Reef point - lots of questions

[bastaque]

With a possible second season racing PHRF solo, I am thinking about reef points (150lbs crew weight being hardly adequate).

Before I commit my oldest main to surgery, has anyone had to do the same?

I am especially interested to know:
- How that might effect mast shape downwind (and potential inversion)
- Impact on headstay tension upwind, if any
- Adjustments on lower stays
- Jib trim adjustments and boat balance, assuming the boat will want to luff more

Anyhow...looking for info.

Thanks

Francois

[Charlie Visser]

Another option for quickly reducing sail area for singlehanded sailing is to install a roller furling jib with a continuous furling line on the cockpit floor that can be reached from the helm. This setup was useful when I was sailing my Viper singlehanded on a Colorado mountain lake with spiky winds and risk of microbursts. You can furl the jib in 10 seconds and redeploy quickly when the wind drops. A reduction in performance versus the class legal hanked jib, and more weather helm, but not excessive. Amazing how the Viper moves along under main alone.

[bastaque]

So, flying the jib without battens then.

[brian partridge]

if youre going to go the furler option, you could probably get a cheap non class legal jib with vertical battens instead of horizontal. we have a vxone locally that has reef points put in his old mainsail. he swears by it. i would get the reef points put in so that you main doesnt come below your kite halyard. that way you could still run the kite safely