Terry Spragg wrote:

If you can pull down the jib (or furl it, not so desirable, for me)
from the cockpit using a downhaul line, reefing the main then
becomes much easier, especially if you can steer the boat should it
stall and go backwards. At this point, the tiller becomes a little
wilful, but steering so as to keep the main almost over the boat
while it is being allowed to drop by it's own weight to be reefed is
not as difficult as it mighty seem.

Rather than the downhaul, why not fit an eye in the luff at the reef
height? Simple hook, block & inexpensive block at the deck makes a
cockpit reef haul at the ready.

If one is inexperienced, or nervous, and alone or with questionable
crew, why not reef in irons? Once the luff has been hauled down the
rest is fairly fast despite the flapping, and if one is nervous or
scared (or starting to head off & heel) one doesn't have to get all of
them tied in one whack, either.

If his luff is sticky or less-than-fast/easy to lower/raise than with
slides, it seems more likely that the boltrope is incorrectly sized for
the mast slot or swollen with age, probably the latter? It should drop
smartly by its own weight when out of the wind. I'd correct that
instead of adding more hardware to screw with, no?