years ago and is now getting back into it again, I think much of the answer to your question may lay in what kind of sailor you and your boat are.

For example, if you are a young crew and like the feel of a boat on the edge of control, then you would reef far later than an older or short handed crew more interested in comfort and control. Or you may reef in very light airs because a squall line is clearly approaching. Or you may not reef in heavier air because you expect conditions to easy shortly or to make port before conditions worsen.

Also, it depends on the sail reduction quanta. For example, a roller furling jib might be shortened sooner and with greater ease than a hanked on jib that is either up or not. On the other hand, you may need to take down a hanked jib sooner than bringing in a furling jib below 30% of the fore triangle, because of the relative level of difficulty involved.

One thing to remember: its harder to make this judgment when running or reaching, since going to windward is likely to get too uncomfortable before it gets really unsafe.

Another consideration is hull speed, because as you approach hull speed, you don't need any more power, which tends to make the boat increasingly difficult to handle.

Another factor to consider is the condition of the sails, running and standing rigging as well as distance from a safe harbor. Already damaged sails 800 miles from the nearest port call for different handling than excellent gear 8 miles from your home port.

Finally, when in doubt, reef. Its always easier to shake out a reef in improving conditions than to reef in demanding conditions because you delayed.

Of course, the real answer is to keep sailing and learning what works for you and your boat.

[j2sailor]

Hi,
All great posts. I have used these four points for many years to determine whether or not to reef. A single factor should signal you to take in at least one reef. Two or more factors signal you to consider a second reef.

1. Look to windward. Do you see whitecaps?
2. Feel the sailing wind. Are gusts becoming more frequent?
3. Are you fighting the helm? Can you steer a compass course with your fingertips?
4. Check the rail. Does she dig her rail each time a gust hits?

I've owned three Cape Dories. They tend to be more tender than some more modern rigs. But they also sail well when balanced and will beat the pants off the competion in many cases.

After all, reefing isn't about heavy weather--it's about balance. And without balance you aren't in control--the boat is.

I like what former Olympian Steve Colgate has to say about sailing:
"To sail well is to have complete control over the sailboat at all times"

Best - Cap'n J
www.skippertips.com

[BarbofCapeCod]

Hi,
All great posts. I have used these four points for many years to determine whether or not to reef. A single factor should signal you to take in at least one reef. Two or more factors signal you to consider a second reef.

1. Look to windward. Do you see whitecaps?
2. Feel the sailing wind. Are gusts becoming more frequent?
3. Are you fighting the helm? Can you steer a compass course with your fingertips?
4. Check the rail. Does she dig her rail each time a gust hits?

I've owned three Cape Dories. They tend to be more tender than some more modern rigs. But they also sail well when balanced and will beat the pants off the competion in many cases.

After all, reefing isn't about heavy weather--it's about balance. And without balance you aren't in control--the boat is.

I like what former Olympian Steve Colgate has to say about sailing:
"To sail well is to have complete control over the sailboat at all times"

Best - Cap'n J
www.skippertips.com

This is excellent advice: You can do no better than to pay attention to the weather and your boat, with the objective of staying in control as you make for your destination.

[Troy Scott]

This is one of the best discussions I've seen here. Thanks folks!

[Neil Gordon]

... I think much of the answer to your question may lay in what kind of sailor you and your boat are.

I would add another factor: Ponder where you will be sailing.

In open water you can head up, fall off, round up in gusts, heave to or whatever more or less at will. In a narrow channel you don't have as many choices. If other vessels are about and there is risk of collision, your options are also narrowed.

Visibility is also a factor. Where there's traffic, I'm more likely to reef sooner because I get better visibility to leeward that way.

[BarbofCapeCod]

Here is a picture of Kudu with my wife and I aboard, just coming out of Sesuit Harbor on Cape Cod Bay and heading west toward the canal, being reefed before an approaching squall line. Notice the main has one reef in her but the genoa is still fairly full (about 120% of its 160%) but spilling air. In the picture, we are about to deploy the self-steering gear and then reduce the genoa to about 90%.

As the winds pick up the genoa can be both eased and reefed quickly in response. With one reef in the main, the genoa can be reduced to about 70% and still keep the boat fairly well balanced. After that, a second reef in the main, and then ever more reductions in the genoa.

As it turned out, the squall wasn't much, so a little later the reef in the main came out, the genoa let out, and its sheet tightened.

While we are still learning to handle Kudu in our first full season with her, we have found that she settles in very nicely as winds pickup if she is somewhat under canvassed and doing less than hull speed. We like to keep things comfortable, and appreciate her forgiving nature and easy motion.

Our son, who raced boats in college at St. Marys, sails her very differently: rail in the water and rig humming. So when he is aboard, we sail using higher energy levels, somewhat between how we would each sail without the other on board. While not his kind of boat, he thinks she "handles well" and "sails better than I thought she would." No higher compliment than that.

The point here is that we reef when he is thinking about adding just a bit more sail. With practice you find the way you like to sail, and sail that way, so long as you are not carrying too little or too much sail for the boat to respond properly and be safe.

[Troy Scott]

On my previous boat, a Pearson 33, I had rigged single line reefing for both the first and second reefs in the main. These were led to the cockpit-accessible cabin-top winches, as was the main halyard. When I rigged it, I was dubious....; I expected to have to refine it somewhat. Amazingly, it worked like a charm. I could reef singlehanded, all from the cockpit, while the autopilot steered a somewhat rounded-up course to let the main luff. Once in a while one of the battens would get caught under a line, necessitating some fiddling. I think that with a fully battened main this system would function even better.

I'm waiting to see on my CD36. I want to keep her very simple to start with, much like factory original. As I gain experience I'll decide how best to modify the sail-handling systems to suit my needs, abilities and pocketbook. The pocketbook is the most limiting factor