Tom Cunliffe Explains How to Reef Safely and Without Fuss

If the wind picks up while you’re out sailing, you may need to shorten your sail and put a reef or two in.

Watch as Tom Cunliffe explains how to reef your sailing boat safely and without fuss.

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[agentdouble-osoul]

Excellent Tom. Another top and informative video..

[timhenke]

Great info
I especially like the idea of reefing while sailing close to the wind but underway.
Thanks!

[neleabels]

„For not everybody it’s easy, so let’s make it easy.“ Thanks! That should be the attitude of every experienced sailor who explains things. You don’t talk down to beginners just because they are beginners.👍

[danielprince]

We used this way of reefing. Super quick and efficient. Thank you Tom.

[alexwandels]

With a one line reefing system, we drop the halyard until the target cringle is about one foot above the boom. We then tighten the reefing line and finish off with adjusting the halyard (usually not necessary) This avoids damaging the block in the reefing line near the mast.

[tinman]

As an American Anglophile, I always find Brits totally charming. Thank you for great content!

[mikegraham]

Thanks Tom, after starting sailing at 60 (sailing at sixty - there's a youtube channel!), I need this sort of explanation!

[sitatt]

Excellent advice! Thank you! Old Contessa here and do most of the reefing work at the mast (ram's horn and outhaul/reefing jams). As I've heard and experienced, if you have to put a reef in, it should have been done and hour ago. Cheers Tom and crew.

[Sail-Ride-Walk-Repeat]

Good practice. The boom on centreline might be better with a boon crutch or gallows. Lovely boat, reminds me of what I know of "Shoal Waters".

[justinf]

Thanks for sharing such an informative video. If you were contemplating getting back into sailing where you will be sailing single handed, I get the impression that of the 4 options, the slab reefing is the one that you really don't want. I watched the in boom reefing video you also did, and I really liked that, but it's expensive to retrofit to a boat.

Can a boat that is currently setup for slab reefing be easily converted to single line reefing?

[markkurtis]

Real nice video, Tom. You said there may be a snag in shaking it out. I've never had a snag in slab reefing. I had considered converting to single line and would have like to see you shake it out and possibly explain that bit of potential bother.

[nickwebb]

Wonderfully explained Tom, thank you 🙏

I’ve passed times had the pleasure to crew and sail Contessa 32’s, aren’t they a real joy 🤩

[marlings]

A brilliantly clear explanation and demo!👏🏻

[markgallagher]

Can you pre reef your sail with 2 line reefing? If you know you will end up reefing can you raise the sail at the dock and put a reef in, lower it back down and then when you get out raise the already reefed sail?

[ultraveridical]

A video for people who know the entirety of sailing vocabulary but somehow don't know the basics.

[furiousfelicia]

For a solo sailor looks like this single line reefing system is the best, excluding the furler main cause I don't think it's very common.

[markthomasson]

Of course not many boats have a winch to pull in the tack or the clew.
My tacks go to pennants, so I can leave the sliders in place.
My reef line come through the boom and are tightened by hand. If you raise the boom on the topping lift before pulling them in, when the boom drops they tighten.
I like to tidy the loose sail, yes I ripped a tie point. In future I shall change to elastic cord. Best is to have a short pennant with eyes each end, then tie the elastic cord to that. Saves those untidy lines hanging all over the sail.

[richardfortescue]

Simple slab reefing isn’t so quick when you are single handed in a seaway… Eventually I will rig some bungees to keep the cringles on the ramshorn until I get back to the cockpit and get some tension back in the halyard. Eventually.

[ecoworrier]

Not much mention of the topping lift at the start and end of the reefing procedure.

[Sailing.Amelia]

Dear Tom, always very nice to see and learn a lot. What is your opinion about in mast furling system. I hear you saying that you have in boom furling. Best regards