Reefing Preferences from the Pros

We surveyed a cadre of experienced delivery skippers from around North America to find out what systems and gear they favor for reefing mainsails, and to find out what they don't like, and why.

Though neither a pro, nor one of the interviewees for this article, PS reader Ron Acierno, above, is an avid sailor who has become proficient in reefing his Nimble 30. By transforming what was once a single-line reefing system into a double-line one (separate forward and aft lines for each reef setting), and integrating blocks for the reefing lines, he says he can now reduce his fully battened mainsail from max hoist to the second of three reefs in under seven seconds—all of that in 30 knots of wind.

When done properly, reefing the mainsail can be a graceful affair, a blend of art and science that keeps strong winds from tearing the sail to pieces while bringing relief to crewmembers who have been bouncing around on deck or in the cabin below. When a reefing line gets fouled or a halyard gets stuck or a block pulls out of the boom and colorful language comingles with the breeze, reefing the mainsail can become a high-seas calamity, and a certain precursor to unsafe situations.…