Reefing consists in shortening sail by tying a portion of it to the mast or spar and small ropes known as reef points are sewed into the sail for this purpose. Some boats have sails with only one set of reef points; others have two, and others have three or more, but when a sail is reefed the reefs should be taken one at a time beginning with the one nearest the mast or spar.
At the end of the row of reef points near the free edge of the sail there is a hole or eyelet known as a cringle and as this is on the leech of the sail it is called the leech cringle. A similar cringle is on the opposite edge or luff of the sail. This applies to boom-and-gaff, lug or other sails with a boom or spar at the lower edge. Through these cringles lines known as earrings are passed and these may be left in the cringles permanently or they may be taken out when not in use, as you prefer.
Reefing a Sail
A—Sail before reefing. B—Sail after reefing.
To reef the sail bring the boat into the wind, trim the sheet in until the boom cannot swing beyond the sides of the boat, lower the sail about halfway and then lash the first luff cringle to the boom with the earring, tying it in a reefing knot which can be readily cast off. Then pass the luff earring through its cringle, pass it through the hole in the boom made for that purpose and haul the sail out as taut as possible and make the earring fast.
Then beginning at the luff cringle, roll the sail neatly to the first reef points and tie each reef point in turn around the bottom of the sail where it is fastened to the boom or, if there is no space to pass the points between sail and boom, tie them around the boom, being very careful to use square or reef knots when doing so.
When all the points are tied hoist away the sail and you are ready to proceed. If a second reef is required repeat the operation with the second row of points and cringles. Then, when the wind lulls, one reef after another can be shaken out by untying the reef points, casting off the leech earring and then casting off the luff earring and hoisting the sail until taut.
Don’t wait too long before reefing. If the boat heels badly on the wind, if it labors, if it takes a hard helm or if the wind is puffy, squally or strong, reef at once. It’s far easier to shake out your reefs if the wind falls than it is to take in a reef when the wind is blowing hard and a heavy sea is running.
Finally, when you come to your moorings, to your landing-place or to an anchorage, never leave your boat with the sails loose, slovenly and unfurled. In the first place it looks badly and stamps you as a poor sailor; in the second place it soon ruins the sail and finally, if a hard wind comes up, the sail is liable to become loose, to catch the wind and either tear the sail to pieces or capsize the boat.