The slopiest 3rd Reef you'll ever see... that worked just fine

[thinwater]

When I ordered my new main I asked for 3 reefs, but I'd never had cause to use it. Since there are only 2 internal reefs, I would need to rig some thing, but I never did. Then this morning I realized I'd be beating in sustained 20-25 knots with gusts over 30 knots. It would have been neater, but I didn't realize just how strong it was until I was already in some wind. Getting a hold of the clew is not so easy then.

It turns out a couple of dock lines on the clew and a strope to hold the tack works fine. The jacklines held the bunt just fine. The thing to remember is that the forces on the cloth of a reefed sail are greater, but the force on the clew and tack are not much different than pressing hard before reefing. How could they be, since the boat is heeling about the same?



It looks calm, but I can tell you, it was not. Note the spray on the dodger.