Most of the time you want your boat to sail as fast as it can go, but unless you know how to slow down and stop, you’ll end up damaging your boat – and possibly other people’s. You need to slow down if the wind is too strong for you, if you’re avoiding collision, sailing into shallow water or coming into shore, or you may just need to pause to sort yourself out.
1. Reef the sail. Reefing makes the sail area smaller so you can keep control in stronger winds. Reefing is best done before you set off – you can always take the reef out later if the wind eases.