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

simon10 said:
..................... Maybe the only answer is to sail in the Med? Everything seems better on sunny days, clear blue seas, and no tide.

Apart from moving to Greece, I would really appreciate your opinions in unravelling a potentially dangerous situation.
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You might find that Med sailing does not solve your problem. In UK waters weather forecasts are more reliable than any I can get in Turkey, in addition I have generally found that wind speeds build up fairly gradually in the UK with plenty of warning from the occasional bigger gust and the falling barometer. In the Med and Aegean it is not at all uncommon for the wind to go from 10 to 15 knots up to 35 knots in a few minutes, sometimes with a big change in direction as well. Sailing round the Turkish coast, often singlehanded, I have learned to reef early.
 
Norman_E said:
You might find that Med sailing does not solve your problem. In UK waters weather forecasts are more reliable than any I can get in Turkey, in addition I have generally found that wind speeds build up fairly gradually in the UK with plenty of warning from the occasional bigger gust and the falling barometer. In the Med and Aegean it is not at all uncommon for the wind to go from 10 to 15 knots up to 35 knots in a few minutes, sometimes with a big change in direction as well. Sailing round the Turkish coast, often singlehanded, I have learned to reef early.
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I'd agree 100%, Med sailing is far more chancy than around UK - more wind changes, faster and very much worse sea conditions.
 
I agree about the wind changes, but sea conditions are usually fairly benign around the south west Turkish coast, though I have had a few days of steep 3 metre waves.
 
charles_reed said:
With a fully battened main, 22.5 degree aft swept spreaders and single-handed it's a situation I avoid. With my first two reefs being single-line and an oversize main I'm already down to 2 reefs in 30knots apparent downwind and would be considering putting in the 3rd reef (with one to go). At that point the boat would be surfing.

If it's running too much of a sea to come up to wind, I'd haul in the mainsheet to bring the main fore&aft, to clear the spreaders, and inch the sail down using the reefing winch and a length of line on the luff and the clew-line. The secret is to do it in little bites and avoid catching the main on the spreaders.

When it was in, I'd go back to the cockpit, apologise to the Autohelm and give myself a good kicking for incompetence.

Having said that, 24 years of single-handing has taught me that you'll always find a new way to get caught out.
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I have watched this thread and the answers with interest.

Ignoring the smartypants replies from those with wing sails, rotating masts and aero-rigs, gaffers and others etc etc its a situation we've all been in and regretted.

The bit I'm going to agree with in Charles's post is giving yourself a good kicking afterwards. Downwind its all too easy to not be aware of how the wind is building.

Please don't even think about coming up directly into the wind and motoring! Even if such a plan worked, what happens when the wind is so strong you can't get the bow up into the wind. Also as someone has already said, the 30 knots will be 40 knots before you know it. What happens when your engine doesn't work? There are better ways.

My suggestion would be to follow what others have said about gybing the genoa and reefing it well down. Then come VERY SLOWLY onto a beam reach without sheeting the main in and getting some of the that main down as quickly as you can. If necessary get it all down and sail under genoa only…

Just my two penny worth...
 
At least you don't have a spinnaker to contend with .
Lifelines on.
Place reefing lines on winch an ensure no tangles.
Roll in headsail to reduce sail area.
Convert to a stable reach and remove preventer
Turn boat as far into wind as she will go
One of you slowly drop main in controlled fashion other winch in reefing line whilst controlling not in use reefing lines ( to prevent them from tangling)
With roller cars this should work.
Much easier if engine will start and of course assuming you have autopilot
Consider removing main completely and continuing under jib if plenty of sea room
 
Holy thread res erection! But an interesting topic.
To be perverse, I don't even get close to this situation, if I am turning downwind, main and mizzen are dropped, turn downwind, pole out genoa, rig inner forestay, hoist high cut yankee, pole that out.
Then enjoy the ride.
 
It's amazing how much head in sand wishful thinking there is going on among the YES community. When interviewed on TV both the Salmon and the Sturgeon (is this the basis for a kids fairy tale?) take the " don't confuse us with the facts" approach to their arguments.
Their basic presumption is that the rest of the UK will be happy to underwrite their "great adventure" and grant them the right to a massive dose of fiscal and financial self indulgence. What they have failed to understand is the degree to which us English Middle class, middle aged voters are sick to death of the way in which successive socialist governments have wet nursed, pampered and over rewarded the Scottish economy to maintain the Labour vote. Once independence happens we can at last have a representative conservative government in Westminster. The 40 Scottish seats being dissolved. And believe me a conservative Goverment will not be given a mandate to be kind to the Scots.
As an hereditary Scot I'm hoping when push comes to shove the Scottish electorate will understand what sacrifices they will have to make, for themselves and their children, in persuit of an anachronistic idea. But they're Celts and for their sins they have always rated the past as being more important than the future. Let's hope the younger voters are more intelligent.
 
Keep an eye on the barometer if it starts to move up reef. What we use to do was head up into wind.

>Maybe the only answer is to sail in the Med?

Ask anybody who has been in the Med and they will say you spend more time motoring than sailing.
 
Bertramdriver said:
It's amazing how much head in sand wishful thinking there is going on among the YES community. When interviewed on TV both the Salmon and the Sturgeon (is this the basis for a kids fairy tale?) take the " don't confuse us with the facts" approach to their arguments.
Their basic presumption is that the rest of the UK will be happy to underwrite their "great adventure" and grant them the right to a massive dose of fiscal and financial self indulgence. What they have failed to understand is the degree to which us English Middle class, middle aged voters are sick to death of the way in which successive socialist governments have wet nursed, pampered and over rewarded the Scottish economy to maintain the Labour vote. Once independence happens we can at last have a representative conservative government in Westminster. The 40 Scottish seats being dissolved. And believe me a conservative Goverment will not be given a mandate to be kind to the Scots.
As an hereditary Scot I'm hoping when push comes to shove the Scottish electorate will understand what sacrifices they will have to make, for themselves and their children, in persuit of an anachronistic idea. But they're Celts and for their sins they have always rated the past as being more important than the future. Let's hope the younger voters are more intelligent.
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This is taking thread drift to new heights.
 
So, your basic premise is that a lot of hot air is needed to reef downwind in 30 kts of wind, interesting, make the air less dense.

Bertramdriver said:
It's amazing how much head in sand wishful thinking there is going on among the YES community. When interviewed on TV both the Salmon and the Sturgeon (is this the basis for a kids fairy tale?) take the " don't confuse us with the facts" approach to their arguments.
Their basic presumption is that the rest of the UK will be happy to underwrite their "great adventure" and grant them the right to a massive dose of fiscal and financial self indulgence. What they have failed to understand is the degree to which us English Middle class, middle aged voters are sick to death of the way in which successive socialist governments have wet nursed, pampered and over rewarded the Scottish economy to maintain the Labour vote. Once independence happens we can at last have a representative conservative government in Westminster. The 40 Scottish seats being dissolved. And believe me a conservative Goverment will not be given a mandate to be kind to the Scots.
As an hereditary Scot I'm hoping when push comes to shove the Scottish electorate will understand what sacrifices they will have to make, for themselves and their children, in persuit of an anachronistic idea. But they're Celts and for their sins they have always rated the past as being more important than the future. Let's hope the younger voters are more intelligent.
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KellysEye said:
.......................>Maybe the only answer is to sail in the Med?

Ask anybody who has been in the Med and they will say you spend more time motoring than sailing.
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Well don't ask me if you want that answer because I reckon to cover 70 to 75% of my cruising distance under sail. The people who motor all the time are the ones who think it a requirement to get from a to b in x hours. I will happily go at 3 knots if that is all the wind allows and have had plenty of good sailing in reasonable winds. This is partly a recognition that where I sail there is often little wind before 11 AM, so little point in setting off too early, whilst the wind is often a nice breeze close to the coast in the afternoon caused by the high land temperature and giving you a decent sail.
 
charles_reed said:
Has he yet managed to reef?
Has his other half stayed with him?
Is he on his second, involuntary circumnavigation?
Is his name, by any chance, Bernard Fokke?
Stay with this thread to the end and have your blood frozen in your veins....!
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Just thought I would revisit this old post. I found the best way is simply to ease the main 6" at a time & reef it in, making sure the sail is not on the shrouds. Nice and slow no drama.

Or as John Morris said
''My suggestion would be to follow what others have said about gybing the genoa and reefing it well down. Then come VERY SLOWLY onto a beam reach without sheeting the main in and getting some of the that main down as quickly as you can. If necessary get it all down and sail under genoa only…''

Yes, amazingly my wife still with me. We got a bit sick of the weather in England so the boat now lives in Greece, this is where this boat is designed to be. As I said before when things get rough its a lot better in the sun.

Not a lot of wind out here, the only real skill needed is parking in 15 to 20 knots of cross wind that happens between 3pm to 6pm. If you leave it until the wind has died down there's no spaces left. But the best thing of all is getting in a bit earlier (under 10 knots) sitting in the Taverna with a cold beer & olives, watching the drama of crossed anchors, no lines, no fenders, etc etc. Far better than watching EastEnders.
 
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