Having spend a number of years now chartering many different yachts and having spent the last 4 days beating to windward is strong winds, including 1 day in F8/9, I conclude that single-line reefing is not only irritating, it’s dangerous!

Just about every charter boat I have been on in recent years seems to have two single-line reefs. When you ask about the 3rd reef there is usually a bit of arm waving and some mumbling about short bits of rope and shackles that may or may not be found in certain lockers with which you can make do, but ‘best not to go out if you think you’ll need it’. The third line, if it’s reeved through the boom is rarely reeved through the sail leach, something you’ll need to check if you are going out in stiff conditions.

As far as I am concerned there is too much line, too much friction associated with single-lines. The main argument for safety is that you can reef safely from the cockpit. Personally I’d rather deal with a cringle and horn at the mast than with all the extra rope, especially the loops that end up hanging from the boom before you get them safely away.

However, the real clincher for me is that you have anyway to deal with the 3rd reef at the mast. If you can do this safely in the conditions that require that 3rd reef, then you certainly won’t have a problem with reefs one and two!

So it’s back to simple slab reefing for me, except I mostly charter so have to live with the popular choice. But, is it just me?