When we have a problem on our boats, it's always tempting to try to fix it by adding gear, but often a better approach is simplification. We look at mainsail hoisting as an example and provide several tips to make the job easier.
Rigging/Sails
There are few problems that detract more from the pleasure of sailing than a bad case of weather helm, a surprisingly common affliction. The good news is that this problem can be fixed.
Now we get to the nitty gritty: How to convert your boat to a cutter rig and how to make existing cutters better.
When does the cutter rig make sense, both when buying a new boat and considering a conversion? We have a simple decision-tree to make things simple.
12 reasons that the true cutter is simply the best rig for short-handed offshore voyaging. And even if you don't have a cutter, this chapter can help you make your boat easier to sail and faster too.
Free Introductory Chapter Staying in the cockpit most of the time at sea and not getting out on deck often is not a good idea. John explains why and shares the benefits of participating in "deck sports".
Poling out the headsail to sail downwind can be intimidating, particularly offshore in big breeze, but Colin has a way to make it easy and safe.
Colin draws on his decades of experience racing and cruising to share some tips and tricks that will make reaching and downwind sailing faster and more comfortable. Chapter FREE to view for three days.
If you want to reef from the cockpit, you have to do it right. Colin shares how.
Several members have asked for a post on how many reefs are optimal. But the answer is deeper (ouch) than that.
Many sailors have de-emphasized their mainsails, in some cases to the point where the main is the first sail to come down when the going gets tough and often does not even get set in the first place. This is a mistake and potentially dangerous.
OK, enough with all this talk of motorboats, let's go sailing in a bit of breeze on Morgan's Cloud. We made the video below a few days ago in a solid Force 7 blow (near gale, 28-33 knots). By the way, look for a timely reminder from Phyllis at the halfway mark in the video—I'm suitably ashamed of [...]
Part 2 of my article on preventers. In Part 1 I explained why a proper preventer is vital and in this part I share how to make rigging one easy and safe.
A head injury is a terrible event wherever you are, but at sea far from medical help it's even worse. Rigging a proper preventer is one of the surest ways to reduce the risk to you and your crew. In part 1 of this two part series we look at the risk and what constitutes a proper preventer.
Other sailors are often surprised that Phyllis and I set, reef, and strike Morgan’s Cloud’s 600 square foot mainsail without resorting to complex gear like roller furling masts or booms. But actually, it’s pretty easy using the simple gear that we have installed and fine tuned over 22 years and well over 100,000 miles. The [...]
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