F25 Reefing Wind Speeds

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R. Bush
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:02 am
Location: Naramata, BC

F25 Reefing Wind Speeds

Post by R. Bush »

Looking for some opinions on when a singlehander should be putting in a reef. I know the F25 can take quite a bit of wind in stride, but being a curiser I like my confort. Also, by the time you really have to reef it isn't nearly as easy as it was a few knots of wind less ago.

I was just wandering when other single handed crusiers out there generally decide to put in their first and second reefs on an F25?
F25 "Small Axe"
Okanagan Lake, BC

unfetteredalexandria
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:57 pm

Re: F25 Reefing Wind Speeds

Post by unfetteredalexandria »

Somewhere in the documentation posted on this site is Gary Hoyt's advice on sailing the F25. If memory serves, he suggests reefing at 12 knots when there are two aboard. This seems about right to me, assuming you both stay in the cockpit and want to keep the heel angles "comfortable." If you get 2 or 3 out on the rail, my experience is you can keep it reasonably flat and fast without reefing up around 15 or so, but you need the outhaul pulled tight. If it's gusty, you will be dumping the main a lot, and probably dancing around waves, so unless you are racing, it's probably not worth it. I've sailed mine in flat water on the upper Potomac with two reefs well into the 20's, with higher gusts, but would not want to try this out on the Chesapeake. Out there, 18-22 is all I want to take, even with two reefs in, because the F25 is just too tender to comfortably handle the choppy swell that sets up when it's been blowing out of the south for a few days. If you are out in such conditions, I've found (no surprise) the boat is much stiffer with the double-reefed main than under a bare pole.

All that said, I've limited my single-handing to conditions below 12 knots, so reefing was not a concern. But I suspect I would be single-reefed if I found myself out in winds averaging 10-12, and double-reefed if it got to 15. Energy goes as velocity squared, so there's twice as much energy in 15 knots as there is in 10 knots.
1984 round-mast Freedom 25
Western Shore of the Chesapeake

R. Bush
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:02 am
Location: Naramata, BC

Re: F25 Reefing Wind Speeds

Post by R. Bush »

I checked out the F25 manual posted on this board. All it says about reefing is basically that a singlehander should put in the frist reef at about 19 knots - nothing mentioned about the second reef. There is also the advise that an offshore sailor should consider adding a third reef.

I sail on a large mountain lake where the wind can go from a slight breeze to 25 - 30 knots in 30 seconds. Kind of scary at times. I am always amazed at how the "sea" state can go from barely a ripple to 5 ft. waves in a matter of mere minutes. I virtually always sail alone, so I tend to be very cautious, so I really have limited experience in what the boat will do in heavy weather and strong winds.
F25 "Small Axe"
Okanagan Lake, BC

unfetteredalexandria
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:57 pm

Re: F25 Reefing Wind Speeds

Post by unfetteredalexandria »

The quote I remembered is actually from "How to Sail a Freedom 21" and is as follows: "With two people aboard, I find it comfortable to reef at about 15-18 knots of breeze." So I misremembered both the boat and the speed!
1984 round-mast Freedom 25
Western Shore of the Chesapeake

unfetteredalexandria
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:57 pm

Re: F25 Reefing Wind Speeds

Post by unfetteredalexandria »

So I had occasion today to be out in 13-17 knots true, and 16-22 knots apparent (I have -- new this season -- a Tacktick wind instrument with GPS input to get true wind from apparent). Only two of us aboard. It had been blowing from the south all day, so we had a respectable Chesapeake chop going. All points of sail from as high as we could point to almost dead down. We never reefed, never heeled over 20 deg, and always felt in good control. We stayed in the cockpit the whole time, but were sitting up on the coaming. So I think I was too conservative saying in my previous post suggesting that a second reef would be desirable in the low 20's. I suspect that I have been underestimating the wind strength previously since I only got the wind instrument this season. My new personal rule is going to be based on average heel. If I can't keep it at 20 deg or below on average, I will reef until I can do so.
1984 round-mast Freedom 25
Western Shore of the Chesapeake

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