Third reef on a Bavaria 30 ?

[John G]

 We quite often use the second reef in the med during gusty conditions. Would really like a third reef for the gales. Has anyone done this ? I could presumably use the first reef lines , which we never use, on some new reinforced islets ?

[fjoe]

John,

We used a 3rd reef once during a race because the Captain and owner of the boat (no Bavaria) requested it.
The good result was that we gave up the race to save our old friensdship!
The experience was that the boat was extremly luggish and slowly.

Frank

[sunshine]

This one came up before. I don't have one but have been out in conditions where I would definitely have wanted one. Someone else (who doesn't have a Bav30) said we shouldn't be out in such conditions which I don't agree with.

If you search the forum you'll find the original discussion. The boom can certainly take an extra reef (if not single line reefing).

[IslandAlchemy]

If I find myself out in that kind of wind, I tend to get rid of the main completely, and sail on a reefed genoa.  You can point and tack fine with it, and you can reef-unreef it without leaving the cockpit.

[sunshine]

Don't disagree with this, although into the high 20s I would have so little headsail out it really wouldn't set at all well so wouldn't be able to point.

Here's the original chat https://bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php/topic,2668