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Reefing on a 35/3

gabosifat

Member III
We were out tonight in heavy air with the boat overpowered but didn't reef. The boat is new to us and we haven't practiced reefing it yet. What wind speeds do most 35/3 owners use on first and second reefs to get the best boat speed?

Many thanks for the replies.

Steve Gabbott
Vancouver, BC
 
It is not a matter of wind speed. It is more a matter of comfort. Reef when you first think it might be a good idea. You'll never be sorry that way. Wait, and it becomes all the harder with increases in wind. Knowing how to reef is an important safety consideration.
Morgan Stinemetz
 

NateHanson

Sustaining Member
Reef when you have to use more than 5 degrees of rudder to keep the boat on the wind.

Downwind it's harder to judge, so reef if your crew is yelling "YIPPEE!" as you blast down wave-fronts.
 

Ernest

Member II
Reefing

gabosifat said:
We were out tonight in heavy air with the boat overpowered but didn't reef. The boat is new to us and we haven't practiced reefing it yet. What wind speeds do most 35/3 owners use on first and second reefs to get the best boat speed?

Many thanks for the replies.

Steve Gabbott
Vancouver, BC

We have a 35-3 and generally the first reef goes in at around 18 K apparent/ and 2nd at about 25K. Of course prior to the first reef, we roll the genoa from a 150%, to about a 110%. Even smaller in higher winds. When heeling gets to about 20 degrees, the boat doesn't go any faster with additional heeling. Just gets tougher to handle.
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
When to reef-or reduce

As the replies have indicated, this is not a cut and dried question. When the boat needs less sail is pretty easy to tell. If you are in cruise mode (without a bunch of guys on the rail), you will want to reduce some sail by the time you have about 12 knots True Wind speed (this is upwind of course-you can handle more wind at deeper sailing angles before becoming overpowered).

Notice I said REDUCE, not reef. Assuming you were starting with a 150% genoa, then by the time you have 12 knts TWS (about 17-18 apparent WS) you really want less sail-you can either roll up some genny, go to a smaller headsail, reef, or both.

I would say that if you use a 110% genny, you should be fine upwind up to about 14-15 TWS-after which a first reef is a good idea.

These are all ballpark windspeeds-you will need to determine this for your own boat-and even among same models the point will differ based on how the boat is loaded, etc.

It is safe to say, though, that by the time you have the rail in the water, or have more than 1/4 turn of the wheel needed to keep her straight-you need to reduce some sail. I suggest anything over about 15 degrees of heel as a "setpoint" -since anything much beyond that is slower anyway.

On almost all modern boats, the second reef will hurt performance much more than going to a smaller headsail-it may not be practical to do otherwise, but I wanted to put that out there-the second reef is certainly OK to do, but you are much less efficient.

So, when to reef cannot really be answered until we know what size genoa you are using, and whether you can partially furl it.
Cheers!
S
 
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