Select to expand quoteLexmark said..
A Quick question
Are the reefs in the main at percentages of the sail area ??
Yes...break out the calculator and apply the above percentages to get a lineal measurement , is that what you are asking ?
I have two reefs in MB main. Deep and f'ing deep. You only need incremental reefs if you are racing. My 2nd is a bit bigger than a trisail. From there I drop it.
As each boat handles different, there are no hard and fast rules, so you need to plan ahead. Once you are starting to get the main inside out and the boat is shipping water over the sides, you are way past the point where you should have put in the next reef.
On my East Coast, a mast head sloop with fin keel, our full racing genoa will drive the main comfortable until about 15 knots. Our #2 on the furler will go to 25, but the main wants a reef about 20. We haven't found the limit of our #3 (not brave enough), but I had 2 reefs in the main at 35 on Pittwater. Our old main had 3 reef points, our new one only has 2, so we have some more learning to do.
If you are thinking about a reef, it is time to put one in. Reef early and relax. When it passes, pull out the reef and relax some more.
The reason for he question is that as not much of a sailor, with a S&S 36 R/C the second reef still leaves me with a lot ( about 80%) still up the next reef is all down, may be I need more reefs put in, so was asking if the reef were a percentage of the main ? in the norm
Probably best to ask your sailmaker. I found it best to take my sails to them, but I found some of the more expensive lofts will come out to your boat to do the measurement.
Yes, but the question I am asking is, Is there a set percentage of the main on the 1st...2nd etc reefs ???
Reefs are classified as a percentage of the luff length not sail area.
For racing Cat 5, min 25% reef.
For Cat 3 and 4, min 40% reef.
Thanks for your reply, may be the reefs are correct, but I am not applying them correctly, or not brave enough
An important factor with regard to the position of reefing points is the strength of the mast and support. A deeply reefed main on a rig that is not designed to carry a load mid mast may in fact break. Baby stays and inner stay are often used to oppose forces of a reefed main just like check stays or runners oppose forces of a staysail
The new full battened main of mine is 15%-30%-45% with reef and cunningham cringles.
On the racing Adams10.6 two reefs but no reef lines reeved.
On the Adams 10 there are no reefing facilities at all. No cringles, nothing.
So there are no sails are the same as there are no skippers the same.
Yeah, general rule used to be 10-20-30% .
Go figure!
