[alberg30] Re: slab reefing and headsail furling

[Bob Johns]

From: Bob Johns <bobjns at nais.com>

>My
>question:  Have you found, on those times that you have reefed using the
>deeper first reef, that there is a range in which your boat feels
>undercanvassed when reefed, but overcanvassed when not?  And what loft did
>you hire to cut your sails?


Sanders,

No, that deep first reef location seems just right, at least for the way we
sail. In my example (5.5, 5, 5.5, kts), we reefed because the wind was
gradually rising and we were heeling enough to be a little uncomfortable.
As you can see we made the same speed with the reef in as we did before
reefing.

The day before that happened we had overnighted in Boothbay Harbor when
dozens of Friendship sloops had a regatta there. Four or five left before
we did, going our way. One was behind the others and we passed  him as he
took his first reef. The Friendship sloops use the old "tie in the reef
points" system and we were interested to compare  it to the jiffy system.
We saw that he went almost dead in the water as he tied in the reef points,
and it took him a long time. At the time he was reefing, we had no need to
reef. A little later we caught the other Friendship sloops and passed them
as they were tying in their second reef. Again, they went almost dead in
the water and it was then that we decided to reef our sail. We checked the
speed before, during and after the reefing to compare the two reefing
systems. The numbers stuck in my mind because we lost practically no
distance during the reefing (the 1/2 knot decrease for maybe two  minutes.)

I didn't mean that you should not get the second reef point. Our next set
of sails will still have one. (Thinking  back on it, I realize that we did
use it once or twice - but not very much.) The sails are 17 years old and I
expect to replace them this year. The first replacement set came from
Ulmer/Kolius at City Island. They were good sails. I will probably check
out a local sailmaker first but am not sure where I will go for them. I am
out of touch with subject. (Just looked in the yellow pages and the
sailmaker that has done repairs for me isn't even listed!) I'd be
interested to hear what you find out. I had thought that I might try an
Annapolis sailmaker, but I am a little leery about being too far away if
anything needs fixing.

Regards,
	Bob Johns, Wind Call,  #397

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