REEFING - VARIOUS THOUGHTS:

We use 'two line reefing'. Our tacks have a line deadended on the mast near the goosenecks, which runs up to the tack reef grommets and back down the a check block on the mast to get the exact right reef line angle and then down to a winch (actually back to the cockpit winches but you would likely not do that on a race boat). The line is 10mm spectra single braid - slippery and does not chafe. This is virtually friction free and gives you a 2:1 purchase so you can easily pull in a reef even when reaching and the main is plastered on the spreaders and you don't have to drop the sail to far (and then rehoist) as you do with reef hooks. Works really well - harken and Dan Neri's (North Sail's 3dl) recommendation.The clew reef lines have the normal setup, also using the 10mm spectra single braid. You do need to put an 'internal sleeve' in the spectra to beef it up where it is in the clutches to give it something beefy to grip on.We have a flattening reef, but its primary purpose is to drop the sail just enough so the big roach clears the backstay. When tacking and gybing in under about 5kts that gives us better speed that having the roach hang on the backstay every manouver.
I don't really like the design of the boomkicker; if it is windy and you blow the vang the Boomkicker will fall out of the fitting unless you limit it and then you can't really blow the vang as much.

Don’t reef below spreaders – loads – crank on baby stay.

don't forget, as i always do, to blow the vang before winching away on the leech reef

Mastman pulls sail down to new tack point and hooks on, while pit takes in on reef line. Once made mast man helps halyard back up. Total time ~10-20 seconds.

Tack goes on hook. Line from end of boom goes through leech cringle, down and around boom. Tie a bowline around the standing part of the reefing line. That way it pulls out and down. If you are really clever, a timber hitch on the boom works if you know just where to tie it.

Frac 40'er. We haven't reefed...ever. In a true wind about 32 - 35 we're comfy with it all bladed out (see adjustments noted above) and a nice #4 up front. Higher gusts take a bit of feathering. Much more than that and you're not really racing. Reefed, you don't have the balance in the sail plan to keep the bow up and keep pointing and punching.We have taken the main off when it gets really breezy. But that's "arrive alive" time.You reef most true racing mains these days and you make the phone call for a new one at the same time.

On a modern rig, you first blade out the main with traveller down. if that still can't keep you on your feet (up to 30kn) then you dump the vang, max the cunningham, traveller UP and cenerline the boom. This lets the top of the main twist off (essentially like reefing), but without loss of shape and draft control.

Procedure is 1. Lower main to "drop" mark, taking slack out of reefline as sail drops, 2. Hook reefing tack onto hook, 3. Tension halyard to "reef" mark, 4. Tension reefing outhaul, 5. Put safety line on reefing outhaul (in case the reef line breaks), 6. Roll and tie up bunt of sail, 7. check halyard and outhaul and retension as necessary. The halyard should be marked, and the boom should also be premarked so you know where the reefline will be positioned. The reefing outhaul should come staight down, under the boom and then over between the boom and the foot of the sail, and deadend with a bowline or timber hitch around the standing part of the reef line. With everthing pre-positioned, you should be able to reef in less that a minute.That said, with a modern rig, you shouldn't reef until you have the #4 up, and are overpowered. I haven't reefed in a very long time, but last time was going to windward in 30+ on the Kau Coast on the Round the State Race, and by the time it hit 28, we already had the #4 up, and we REALLY needed to reef. On offshore races, you should have the reefline in the boom and a messenger from the clew through the reefing outhaul cringle, so when it hits the fan, you are ready to rig the reefline.

Also, it's not just a matter of keeping the boat on its feet - I've been in situations where the boat's upright fine (in say an F5 with full main and #4), but she just feels "funny".We diagnosed that the sail was so flat we were just getting no power out of it, and that every time we tried to power up, the COE moved too high and we went over. Solution? Whacked in two reefs and saw our speed jump by 2kts. Gave us the power to get through waves and got the flow over the foils again.
We use a flattening reef on a Schock 35. In anything over 15 knots the jib is driving the boat and the main just rags. If we trim the main until it looks good, we lose a few tenths. Weird, I know, but we've played with it plenty of times trying to figure out what works. The flattening reef allows the main to be trimmed correctly and speed picks up a tenth or two.

1) Have your sailmaker build you a sail that is MEANT to reef. As some one else pointed out, if you are reefing a true inshore racing main (ie one with IRC reef points) You'd better be on the phone with your sailmaker ordering a new one at the same time.2) Have a solid gooseneck. 2 years ago, we got hit by a front during a distance race. While taking the reef, the gooseneck exploded, driving the boom forward at exceptional speeds. As the clown standing in front of the mast to set the tack in the hooks, I was distinctly unimpressed. Fortunatly, I was slightly to windward and the boom chose to go to leeward, but if it had not been so, I think I would have a pretty good dent right now. Thanks for that brown boxer moment Fluffy.3) Single line reefing sucks.4) Those that tell you not to reef, have never been offshore. Reef when necesesary, flatten, spill etc first. Then reef. If the Figaro racers reef, so should you. They're the best in the business at pushing boats to the max for insane periods of time. Remember, you can still carry a kite and do easy double digits reefed, its hard to do this on your ear.