I'm not sure what you mean 'confirmed,' but that's my experience. I've done
my best times on the boat properly reefed. As to 'necessary,' maybe not,
but at 20 knots with full sail (roller main) there's a lot of weather helm
and that rudder fights the speed a lot. I hit my best speeds under reef at
about 18 kts - when it definitely wasn't necessary but worked well.

I have typically reefed the main a foot on the boom first, then the first
reef point on the 140 genoa, after letting out the traveler. That will hold
if the main is tight, tight, tight and flat as can be... then at 25 or so
another 1/2 foot on the main...

But after 18-20 degrees, the boat loses substantial steam.

thanks for asking.

Mike

wrote in message
...
On Wed, 06 Aug 2003, "Michael Olsen" wrote:

No question about it. The wind was gusty. I was
out near Huntington Bay at 4.30 and we hit 31 knot
winds true south-southwest. Apparent reached 38.
It was nuts.
It was great.
But it was windy.

Mike
Beneteau 331.

Have you confirmed whether, for that model (the B331), reefing
comparatively early, even if not in any way necessary, substantially
increases speed and sailing peformance in related respects? If and to
the extent so, in what configurations in what conditions?