2 reefing points or 3 ?

[Dave_S]

I'm going to re-run my reefing lines to the cabin and use a double line reefing system. I'll have 2 lines per reef + Halyard + the full main outhaul + topping lift = 7 or 9 lines with a 3rd reef, 7 is easy-ish with existing hardware 9 is not.

I'm thinking about dropping the 3rd reef because if conditions dictated that 2 reefs were not enough I would probably drop the main all together and run just the jib on a furler. Bearing in mind I've never been in that situation so I don't know what it's like.

I'm just wondering if I need to use the 3rd reef ?

How often do you use it ?

Are you glad it's there ?

[model 10]

I did the same thing. There is a third reef but I've never needed it. I left it's control lines up at the mast.

[44'cruisingcat]

I do use third reef occasionally.

To balance the boat sailing upwind in strong stuff, and sometimes deep reaching in strongish wind when 2 reefs has too much weather helm, but no main wouldn't be as fast as I'd like.

I know some people say to have the first two reefing lines rove, and to swap one to third reef when needed. To me this isn't sensible, when you need third reef, the last place you'd want to be is up on the roof at the end of the boom, mucking around with reefing lines.

[Sberg]

Hi Dave. On my Schionning, for the first three years, we went from all up, to 2nd reef to all down and headsail only. Once I installed the 3rd reef, I found, like 44c, it balances the weather helm in stronger stuff when 2nd is too much.
We also often put it in 3rd when night sailing, to ease the speed slightly but it’s still easy to haul up in the morning without coming up into the wind. I like the options
I have a single line for the 3rd reef clew running inside the boom to the mast winches and use a dyneema loop for the tack end.

[Snore]

Your plan sounds good. I would leave the third at the mast. If you get caught and need the third, ideally you have warning and just stick the third reef in early.

Leading the reefing lines back does NOT preclude the need for a jackline.

[jdazey]

Echoing 44c's comments, the last place I want to spend much time at the mast is when it's time for that 3rd reef. Our boat came with two sets of lines run to the cockpit. With the 3rd reef we've added, I'm running the 2nd and 3rd to the cockpit and will reef the first from on deck.


Cheers,

[seandepagnier]

I have 3 and use them all. I know people with 4.

You could have 2 reefs that are as deep as a normal 3.

[Lihuedooley77]

We are getting lazy in our old age when it comes to reefing. We reef early,


We reef early and I do not bother with a single reef now. I double reef since the winds generally tend to increase and it saves hasseling with tucking in the first reef, and then in an hour or so, tying in a second reef.

As to the 3rd reef, if we were cruising in an area, or going to be, that the winds are howling , we would rig up something that would allow us to tuck in that third reef.

Keeps life easy, much reduced or no weather helm, reduced and comfortable heel, and have the boat sailing closer to her lines, with no rounding up.

Agree with reefing early. Our normal procedure, is the reef down as soon as we see the whitecaps starting up. Again, keeping life easy. We stay ahead of the power curve if possible.

[Dsanduril]

We are frequently down in the 2nd and 3rd reefs, but have similar hardware limitations. We went the opposite direction, the first reef is the one that gets us out and about, the second and third are fully rigged. If we're feeling lazy we just go from full main to second reef and accept the little hit in speed (and it usually isn't much if we're sailing in reefing conditions), otherwise once the first reef is in all the rest can be handled much more easily.

[Don C L]

Yeah, perhaps keep all 3 and as Dsanduril says, rig only the two deepest for double line clew/tack and keep the lower for going forward, doing by hand, tack to a horn and clew with its own line on the boom to a cam cleat. Without the 3rd you limit your upwind ability to windspeeds below, depending on your boat, to 30kts or so, maybe a little more? More options are always better.

[fxykty]

What does your reefing guide say? Ours specifies 3rd reef from 35knots AWS and we often go to it much earlier as boat speed doesn’t seem to suffer much with reefing once we have 25+knots.

Our second reef is 56% and third reef 39% of full main. We are planning to add a fourth reef at trysail size. But only running a mouse line for the clew with the plan of using the outhaul as the fourth reef line (all reefing done at the mast).

[roverhi]

The third reef makes a great steadying sail under power. It doesn't slat and bang as the boat rolls like a full main or shallower reefs.

Storm trisail might be a better option for use in strong winds especially if you contemplating extended cruising. Last thing you need is a shredded main when you are in the middle of nowhere. Better to have the trisail take the abuse.

[Dave_S]

Thanks all

I'll aim for 3.

[DavefromNZ]

Coastal 2 Reefs is fine. Offshore have three Reefs.

[fxykty]

Not sure why coastal and offshore would have different reefs, as reefing guides are based on wind. Sure, in flatter coastal water you can be more aggressive with sail area but for cruising that can be more hectic than is comfortable.

I had a item in my todo list to mouse the third reef line until we head offshore again, which thankfully I hadn’t done yet as the weekend before last we had gale force SW winds (fairly common through the winter in Auckland) and were zooming along with three reefs and 50% jib.