When do U reef ???

Posted By: catsailor
Date: 10/20/11 1:02p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

OK the questions of speed and weight and balast weight etc keep comming up and here's my take. Somewhere around 13-15 knots do you reef, I have had my M15 up to 13 knots with No reef we just both sit on the high side, never seen a boat want to go fast heeling like the M15. So I assume that it makes sense that at +15 knots of blow your thinking of the first reef in the main, probably at 20 knots the second reef in the main (Hey I saw Dan Phy sailing that M 15 with the boat almost air born at what +22 knots with a single main reef - his signature picture) So somewhere along the line some weight down low or on the rail will matter for all points of sail upwind. Maybe a drag off the wind? When you start to reef and U will lose sail shape realistcally with a crappy mail shaped due to reefing and doing the reef under less than ideal circumstances how much loss of boat speed is due to improper sail shape and just plian old sailing a bit more conservatively. As much as speed does matter getting home in one piece does matter too. Your thoughts and please tell me when do you reef ?