New to the daysailer, New to the forum.

[GreenLake]

When a reef is the answer (and I've sailed on boats, inckuding a DS, that were rigged for three levels) here's the basic idea.

You need to have a new clew and a new tack grommet put into your sails, with proper reinforcements (called reef points). (The Basic Concept shows that schematically).

You need to mark your halyard so you know how much to let out so the main can drop to accommodate the bottom being reefed.

You need a line to pull the new clew down and aft, and that line is led forward, so you can operate it. On one side of the boom you put an eye, on the other side a cheek block. They aren't opposite of each other, you'll want one of them sitting further back to get the pull aft (so the new foot of your reefed sail can be flat).

In front you can rig a line going up and back down to bring down the new tack. Or you can hook the new tack into a hook at the gooseneck, and then tighten your halyard keeping the luff of your sail flat. Which system you use is a matter of taste.

There are many sources for suggested setups, or you do your own, based on these basic principles (what I did).

Initially, you'd put a reef in on shore to depower your rig in advance based on conditions.

The real challenge will be to do that while on the water. If you know how to heave to, you'll find that the easiest way to go. If not, read up on that and practice. (That's what I did).

There's really no particular magic "perfect" setup; a number of solutions can work well. It might also not necessarily be the first thing you add to your boat (that is, if you can reasonably forecast that your trip will not see gusts over 15).

I find that even solo, I can manage with gusts up to perhaps 2o, but if those gusts are frequent or particularly unpredictable in timing/direction, I usually don't find that as much fun and will head for a sheltered bay. But sustained winds around 1o are definitely not a problem; those are the sweet spot for the DS.

[Quiggers73]

I'm going to go down to the dock today to be able to compare your links to what I have on my sail, and boom.

Actually what you have shown in the some of the pics confused me to as to its purpose, but as I see those pics now I can see where they would be used for reefing.

I may shoot a pic of two up here to see if I have the right idea.

I was told by a local sailer that we will start to see stronger winds on the lake later in the season so I'd like to be prepared.

[GreenLake]

If your goal is to sail in stronger winds, don't forget to mount a vang. And not the default 3:1 affair, but from 12:1 to 20:1. And to use it not just downwind, but also upwind, where it is used to keep the sail flat, even if you let out the main when responding to a gust.

It makes a noticeable difference in how your boat handles gusts.

[Quiggers73]

All great stuff..

I went out yesterday, much less wind, with both my boys. Got our seating much better oriented with two of us up against the cuddy.
Made switching and working the jib way easier.

That left plenty of room for the helmsman (12 years old) to do the job he was hired for lol.

I honestly feel it was mismanagement in the tack and a good gust that put us over.

One of the local sailers advised that due to the chine on the boat we want to be sailing it as flat as we can. So we hiked out more.
Instead of my thinking more heel for more speed.

I also took some decent pics of the sail and it looks like there's reefing points.

[Quiggers73]

Pics of sail and reefing hook.

Does the hook go through one of the eyes on the sail ? Or a tie.

[Quiggers73]

I apologize greenlake. I see the detailed links in the previous post.

Thank you. I shall try and identify the components in those links on my boat when I get down over the next few days.

[GreenLake]

In your photos I see that you have center boom sheeting with a fiddle block. You seem to have a vang, can't quite see what the purchase ration is. I see your reef hook.

It's nice, with the two horns you can put two reefs in. Useful if you really sail in an area where stronger winds are common and/or unavoidable (as in, might hit you far from home/safe spot).

I see only one reef point in the sail. The other, lower one in front is for a Cunningham (I'll let you google that one). Helps control sail shape when not reefed. The Cunningham would be a line going through the lower cringle, and the upper one is your first reef point and gets hooked when you reef (no line, but you need a line for the one in back - we all described that here in detail, happy hunting).

I also see a boom donwhaul at the gooseneck, and an outhaul at the end of the boom, plus an eye strap that seems destined for a reef line.