What is reefing the mainsail?

The area of the mainsail is reduced by a technique called reefing. This is much easier than changing the sail. Reefing is done by lowering the mainsail, establishing a new tack and clew using control lines, and hoisting the mainsail again with the bottom part no longer exposed to the wind.

When should you reef a sail?

When to reef? Most boats are designed to require the first reef in around 18 knots apparent wind when sailing to windward. Some lighter, more coastal-orientated boats may struggle in 15 knots while heavier offshore designs will still be happy at 20 knots or more.

Why do you reef a mainsail?

Reefing the mainsail involves lowering the sail part way to reduce its size when the wind increases. A reefed sail reduces heeling of the boat and makes the boat easier to manage. It also reduces the risk of capsizing in a gust. Reefing the mainsail is like partly furling the jib when your boat has a furling jib.

What does it mean to douse a sail?

a : to take in : lower, strike douse a sail.

Where does the term reefing come from?

1660s, “take in, roll up” (a section of a ship’s sail or something like it, t reduce the extent of it), from reef (n. 2). Later also in a general sense of “gather up stuff” of any kind (1836), hence the criminal slang sense of “to pick” (a pocket). Related: Reefed; reefing.

How do reefing lines work?

There are two common methods of single-line reefing. The reefing line is then led from the cockpit to the mast foot, up to the boom, around the forward block on the plate, back to a turning block forward, then up to a cringle or block and down again to terminate to a fixed anchor point on the mast or boom.

Why is it better to sail at night?

Many new cruisers are often scared of sailing through the night. They plan passages from one place to the next only sailing by day. Sailing at night is actually far easier and even more calming than it is during the day.

How long can you sail in a day?

How many nautical miles can you sail in a day? On average, sailboats can sail up to 100 NM (115 miles or 185 km) in one day when they run downwind. If the engine is used at all, this distance can increase to 130 NM on longer passages. With shorter passages, 60 NM is more typical.

When should I use mainsail?

When the boat is not heeling too much in light to moderate apparent wind velocities, extra depth is desirable. When overpowered, heeling too much, and trying to sail upwind, a flatter sail shape is better. A mainsail will become fuller if the leech and the luff move closer together, flatter if they move farther apart.

Is it douse or dowse?

You douse a fire with water; you dowse for water with a dowsing rod. Unless you are discussing the latter practice, the word you want is “douse.”

What is it called when you roll up a sail?

Often sailors mean the jib or genoa furler which rolls up the sail on the forestay. The name Genoa is used when the foot of the headsail is longer than the distance from the forestay to the mast. Otherwise the headsail is referred to as a jib.

How does reefing Balance Your sailboat to perfection?

How Reefing Balances Your Sailboat to Perfection Depower Mainsail and Headsail – Move the headsail sheet blocks aft (opens or “twists” the leech). – Move the mainsheet downwind along the traveler track. Reduce Headsail Area – Turn onto a broad reach to place the headsail into the shadow of the mainsail. Reduce Mainsail Area

What is a sail line for fishing?

Sail Line. A type of trotline with one end of the main line fixed on the shore, the other end of the main line attached to a wind-powered floating device or sail. Nongame fish, red drum, spotted seatrout and sharks may be taken with a sail line. No more than 1 sail line may be used per fisherman.

What is slab reefing?

Slab reefing the mainsail is the subject of this article. Slab reefing, also known as “jiffy reefing,” is a process of temporarily removing sail area from the main by lowering the halyard and re-fastening the boom to the sail using reinforcements sewn to the sail at the reef tack and reef clew .

What is a reef sail?

The reef is usually a series of bands threaded through the sail, by means of which the sail is folded up when the boom or yard is taken up—that is, the sail is reefed, or taken in. Sails may have from one to four reefs.