most efficient reefing

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Anonymous (not verified)
most efficient reefing
Hi.Could any experinced tiki21 sailors out there tell me the most balanced reef arrangement that you have found.My home cruising ground is a shallow tidal bay.The tide runs at upto 4 knots through my mooring.For reasons I don't know the wind regularly gets up at high tide .Yesterday from a flat calm to 20 knots or so in 2minutes, then on up;inevitably ,about a minute after I put all sail up.Exhillarating sail but catching the mooring is tricky.Impossible with all sail(for me anyway).I need to be going upwind slowly.The 4 horse honda, which is running sweetly, struggles in high wind,and also cavitates in the steep little waves.I watch jealously as little yawls with just mizzen & jib go upwind in a relaxed manner & catch their moorings.I just have one reef in the main.I've tried reefed main+ jib-too fast ;just reefed main or just jib-sedate but not much upwind.Anyone got slow upwind manouvreability worked out?What reefing arrangement do you use? Any info very much appreciated.
Anonymous (not verified)
Re: most efficient reefing
Do you have the space to overshoot your mooring and then come downwind to it? Perhaps when Rory next comes on the board he will have more specifics for the tiki 21.
Anonymous (not verified)
Re: most efficient reefing
Hi John,when I owned my tiki 21 I felt one reef in the main was not enough.When the time arrived to order new sails I asked for a extra row of reefing points to be added.Also I had a smaller jib made (43 sq feet) which made a big difference when sailing.This doesn,t really answer your question about stopping and picking up your mooring. Years ago my tiki 21 used to be kept on a swinging mooring in a bay so I had the same proplem as you.I think the answer is timing and practice,we all know when a tiki is tacked through the wind there is a point where the boat almost stops but its really left to timing.I used to practice a lot sometimes I got it spot on sometimes I had to go around and try again.Best wishes and good sailing.Phil (Tiki 26"SCOOBY")
Anonymous (not verified)
Re: most efficient reefing
Hi John, I agree with Phil, an extra reef in the main is a must. My next main will have 3 reefs! Also Phil is spot on with simply practicing the manoeuver. We all succumb to the easiest factor, but I suggest take a day out to sail on and off your mooring time and again with various tides and winds if poss. When I first started sailing my Tiki 21, I screwed up lots. Many times of dropping anchor quick, wind and tide flowing swift and then dragging anchor merrily downstream fending off other moored boats feeling like a dumb-ass beginner!!! But hey....................if everything ran smooth we'd have no good stories to tell while necking the beer and rum eh???? My process of picking up moorings or dropping anchor under sail is to 1st make a pass under sail so I can pick up any tide, current or wind anomalies in close. Then I choose the best tack for final approach. I position Cookie so that I am nearly a beam reach from the mooring and then I drop my jib. Under mainsail alone I angle Cookie on a close reach towards the buoy - on this point of sail I can sheet in or out and power up or depower as necessary. Also if the wind shifts, I have some angle in hand to play with. As you know the Tiki 21 stops quickly once sails luff. I usually run the boat up with mooring buoy off the leeward bow so the boat will drift onto it as I get up to the bow to pick up the line. Sounds easy enough I know...................but there is no substitute for practice. I have no motor on Cookie, so I had to learn all maneouvers under sail. Once you can nail it.......there is great satisfaction in sailing without that unreliable engine :lol: Happy sailing Rory
Anonymous (not verified)
Re: most efficient reefing
A big thank you for your answers.Its brilliant that you're giving out this hard earned wisdom. My mooring sits in the outside line of 3 lines of boats, then running moorings & the shore.I've been a bit wary of tacking in about them -but I'll get that 2nd line of reef points then I'm in there. Any comments on use of roller reefing for a smaller jib ? On my first season I would sail off the mooring, sink the dinghy & leave its white bow poking out of the water like an iceberg, far too often.No icebergs this year so far. thanks again john
Anonymous (not verified)
Re: most efficient reefing
Love the iceberg quote John! Got any more humorous anecdotes to share :D ??? Cheers Rory
Anonymous (not verified)
Re: most efficient reefing
Hi, I can only agree with Rory, Drop the jib early on, and make a pass first, I've missed the mooring a couple of times this year and have only realised lately that it was due to the increased volume of water coming down the river, due to all the rain we have had. The more you do it, the easier it becomes, as they say, anyway, enjoy it all you can, Jackie. :) :?