The Collaborative International Dictionary
To reef the paddles
Reef \Reef\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reefed (r[=e]ft); p. pr. &
vb. n. Reefing.] (Naut.)
To reduce the extent of (as a sail) by rolling or folding a
certain portion of it and making it fast to the yard or spar.
--Totten.
To reef the paddles, to move the floats of a paddle wheel toward its center so that they will not dip so deeply.