Hi Guys, I have heard the expression 'if you think it's time to reef, then reef' many times. I basically agree, buy many new sailors don't realize there are many things you should do BEFORE reefing.
In light air (5 kts) you want a very full sail shape to capture as much power as possible. The halyards should be soft so that the leading edge (luff) of the sail is not tight. The outhaul of the main should be eased so the bottom of the sail has a very full shape (deep chord). If you have an adjustable backstay it should be eased so that the headstay doesn't sag, but the main is very full. Setting the rig like this allows the sails to collect the most power from the wind. As the wind increases you will start to be overpowered. Now it's time to start depowering the rig. As the wind build to 10 kts you need to flatten the sails so they don't generate as much power. Increase the halyard tension to pull out any wrinkles along the luff. Increase the outhaul tension to decrease the draft of the sail. The flatter the sail the less power it generates. If you can, increase backstay tension to flatten the main some more. If the wind continues to build you can continue to depower the rig. If you are at max halyard and outhaul tension, and still heeling too much, you can now lower the traveler for the main to spill some wind. For the headsail you can move the sheet lead (car) aft to allow the top of the sail to spill wind while the bottom generates power. If have done all (or at least some) of these things, and the boat is still heeling too much, THEN it's time to reef the sails. Making those adjustments allows me to keep my boat powered up from 5 kts to 15 kts of wind. If I am seeing 15 kts consistently I will roll up my headsail from full (135) to a 110 or 100 (I have two stripes on the sail to let me know the size). Once that isn't enough I reef the main. Hope this helps. Barry Barry Lenoble leno...@optonline.net Deep Blue C, C&C 110 Mt. Sinai, NY > On Jun 21, 2016, at 00:18, Lorne Serpa via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > I've been sailing for about 1.5 years on a 13' hobbie and WW Potter P15. My 30MkII is my 1st real boat of any size and weight. I have not sailed it yet. I'll be heading out for my 1st sail about 1 July. > > When do you 30MkII owners start reefing above what wind speed? I believe the 30MkII is "tender", but have also read it is pretty "stiff" so I'm not sure what to believe. I'm not a fan of heeling yet, gets me a tid bit nervous, but not as much since taking ASA 101,103/104 last month. > > I have heard the 30MkII is pretty good carrying a lot of sail in light wind and moves well. I just needs to be reefed earlier than many boats to sail flat. > > What is considered decent wind for a 30MkII? I fully understand that it is based on skill. In my ASA classes, we put in a reef in at about Beaufort 6/7 in Corpus Christi Bay, TX. The boat was a 35' Benatou. We had a great time with no worries. Will a 30MkII be similar, or very different due to the 5 foot less, less beam, and probably much less ballast? *** _______________________________________________ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
