Sailing Basics - How to Reef Your Mainsail the Right Way
Sailing 7 years ago 27,573 views
Visit http://www.skippertips.com for more sailing basics and cruising tips like these. Imagine sailing down a narrow channel in 25 knots of wind under reefed mainsail alone. All of a sudden--Pop! Snap! You watch helplessly from the helm as your mainsail slugs snap off of the boltrope like popcorn in a hot skillet. And then to top it off, your mainsail rips from luff to leech! What now, skipper? Captain John with 25+ years of experience shows you the no-nonsense cruising skills you need for safer sailing worldwide. Visit his website at https://www.skippertips.com and sign up for his highly popular Sailing Tip of the Week. Discover how you can gain instant access to hundreds of sailing articles, videos, FREE e-Books and much more!
![[YTP] IT'S ALL RIGHT HERE AT YOUR FINGERTITS](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y7WtkdLQ6PM/sddefault.jpg)
Thanks for the tip. But I do it a little bit different.
Say 'I'm reefing from full main to first reef
1 I loosen the vang
2 I tighten the 2nd reefing line this lifts the boom making it easier to reef the 1st reefing point but keeps tension in the leach of the sail. lock off 2nd reefing line
3 I lower halyard and similar tighten up 1st reef until reef is fully tighten,
4 Once the sail is in the correct position all corners fixed I realise the 2nd reef and retension the vang
This way the sail is under control the leach never is flapping uncontrollably
bruce
e.g. "...On Nikki, I use dedicated buntlines: small-diameter lengths of line that pass through a horizontal series of cringles in the sail, between the reefed tack and the reefed clew, and tied with reef knots. Their only purpose is to store the “bunt” — that excess sailcloth that hangs down from the finished reef — to increase visibility from the helm and reduce flopping. For mainsails without buntlines, the sail can be gathered and secured with sail ties rove through the appropriate reef points, or through cringles in the sail, which serve the same purpose. Either way, buntlines or sail ties should never be pulled tight before tying, because they will strain and eventually tear the sail at the cringles. Your reefed sail should be left loose-footed, although the buntlines or ties can be knotted under the boom or only around the bunt itself, which I prefer. When I race Nikki, I leave the bunt untied because it doesn’t get in the way and it reduces the time to take another reef in or shake it out..." http://www.cruisingworld.com/seamanship-101-reefing-main?image=3