close-reef

No sooner had we got on deck, than—“Lay aloft there, mizen-top-men, and close-reef the mizen topsail!

Chapter XXXI. Bad Prospects-First Touch of Cape Horn-Icebergs-Temperance Ships-Lying-Up-Ice-Difficulty on Board-Change of Course-Straits of Magellan 1909

By hauling the reef-tackles chock-a-block, we took the strain from the other earings, and passing the close-reef earing, and knotting the points carefully, we succeeded in setting the sail, close-reefed.

Chapter XXV. Rumors of War-A Spouter-Slipping for a South-Easter-A Gale 1909

We were then carrying the double reefed topsails, reefed courses, inner jib, fore and main topmast staysail, but the gale had so increased I gave orders to close-reef the topsails and furl the mainsail.

The Shellback's Progress In the Nineteenth Century Walter Runciman 1892

Set some of the men to secure the canvas with double gaskets; and close-reef the boom-foresail and set it.

The Pirate Slaver A Story of the West African Coast Harry Collingwood 1886

It served as a hint to us in the gig, for if the stranger had detected symptoms that her royals would presently be too much for her, it was high time for us to look after ourselves; and we accordingly proceeded forthwith to close-reef our lug, and otherwise make such preparations as were possible to enable us effectively to meet the onslaught of the threatened squall.

Turned Adrift Harry Collingwood 1886

My next job was to close-reef and set the lug, which I did with the aid of the winch; and this done, I went forward, and, beginning with the fore-scuttle, proceeded to carefully batten down every opening in the deck, bringing the cabin lamp on deck in order that I might have a sufficiency of light to work by.

A Pirate of the Caribbees Harry Collingwood 1886

To send down on deck any of his top-hamper, with his limited crew, was of course quite out of the question, but he called all hands, and, hurrying them aloft, set them to work, first to furl all the light upper canvas, and then to close-reef both topsails.

The Voyage of the Aurora Harry Collingwood 1886

"Hands shorten sail!" accordingly was the repeated cry; and, knowing what was wanted, the crew were soon racing up the shrouds to close-reef the topsails, although the force of the wind nearly pinned them to the rigging like spread eagles, and they had hard difficulty in gaining the yards, and working out along the foot-ropes, especially on those to windward.

On Board the Esmeralda Martin Leigh's Log - A Sea Story William Heysham Overend 1874

At midnight the gale increased, and the watch was called out to close-reef the topsails.

The Romance of the Coast James Runciman 1871

By hauling the reef-tackles chock-a-block, we took the strain from the other earings, and passing the close-reef earing, and knotting the points carefully, we succeeded in setting the sail, close-reefed.

Two years before the mast, and twenty-four years after: a personal narrative 1869