Weather and Reefing

Sailor's Tip: The first thing you should do before leaving the dock is check the weather.

The easiest sailing is in winds from 5 to 12 knots. Below 5 knots the wind is too light and maneuvering and powering the boat with the sails may become difficult. Above 12 knots, the boat may heel excessively and some sail area may have to be taken down or at least the sails depowered and made less efficient to the wind. A beginner sailor should try to prevent keel boats from heeling more than 20 degrees and centerboard boats from heeling more than 10 degrees. Higher winds require an experienced sailor and when winds exceed 20 to 25 knots many charter companies will not allow their boats to be taken out. However the ability of a sailboat to handle strong winds is also dependent upon design and size. Some large sailboats are designed to sail efficiently and comfortably with winds of 20 to 25 knots. Go To Sail Wind Load Calculator

Excessive heeling of the boat may be fun but it will also have the following adverse effects:

	Increase the leeway or lateral drift of the boat with the wind because the keel is no longer near vertical.
	Makes the boat harder to steer,
	Slows the boat
	If a heavy iron keel is present, a heeling error in compass readings may occur.

Learn to anticipate the wind by looking at the water. Puffs (areas of strong wind ) and lulls (areas of weak wind) can easily be seen in the picture to the right.

It is imperative that one have a basic knowledge of how to manage a sailboat in high winds. It is very easy to be caught in a storm. Remember a sailboat is a hull displacement vessel and it is slow, its maximum speed is 1.34 times the square root of the length of the curvature of the hull at the waterline. A 30 foot sailboat (LWL: load waterline length) will have a maximum speed of 7.34 knots. Thus, you may not have enough time to enter a safe harbor. Go To Maximum Speed Calculator

If caught in a storm with high winds it may be safer to stay out at sea than to head into a narrow harbor. A 30 foot LWL sailboat's maximum speed is a little over 7 knots. If the currents and waves have a greater speed, then you may be at their mercy as you enter a narrow inlet.

The picture on the right shows the water on a lake with a 3 mile fetch (length of water the wind is blowing over). The apparent wind was 18 to 19 knots with a true wind speed at approximately 15 knots (force 4 on the Beaufort Scale). Fairly frequent white caps are present. The waves are not large because of the small fetch. All sailboats on the lake were reefed.

National Weather Service Warnings

	Small Craft Advisory - Up to 33 knots
	Gale Warning - 34 to 47 Knots
	Storm Warning - 48+ knots
	Hurricane Warning - 64+ knots

Sea and Sailing Conditions - US SAILING Recommendations.

	0 to 10 knots: Smooth water with small waves, The boat will be easy to handle under full sail.
	11 to 16 knots: Moderate seas with some white caps. If the boat feels overpowered, consider reefing.
	17 to 21 knots: Lengthening waves with many white caps and some spray. The boat will be more difficult to manage and you should seriously consider reefing.
	22 to 27 knots: Large waves, many white caps and spray. The boat will need at least one reef in the mainsail and a smaller jib. These conditions require considerable sailing experience. Listen to radio weather for small craft advisories.
	28 to 47 knots. Gale conditions. High waves with white caps and foam. This is a good time to Stay Ashore !!!

Go To: Wind and the Sea's Page to help judge wind speed by the appearance of the water using the Beaufort Scale..

As the winds approach and exceed 15 knots, many sailboats should have a single reefing point placed. In large sailboats (greater than 30 feet LOA: Overall Length) the second point, is often placed when winds exceed 25 knots. Smaller boats (below 26 to 30 feet LOA) may have greater difficulty in high winds. Often it is best to sail with a storm jib (25% jib) or, if a beginning sailor, to hoist the "Iron Genoa" ( turn on the motor and take down the sails ). Some large sailboats are designed to sail efficiently and comfortably without reefing in winds of 20 to 25 knots.

One should remember the best way to judge when to reef is by the degree of heel and weather helm produced by the boat since the ability a vessel to sail in high winds will vary with its size and design. Go to Sailboat Balance Page

Sailor's Tip: It is always easier to reef in the sails before you leave port and then take out the reef if not needed, than it is to place a reef in high winds.

An increase in wind speed is easy to feel when beating or sailing close-hauled. However, when running with the wind or on a broad reach, the wind may not seem as strong and may increase rapidly in strength before it is noticed.
Sailor's Tip: Always have a safety harness.
Go To Stability Calculator Go To Capsize Formula Calculator

Depowering the sails Go To Top

	The easiest way of handling a sudden gust of wind is to let the mainsail out. This will immediately spill the wind and remove the force of the wind on the sails. The problem with this method is that it may cause the mainsail to hit the spreader on the sidestay. Over a long period of time this may damage the sail. This is the main drawback of Hunter Sailboats. Hunters do not have a backstay but instead have a backward placement of the shrouds (sidestays).
	Another method is to sail into the wind. Regardless of your tack, this will cause wind to spill from your sails and remove the force on your mainsail. However, it will also cause the boat to change course. This method is desirable if one is sailing on a close hauled approach and trying to sail upwind. In other points of sail, this method is often used by sailors who are out sailing just to have fun and not concerned about holding a steady course.
	If the increase in wind speed is sustained, the one my wish to flatten the mainsail, taking out the horizontal curvature which is needed for maximum sailing efficiency. There are three main techniques to do this. --One may set the Cunningham Cringle (grommet), which is found a few inches above the tack (lower front corner) of the mainsail, over a small hook found on the forward part of the boom. This shortens the luff (front edge) of the sail, flattens the sail and moves the draft forward. Go To Photos of Cunningham Cringle and Hook --Another way to flatten the sail is to tighten the outhaul. This method tends to flatten the lower one-third of the sail allowing it to spill wind.

--The last method is to tighten the backstay to create a large vertical curvature in the mast which flattens the upper two thirds of the mainsail.   However, if undue tension is placed on the mast by bending it, it may increase the chances of mast failure in a heavy wind situation and demast the boat..

Don't forget to loosen the boom topping lift after you hoist the mainsail.
--On one charter, a sailboat was unable to successfully tack into the wind on a close-hauled approach because the end of the boom was over-elevated by almost two feet. Until the problem was detected and the boom lowered by adjusting the boom topping lift and boom vang, the sailboat could not make any headway.
--The boom topping lift keeps the boom from falling when the mainsail is taken down. The boom topping lift should be loose when the mainsail is hoisted. This allows the mainsail to switch from side to side, as one changes tacks, without hitting or being restricted by the boom topping lift.

Reefing the sails ( Go To Top ) ( Go Back ) When to reef, is a difficult question to answer, since it depends upon the size and stability of your boat. You should consider reefing if your boat is heeling excessively, your crew in uneasy or if you are expecting high winds. If you think about reefing it is best to reef. It should be remembered that it is much easier to reef in the sails at the dock and then if unneeded to un-reef the sails, than it is to reef the sails under high-wind conditions.

Steps in Reefing:

1) Loosen the boom vang. You may also need to loosen the mainsail's sheets, if the mainsail is tethered securely in the midline.
2) Loosen the halyard and carefully lower the mainsail just enough to allow the reefing cringle (grommet) at the sail's luff to be secured to the boom.
3) Secure the reefing cringle (grommet), forming a new tack. If you are in a high wind situation and need to secure the reefing cringle to a reefing hock or horn, placing a long piece of hard foam in the cringle will help hold it on the hook or horn while you are tightening the mainsail's halyard.
4) Tighten the jiffy reefing line, securing the reefing cringle (grommet) at the sail's leach, forming a new clew.
5) Tighten the boom vang.
6) If possible, secure the reefing lines below the below the foot of the sail and above the boom--see picture below:

Most large sailboats will have one to three reefing points on the mainsail. These points are reinforced cringles (grommets) on the luff and leech of the sail. The cringles on the sails leech usually have a line through them which passes through the boom, down the mast and into the boat's cockpit. The line may also pass through the cringles on the sail's luff. This is called Jiffy Reefing and the entire sail can be reefed by lowering the main and tightening the reefing line. Few chartered boats have this reefing configuration. Most boats require a sailor to go up to the mast and secure the cringle on the sail's luff. (This is where a safety harness is needed.) The cringle can be secured by using a rope or if present, by placing over a hook (see picture to the right). In high winds, the placement of the cringle on a hook can be difficult, since after it is placed one must then let go of the cringle (grommet) to pull and tighten the main's halyard. During theses few seconds the wind may blow the cringle off the hook.

Sailor's Tip: A piece of firm foam rubber placed through the reefing cringle (grommet) while it is placed on the hook will hold the cringle in place, while the mainsails halyard is tightened. Also, bring extra rope to secure the reefing cringle, in case the primary reefing system fails..

After the mainsail's reefing clew (back corner) and reefing tack (front corner) are secured, the excess sail in the middle should be secured by using the reefing points and lines in the middle of the sail. This will prevent the sail from accumulating water in the rain and flapping in the wind.

Sailor's Tip: On a loose foot mainsail, these reefing lines should be tied around the bottom of the sail and above the boom. Tying them around the boom may cause the sail to rip in high winds (see picture to the right).

If a hook is not present on the boom, a line may be used to secure a reefing cringle (grommet). Often there is a cleat on the mast to secure the line. If there is no obvious was to secure the line, wrap the line around the anterior portion of the boom at the gooseneck, pulling the sail down and forward. The line was secured with a reef or square knot.

( Gooseneck : The fitting which secures the boom to the mast. )

In very high wind conditions, one will often take down the main and sail only with a storm (25%) jib. However, this will depend upon the balance of your sailboat. For example, in strong winds the Colgate 26 sails with little weather helm with no jib and a mainsail which has been reefed. Below are two pictures of flaking the mainsail.
Click on Pictures to Enlarge

The jib or foresail can also be reefed. Most boats have a roller furling system which allows the jib to be partially rolled in and thus adjusts the amount of sail. The amount of jib needed depends upon the strength of the wind and the balance of the boat. If only the mainsail is out with no jib, the boat may be very difficult to control and may head forcefully toward the wind--this is called weather helm. A little weather helm is desirable, but not a lot. Remember in a heavy gust of wind you want the boat to turn into the wind to depower, not away from the wind which will cause the wind to hit the sails at 90 degrees and the boat to heel excessively. Go to Sailboat Balance Page

Rolling the jib is best done in a deep broad reach or running reach. In this point-of-sail, the mainsail masks the jib's wind. This will prevent excess luffing of the sail. In a pinch, you can always let the jib out by loosening it's sheet and roll in the jib, but in high winds excess luffing may occur and this can damage the sail.

A few words about the roller furling jib line. This is a small line which attaches to the bottom of the forestay of the boat to which the jib is attached. In high winds this line may be difficult to control. As you loosen this line, a high-wind may pull the line through your hands and unintentionally unroll the jib. It is sometimes helpful to place several loops of the line around a winch so the line can be stabilized. Then loosen the jib's sheet and with your hands pull in the jib's furling line.

The same problem exists when unfurling the jib in a high-wind situation. First loosen the furling line by a few feet and then secure it. Then un-furl the jib using the jib's working sheet. If you unroll the jib first with the sheet and the wind catches the sail, it may fully unroll the jib and pull the furling line through your hands. Thus, secure the furling line first.

NEVER TIGHTEN THE JIB's FURLING LINE USING A winch HANDLE. If the line gets caught on the forestay, this could bring down your rigging and in a high-wind situation demast the boat.

There should be enough roller furling line to fully furl the jib, wrapping the sheet around it several times, regardless of the tightness of the furl. The jib will often furl tightly in high wind conditions.

Heavy Weather Tactics ( Go To Top ) A detailed explanation of these tactics are beyond the scope of this website. It is best not to go out if there is a chance of a heavy storm. When caught in a high wind situation, it is often desirable to head the boat into or away from the wind. Because one cannot sail directly into the wind and running with the wind under a mainsail can be dangerous in a storm with changing wind direction, it may be best to head into or away from the wind at a 40 degree angle (Close Reach - into the wind, or Broad Reach - away from the wind.). If one chooses to run with the wind one should consider sailing only with a storm jib to eliminate the danger of an accidental Jibe.) The point of sail and sail configuration selected, will depend upon the strength of the wind, size of the craft and how it handles in high winds, and if the wind is steady or direction changing, etc. In other words, this can be a very dangerous situation, one that is dependent upon the exact weather conditions encountered, experience of the crew, design of the boat, and a situation which is best anticipated and avoided, than encountered.

Preparation for heavy weather includes the securing of gear above and below deck, placement of jacklines (heavy lines or cable run on the deck to attach a tether from a safety harness), the crew wearing PFDs and safety harnesses, and the reduction of sail area. Most tactics involve the positioning of the bow or stern directly towards or at an angle to the waves and the avoidance of being hit beam-on with a breaking wave ( which can most easily capsize the boat ).

Successful tactics have included: For more information go the the Cruising Course's Heavy Weather Section

Running with the Storm and "Surfing"

Use of a Sea Anchor or Drogue - helps to position the boat into or away from the wind.

"Heaving-To" Under Sail

"Lying-A-Hull"

In a Yawl or Ketch the Mizzen sail alone may be partially raised to act as a weather vane and head the boat's bow into the wind.

Whether or not to head into a harbor during a storm is not an easy question to answer. For example, if you are outside an unfamiliar harbor with a narrow rocky inlet and a cross wind, it may be better to stay out. A sailboat is one of the best designed boats for heavy weather, they shed water and are resistant to capsizing. In The Perfect Storm, the crew on the sailboat, Satori, were rescued and the boat was left afloat. The boat was later found in good condition washed up on shore. It did not sink.

For more information on Heavy Weather Sailing please refer to K. Adlard Coles' and Peter Bruce's (editors) (Ref: Adlard Coles' Heavy Weather Sailing (30th edition) International marine, Camden, Maine.)

Web page last updated: 12/16/2007

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