How to Reef Sails Single-Handed | Sailing Tranquilo Around the World

[@nunoelias5067]

As a sugestion I would recommend to ease the kicker so the boom can move a little upwards when reefing. This will allow higher tension on the reefed sail later on.

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

Excellent advice!

[@robertnixon3816]

Nice job! Clean and smooth with an excellent discription! Best "how to" video!

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

Thanks Robert!!

[@ianb4801]

Strategy I use is to always use as little of the sail as I can get away with, not as much as I can get away with; never entering night time unreefed. But I mostly single hand (currently in Panama) and my reefing all happens at the mast and those together, heavily influence my judgement there. I like how you point out easing the main until it starts to luff because that's all you need to take the load out of the sail. But something I've found that with my reefing lines being 12mm, winching on that 3rd reef is nigh on impossible - unless I wind it mostly on but then ease the kicker to bring the boom more up to the sail than the sail down to the boom; the reefing line just won't slide through the cringle with too much tension.´ Then I bring the tensions back on and I end up with a flatter sail.

[@yojimbos1]

Does this procedure assume a single line reefing system? It seems so as there was no mention of tightening up the clew. Sorry to point out the obvious- I've crewed on an Island Packet 32 with a single line reefing system and it's a joy- most of the keel boats I sail don't have that rig set and it's a bit more work. Nicely done on your boat.

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

Great point, yes it assumes single line reefing! That's pretty much all we've sailed since we started sailing 20 years ago! And thanks!

[@elroncubano]

I find de powering by only letting the main and boom out and putting a reef in without turning into the wind at least slightly means it’s hard to keep sail off the spreaders or lazy jacks as it comes down unless you get everything absolutely perfect

[@ACsailing]

Great tutorial. Thanks for that.

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

You're welcome!

[@jimmykure7126]

Great job

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

Thanks Jimmy

[@robertscranton8293]

Nice video

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

Thanks Robert

[@captainmike808]

Simple set up

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

Works well

[@paulklebaum1682]

Appears that one can rest peacefully when you're on the helm!👍😃

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

Yes can rest pretty well!

[@julesmoto9022]

Forgot to say that you have single line reefing otherwise there are a lot more steps. Even your single line reefing must be set up very well because mine doesn't work very well at all to the extent that I don't use it. Same boom as yours too yours

[@awa865]

That's all good. However, my boat has the reefing pennant on the boom near the mast, plus you need to hook on the ram's horns. And it's a laminate sail, no stack pack, no lazy jacks. Not so easy single handed.

[@ianb4801]

not all bad though - and all of my reefing happens at the mast. One thing worries me about having every line coming back to the cockpit is that you might become unaccustomed to working on deck - when dealing with a problem on deck I don't want to be distracted by the unfamiliarity of being there. Same "benefit" arises from your setup too.

[@nicolascopp8888]

No use of the gooseneck or folding extra sail to the clew. It's a job 1/2 done

[@ianb4801]

My older style boom use a single line per reef but I must also use that ramshorn at the gooseneck. Is this what you mean? If so, it's worth noting that the new Selden booms use shuttles inside the boom so that the single line per reef brings both the tack and the clew down at the same time. Might be there's a limit of 2 such "automatic reefs" because the line for a third would be too long to operate a shuttle and I suppose it's back to the old ways for that one.

[@joecoleman3153]

great stuff. Would look a lot more professional if you had a life jacket on. WTF

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

Thanks Joe! Appreciate the life jacket point, however it was a relatively calm day. There's no way we don't wear life jackets in worse conditions or at night (with tethers at night).

[@rickkwitkoski1976]

First!

[@Expedition_Tranquilo]

👊

[@todd4713]

Marry Me 🥰