Reefing

Reefing is reducing the working area of a sail to lower the heeling force and keep the vessel under control as the wind rises. A mainsail is reefed by lowering the halyard to a reef cringle, lashing the tack down, hauling the leech cringle to the boom with the reef pendant, and tidying the loose foot with reef points; successive reefs take progressively more area. Headsails are reefed by roller furling or by changing to a smaller jib. The rule of thumb is to reef early, at the first thought of it, before the wind makes the work dangerous on a pitching foredeck. Reducing sail this way is the sailing-vessel counterpart of slowing a power ship in heavy weather.