Reefing the Mizzen?

[MisterMoon]

Ok, I've searched and searched, but I haven't been able to find anything in the forum. Here's the scenario: I'm out in the Gulf, a couple of miles off shore and I decide too late (as usual!) that it's time to reef. I head up into the wind sheeting the mizzen in hard while letting the main sheet fly. I go foward and reef the main.

Now what?! I can't for the life of me figure out how to control the boat while dealing with the mizzen if I've waited a little too long to reef. All I can see in my mind's eye isn't very pretty. Any collected wisdom would be appreciated!

[Peter HK]

The technique that I use is

1 Reef the main

2 Ease off on the correct tack to reef the mizzen (depending on whether spritboom is port or starboard).

3 Set your course about 60 degrees off the breeze ( ie a close reach), ease mizzen completely, pull on mainsheet to just fill the main, put the helm a-lee (I have a tiller tamer rigged). This should have you just moving forward with the rudder trying to head the boat up but the main losing power when too close to the breeze causing the rudder to lose flow and the the bow to fall away again. It's a reasonably stable condition though needs a little supervision from time to time.

4 Reef the mizzen ( I have a reefing line permanently rigged so I just have to drop the halyard a bit and pull on the reefing line)

5 Go sailing

I have used this technique on my CS 17 to about 20 knots but on my Bolger Folding Schooner we reefed the main (aft sail on a schooner and about 120 sq ft) many times like this in 30 knots and more.

Cheers

Peter HK

[Peter HK]

One other thing that might be of interest is- how to rig the boat if conditions look like they may be a bit too much, or if it may be gusty... not enough to reef both sails, or overpowered in the gusts but needing a bit more area in the lulls.

I intentionally built my centrecase cap so that the centreboard goes as far down as possible. This means I have to adjust the centreboard so that it is not fully down for correct balance with the full rig. The good news is that with a reefed mizzen and with the board fully down the balance is just right- a touch of weather helm. The result is that, if it is gusty, I can go out with full main and reefed mizzen and have great control with the mainsheet, lots of power, and never be overpowered by the reefed mizzen. This may not work on all boats if the centreboard can't go down as far, or if the centre of effort is different ( I have roachy sails... it might not be the same with a battenless rig)

My 2c worth

Cheers

Peter HK

[Ken_Potts]

Ok, I've searched and searched, but I haven't been able to find anything in the forum. Here's the scenario: I'm out in the Gulf, a couple of miles off shore and I decide too late (as usual!) that it's time to reef. I head up into the wind sheeting the mizzen in hard while letting the main sheet fly. I go foward and reef the main.

Now what?! I can't for the life of me figure out how to control the boat while dealing with the mizzen if I've waited a little too long to reef. All I can see in my mind's eye isn't very pretty. Any collected wisdom would be appreciated!

Since you've got lots and lots of room... Now that the main is reefed, set off dead downwind under just the reefed main - Let the mizzen fly forward while you reef it.

If you managed to reef the main while the boat was hove to, the mizzen will be easy to reef while you're running.

[Peter HK]

Hey Ken

You'll have to change the location on your profile

Cheers

Peter HK

[MisterMoon]

Thanks for the continued tips. Do you know if the running off under main alone while reefing the mizzen will work with sails on tracks? My experience with sails in luff grooves is there is too much friction unless the sail is streaming straight back from the mast.

[Peter HK]

Thanks for the continued tips. Do you know if the running off under main alone while reefing the mizzen will work with sails on tracks? My experience with sails in luff grooves is there is too much friction unless the sail is streaming straight back from the mast.

I think Ken had luff sleeves.

You can leave the masts fully rotating so the track would be forward facing.

My masts are fixed, so I use the method described in my first post- the boat is facing into the breeze enough so the slides drop easily (especially as the flow from the main tends to shift the apparent breeze for the mizzen more from ahead).

Cheers

Peter HK

[Ken_Potts]

I think Ken had luff sleeves.

You can leave the masts fully rotating so the track would be forward facing.

My masts are fixed, so I use the method described in my first post- the boat is facing into the breeze enough so the slides drop easily (especially as the flow from the main tends to shift the apparent breeze for the mizzen more from ahead).

Cheers

Peter HK

Yes, I had luff sleeves and I've had no experience with non-rotating masts.

And I've changed my location to Canberra