In heavy weather always bend a peak downhaul. Take a long enough piece of good flexible manila and splice an eye in it. Put this eye over the end of spar, and make the loose end fast to a lower hoop, or on the pin rail. With this downhaul you can control the gaff and get the peak down, no matter how hard it blows.
Mainsail hoisting on track:
Sails having their luff running on a track up the mast will frequently stick, despite the assurances of the inventor and vendor of these patent devices. To insure working, keep the track well-greased, and let go the throat halyards before you do the peak, always keeping the gaff at a high angle while lowering down. In this way the weight of the gaff will force the slides down the track.
Reefing at night:
If sailing at night, and it looks at all like bad weather coming, get in a reef in your large sail before dark, as you can do it then quickly and properly. If suddenly struck by a heavy wind you will have your boat better prepared to meet it.
Reefing:
If you carry an amateur crew you should constantly practice them at reefing. Give each man his station, and teach him to keep it, and not interfere with the work of the others. It is a good plan when sailing on a breezy day to reef and shake out several times, as this will give your crew practice. A well-trained crew will reef a mainsail of a small yacht in less time than it takes to write this.
Tacks for reefing:
Always keep a tack in your sail at each reef band. Take a short piece of small rope, whip both ends, pass this through the cringle, making each end the same length, then open the rope just under the cringle and pass the other part through it. Your tack will stay there and always be ready to tie down.