Last fall I got chatting to a couple, new to cruising, on their way down the Intracoastal Waterway in their new-to-them classic Carl Alberg designed Cape Dory 36. When I complimented them on their choice of a good looking and seaworthy boat that also sails well, they expressed surprise saying, “Oh no, she can’t get out of her own way, particularly going to windward. We are really disappointed. Do you have any advice?”
Don’t Forget About The Sails
by John Harries
Next: Your Mainsail Is Your Friend
Previous: Six Reasons To Leave The Cockpit Often
- Six Reasons To Leave The Cockpit Often
- Don’t Forget About The Sails
- Your Mainsail Is Your Friend
- Hoisting the Mainsail Made Easy—Simplicity in Action
- Reefs: How Many and How Deep
- Reefing Made Easy
- Reefing From The Cockpit 2.0—Thinking Things Through
- Reefing Questions and Answers
- A Dangerous Myth about Reefing
- Mainsail Handling Made Easy with Lazyjacks
- Topping Lift Tips and a Hack
- 12 Reasons The Cutter Is A Great Offshore Voyaging Rig
- Cutter Rig—Should You Buy or Convert?
- Cutter Rig—Optimizing and/or Converting
- Cruising Rigs—Sloop, Cutter, or Solent?
- Sailboat Deck Layouts
- The Case For Roller-Furling Headsails
- UV Protection For Roller Furling Sails
- The Case For Hank On Headsails
- Making Life Easier—Roller Reefing/Furling
- Making Life Easier—Storm Jib
- Gennaker Furlers Come Of Age
- Swept-Back Spreaders—We Just Don’t Get It!
- Q&A: Staysail Stay: Roller Furling And Fixed Vs Hanks And Removable
- Rigid Vangs
- Rigging a Proper Preventer, Part 1
- Rigging a Proper Preventer—Part 2
- Amidships “Preventers”—A Bad Idea That Can Kill
- Keeping The Boom Under Control—Boom Brakes
- Downwind Sailing, Tips and Tricks
- Downwind Sailing—Poling Out The Jib
- Setting and Striking a Spinnaker Made Easy and Safe
- Ten Tips To Fix Weather Helm
- Running Rigging Recommendations—Part 1
- Running Rigging Recommendations—Part 2
- Two Dangerous Rigging Mistakes
- Rig Tuning, Part 1—Preparation
- Rig Tuning, Part 2—Understanding Rake and Bend
- Rig Tuning, Part 3—6 Steps to a Great Tune
- Rig Tuning, Part 4—Mast Blocking, Stay Tension, and Spreaders
- Rig Tuning, Part 5—Sailing Tune
- 12 Great Rigging Hacks
- 9 Tips To Make Unstepping a Sailboat Mast Easier
- Cruising Sailboat Spar Inspection
- Cruising Sailboat Standing Rigging Inspection
- Cruising Sailboat Running Rigging Inspection
- Cruising Sailboat Rig Wiring and Lighting Inspection
- Cruising Sailboat Roller Furler and Track Inspection
- Download Cruising Sailboat Rig Checklist
John was born and brought up in Bermuda and started sailing as a child, racing locally and offshore before turning to cruising. He has sailed over 100,000 miles, most of it on his McCurdy & Rhodes 56, Morgan's Cloud, including eight ocean races to Bermuda, culminating in winning his class twice in the Newport Bermuda Race. He has skippered a series of voyages in the North Atlantic, the majority of which have been to the high latitudes. John has been helping others go voyaging by sharing his experience for 25 years, first in yachting magazines and, for the last 20 years, as co-editor/publisher of AAC.
