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When you reef a Hobie 16 sail, you also have a shorter foot length and, basically, a loose foot. It's just a matter of tying down the clew to the boom and pulling it tight with a line to the end of the boom. Wouldn't matter that it is shorter than the boom, would it? The fact that the Hobie 16 HAS a boom is what would make it possible to use a smaller sail. No?


We may be talking two different scenarios. I assumed the H16 boom would not be used with a Wave sail. In that case, the main sheet would attach to the clew and, given that the foot of the Wave sail is shorter than a H16 sail, the sheets would angle forward and tend to tension the leech more than the foot.

I think you are suggesting using the Wave sail and attaching it to the boom in some fashion. I agree that would function similar to a reefed down H16 sail.

However, since the H14 and H16 mains are so similar (e.g. have a foot rope, use the same boom extrusion), I think a H14 sail would make the "neatest" set up. I have not used a H16 sail with reef points in many years and my experience with the Wave is limited so my discussion is all theoretical. Some real world results would be interesting.