What's the best way to Reef downwind in 30 knots?

alahol2 said:
I don't know about boats of that size but if it were me I would (and have) remove the preventer, roll up some genoa then come into a hove-to position.
At this point all goes quiet (relatively) and it should be fairly easy to put a reef in the main.
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+1
 
whiteshythe said:
Hi Simon,

My method for reefing your B50 from a Goosewing in 30kt (apparent)?downwind would be as follows.
Gybe your Genoa so that it is now on the same side and in the lee of your main. Assuming you have a roller reefing headsail, you can now reef it as required, then sheet it in hard.
Now bring the boat up onto a beam reach, but DO NOT sheet in the main.
The main will be flapping and backwinded by the Genoa, but will be easy to lower. Above all the boat will not be overpowered.
Any method that involves going head to wind, even if to heave to, will involve
a wind over the deck in excess of 40kts, which with full sail, I am sure you would rather avoid!
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+1
 
simon10 said:
Thanks for that, interesting about the backwind bit. Yes maybe, I should have ordered Inmast Furling. I chose Slab Reefing after seeing many jammed in the Med, probably from miss handling. My sail’s are a lot of sail to handle for a husband & wife weekend sailing team.
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Inmast reefing doesn't necessarily solve the problem. Certainly on my boat you reef going downwind only in an emergency. The shape of my sail is such that this seems to be an easy way to get a jam. The sail goes in, but creases and can require a lot of force to get it back out in. So, I would furl downwind if I had to, but I prefer to get the wind forward of the beam first.
 
Graham_Wright said:
Without too much thought, could you scandalise the main? That should slow the boat down and then you can heave to with less violence?
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I doubt you can do that on an AWB.

On my boat in a strong wind, I would not want to do that as it is likely to get the sail wrapped around the leeward topping lift. Also on a broad reach to a run it will have little effect as I scandalise by lowering the peak. On boats which scandalise by hoisting up the tack, then yes this would be effective - but then you will need to pull the tack back down again to reef.

I don't know if you could hoist up the tack while sailing downwind in 30 knots. The force on the sail will be considerable and I doubt you will be able to move the tack much as the sail will not move much relative to the mast with any of the usual attachment systems for the luff I am aware of (track cars, sliders, hoops, rope, ....).

So seems better to me to get on and heave to - even if momentarily you will be giving the lee deck a good wash. Once hove too - you can take your time to do what is needed.

At 30 knots I would still carry full main, working staysail jib and would be starting to think of putting the first reef into the main if I am going to be beating to windward - but then the lump of lead I have at the bottom of my boat weighs as much as your average 50ft boat all up.
 
Dont sail downwind with the main up.

Set up a Code O on a prodder, and sheet the genoa on the other side. If there is too much sail, sheet the genoa to cover the code 0 and remove it
 
MoodySabre said:
I think it was a joke - least I hope it was!

.
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No it was a comment from someone with one of those commercially unsuccessful unstayed rotating rigs with a fixed foresail boom going forward - I forget the trade name unfortunately. Doesnt apply to typical unstayed rigs - we once managed to rip the kicker and break the boom of an unstayed Freedom rig when a shackle gave way and the boom ended up pointing dead forwards

For a conventional rig, I would think the best way would be to furl the genoa and then round up to reef the main. As the OP suggests, much the best approach is to keep and eye on the true wind speed reading.
 
wotayottie said:
For a conventional rig, I would think the best way would be to furl the genoa and then round up to reef the main.
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Agree - personally I furl the genoa until the clew is just forward of the shrouds

wotayottie said:
As the OP suggests, much the best approach is to keep and eye on the true wind speed reading.
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I would take the behaviour of the boat as a guide, or the appearance of the sea (breaking crests etc), rather than relying on a windspeed instrument (which I don't have anyway).

Another hint is when I see similar sized yachts beating to windward with reefs in. If they need them, chances are I will :D
 
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Just as a quick point - you probably already know this - but ...

Down wind with a poled out Genoa - there can be a LOT of force on the pole - and as soon as you unclip it from the sheet you'll have a wandering clew ...

On my boat I can furl the genoa completely with the pole in situ - and this is what I'd do if I had too much out and needed to remove the pole ...

I would then look at either heaving too with reduced genoa - or reaching under genoa - at no point would I go head to wind as you loose all steerage unless you fire up the engine ...
The boom will flap about quite a bit as you put the reef in and it can be quite alarming - as can the initial round up as it will heal quite significantly - so don't round up without prepping the crew and boat first.

TBH - at 30 knots I'd probably look at putting the full reef into the main - ie have it ALL in the bag!! and then proceed just under genoa - which is far easier to control/reef when off wind.
 
As many others have said - don't get into this situation.

However. if you have, and the idea of heading up to reef is unappealing it is often possible to reef without changing course. Simply ease the main halyard and pull down the tack, dragging the sail over the shrouds, whilst your other crew also winds on the clew pennant. Try to time pulling it down with the periods of highest boat speed when the boat is surfing on a wave, so that the apparent wind is least.

However - this is made more difficult with fully batterned sails AND you will risk damage to and certainly reduce the life of the sails if you do this repeatedly. It's an "oops" procedure, not a standard one.
 
it's entirely possible

to reef when on a run if you have slab reefing (ie not in-mast), a fully battened main and roller cars. Skip Novak advocates reefing while running in 30kts+ in the southern ocean. This is used by Harken in advertsing their roller cars, see http://www.harken.com/mainsail/Mainsail_Novak.php

I've done it when running goosewinged in a wind which got up to F8 before the boat became difficult to manage. First get the yankee across as others have said, then furl it - completely in my case since I chose to use staysail alone. Secondly sheet the main in hard and then pull the reefing line (single line system for reefs 1 & 2, two lines for reef 3) while easing the halyard. The sail never touches the spreaders if you do it carefully, only ~6" or less at a time.

It all happens without fuss and without a drop of water coming across the decks, so doesn't seem unseamanlike.
 
jdc said:
to reef when on a run if you have slab reefing (ie not in-mast), a fully battened main and roller cars. Skip Novak advocates reefing while running in 30kts+ in the southern ocean. This is used by Harken in advertsing their roller cars, see http://www.harken.com/mainsail/Mainsail_Novak.php

I've done it when running goosewinged in a wind which got up to F8 before the boat became difficult to manage. First get the yankee across as others have said, then furl it - completely in my case since I chose to use staysail alone. Secondly sheet the main in hard and then pull the reefing line (single line system for reefs 1 & 2, two lines for reef 3) while easing the halyard. The sail never touches the spreaders if you do it carefully, only ~6" or less at a time.

It all happens without fuss and without a drop of water coming across the decks, so doesn't seem unseamanlike.
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Sounds Good, I will give this a go.
 
With Selden in-mast furing just release the outhaul and pull the furling line.

What are you doing with such a big boat short-handed and without in-mast furling?
 
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