Reefing tips

Reefing downwind

Sometimes when sailing downwind with a poled-out headsail, or even under spinnaker, you may wish to put in a reef whilst continuing in the direction of your destination. 

As well as keeping you heading in the right direction this also reduces the apparent wind strength and therefore tends to be more comfortable. 

This technique will allow you to take in a reef without the need to de-rig your pole and come up to windward in light to moderate winds. 

Place the boat on a stable downwind heading typically with the wind fine on the windward quarter

1. Release the boom vang
2. Tension the topping lift, ensuring the boom is elevated a little at the outboard end
3. Ease the preventor whilst tensioning the mainsheet, or if no preventor is fitted simply tension the mainsheet which will centre or blade the mainsail. This will have the effect of scandalising and depowering the mainsail
4. Lower the main halyard until the reefing cringle is level with the ram’s horn – at the same time bring in the reefing line so that both the luff and leach are reduced in unison
5. Attach the reefing cringle to the ram’s horn and re-tension the main halyard
6. Continue to tension the reefing line until the sail is tightly bound to the boom – be aware there may be a need to ease the mainsheet a fraction to allow the sail to be reefed tight to the boom
7. Ease the mainsheet to allow the mainsail to fall out to leeward
8. Ease the topping lift
9. Re-tension the boom vang as necessary
10. Tidy up the lines
11. If appropriate re-rig a preventer

Reefing with a topping lift

For your average cruising sailor this is a simple, safe and low stress method. 

1. Place the boat on a close reach with the headsail trimmed efficiently
2. Ease the boom vang (kicking strap)
3. Ease the mainsheet to depower the main
4. Tension the topping lift, ensuring the boom is raised by an exaggerated amount above the horizontal (this is known as scandalising)
5. Lower the main halyard until your reefing cringle is level with the boom gooseneck
6. Attach the reefing cringle to the ram’s horn or reefing point at the gooseneck
7. Re-tension the main halyard
8. Tension the reefing line ensuring the sail is bound tightly to the boom – check to ensure the sail is not ‘pinched’ to the boom
9. Ease the topping life then sheet in the main
10. Re-tension the boom vang and tidy up tails of all the lines

Reefing without a topping lift

Where you are sailing on a boat without a topping lift or when your topping lift has been disconnected for some reason, this method will allow you to put in a reef safely. 

1. Place the boat on a close reach and trim your headsail efficiently
2. Release the boom vang
3. Ease the mainsheet right out so that the mainsail ‘floats’
4. Lower the halyard until the appropriate reefing cringle is level with the ram’s horn at the gooseneck of the boom
5. Attach the reefing cringle to the ram’s horn
6. Re-tension the main halyard
7. Tension the reefing line to the point where the sail is tightly bound against the boom, checking to make sure the sail is not ‘pinched’ between the reefing line and the boom
8. Trim on with the mainsheet
9. Re-tension the boom vang
10. Tidy up lines and if necessary, tie up the ‘bunt of the sail’ with sail ties through the reefing cringles and around the foot of the sail