The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

Online Book: Sail Handling and Rigging Made Easy

Setting, reefing and striking sails and doing it in challenging conditions—tips, techniques, gear, sail selection and trim as well as rigging and rig tuning.

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Articles in this topic:

  1. Six Reasons To Leave The Cockpit Often
  2. Don’t Forget About The Sails
  3. Your Mainsail Is Your Friend
  4. Hoisting the Mainsail Made Easy—Simplicity in Action
  5. Reefs: How Many and How Deep
  6. Reefing Made Easy
  7. Reefing From The Cockpit 2.0—Thinking Things Through
  8. Reefing Questions and Answers
  9. A Dangerous Myth about Reefing
  10. Mainsail Handling Made Easy with Lazyjacks
  11. Topping Lift Tips and a Hack
  12. 12 Reasons The Cutter Is A Great Offshore Voyaging Rig
  13. Cutter Rig—Should You Buy or Convert?
  14. Cutter Rig—Optimizing and/or Converting
  15. Cruising Rigs—Sloop, Cutter, or Solent?
  16. Sailboat Deck Layouts
  17. The Case For Roller-Furling Headsails
  18. The Case For Hank On Headsails
  19. UV Protection For Roller Furling Sails
  20. In-Mast, In-Boom, or Slab Reefing—Convenience and Reliability
  21. In-Mast, In-Boom, or Slab Reefing —Performance, Cost and Safety
  22. Making Life Easier—Roller Reefing/Furling
  23. Making Life Easier—Storm Jib
  24. Swept-Back Spreaders—We Just Don’t Get It!
  25. Q&A: Staysail Stay: Roller Furling And Fixed Vs Hanks And Removable
  26. Rigid Vangs
  27. Building A Safer Boom Preventer, Part 1—Forces and Angles
  28. Building A Safer Boom Preventer, Part 2—Line and Gear Strength Calculator
  29. Building A Safer Boom Preventer, Part 3—The Details
  30. Downwind Sailing, Tips and Tricks
  31. Downwind Sailing—Poling Out The Jib
  32. Setting and Striking a Spinnaker Made Easy and Safe
  33. Ten Tips To Fix Weather Helm
  34. Running Rigging Recommendations—Part 1
  35. Running Rigging Recommendations—Part 2
  36. Two Dangerous Rigging Mistakes
  37. Rig Tuning, Part 1—Preparation
  38. Rig Tuning, Part 2—Understanding Rake and Bend
  39. Rig Tuning, Part 3—6 Steps to a Great Tune
  40. Rig Tuning, Part 4—Mast Blocking, Stay Tension, and Spreaders
  41. Rig Tuning, Part 5—Sailing Tune
  42. 12 Great Rigging Hacks
  43. 9 Tips To Make Unstepping a Sailboat Mast Easier
  44. Cruising Sailboat Spar Inspection
  45. Cruising Sailboat Standing Rigging Inspection
  46. Cruising Sailboat Running Rigging Inspection
  47. Cruising Sailboat Rig Wiring and Lighting Inspection
  48. Cruising Sailboat Roller Furler and Track Inspection
  49. Download Cruising Sailboat Rig Checklist
  50. Safe and Easy Offshore Sailing—When to Reef, Part 1