>The comfort seems obvious to most people, but too many people over look the fact that you go faster >when reefed than not reefed in heavy weather.
You can also point higher. I remember I was invited to crew on the boat of an acquaintance at work for the annual Race Around Long Island (NY). The owners of the boat, although long time sailors, really like rail in the water sailing. Long story short, we were trying to beat up in Peconic Bay to make it through Plum Gut in a stiff breeze with full main and genny and failing again and again and wasting a couple of hours of race time. I suggested a number of times we should reef. Finally, I guess mostly to shut me up, they took in a reef on the main and, lo and behold, the sail flattened, the boat pointed up nicely and we cleared Plum Island with ease. As a guest aboard a boat with people I did not know well, I refrained from gloating, but the snide remarks about my "river sailing" (Home port Kingston on the Hudson River) certainly stopped. Gene Tozzi Gypsy Star, #3431 Kingston, NY
