The lowdown on your boom’s hold-down Issue 84 : May/Jun 2012 What we today call the boom vang was once called a martingale. It is also referred to as a kicking-strap, kicker, or boom-jack. The princip...
The bottom line in mainsail trim Issue 85 : Jul/Aug 2012 Outhauls have been in use since the days of the square rigger. An outhaul is part of the running rigging, specifically a line fastened to the c...
Many things — coastal enforcer to racing machine Issue 87 : Nov/Dec 2012 The term “cutter” has a long history in the sport of yachting. In the 1870s and ’80s it figured in a hotly debated controversy ...
They hold up the shrouds that hold up the mast Issue 88 : Jan/Feb 2013 Spreaders are struts attached to the sides of a mast to hold the shrouds away from the mast and increase the angle at which they ...
A simple way to power up or down the mainsail Issue 90: May/June 2013 Many mainsails have a cringle at the luff of the sail a few inches above the tack. It’s known as the Cunningham and is named after...
Tame reefing lines with neatly hitched coils Issue 91 : Jul/Aug 2013 Mainsail reefing systems vary in detail but have one problem in common: what to do with the excess lines from the reef-clew outhaul...
Defy both chafe and corrosion Issue 98: Sept/Oct 2014 Like many sailors, I spend much of my free time “dock walking.” I enjoy marine design in all its aesthetic variety and my “technical eye” is alway...
Clean new bases for turning blocks Issue 98: Sept/Oct 2014 I’m slowly replacing the teak on my boat with materials that don’t need refinishing. There wasn’t a lot to begin with, so whether I choose to...
When it’s time to replace them, think swageless Issue 92 : Sept/Oct 2013 Most good old boats were delivered from the factory with swaged terminal fittings on their standing rigging — the shrouds and s...
A Bermudan sloop gets an unusual makeover Issue 95 : Mar/Apr 2014 For many years and more than 110,000 miles, I happily sailed aboard a 34-foot, junk-rigged plywood dory. This rig was brought to the a...
Give your jib’s roller furler some needed support Issue 100: Jan/Feb 2015 Headsail roller-furling systems have become ubiquitous. Walk the docks or scan the mooring field and you’ll quickly confirm th...
. . . solve line-leading issues on a multilevel deck Issue 100: Jan/Feb 2015 Even in our younger days, my wife and I tried to make living and working aboard our cruising boats as easy as possible. Thi...
Tie ’em fore and aft Issue 101 : Mar/Apr 2015 If you have external halyards on your boat, no doubt you’ve been awakened at night by the annoying clanging of a loose halyard rapping against the mast. T...
Make the switch from wire to rope Issue 102 : May/Jun 2015 Not long ago a fellow named Sean brought his masthead sheaves to my shop. They were made from phenolic resin, known also as Micarta or Bakeli...
Say goodbye to sheet hang-ups on mast winches Issue 109 : Jul/Aug 2016 Snagging the lazy (windward) genoa sheet on mast-mounted winches was my curse since the day we added a genoa to Shoal Survivor, o...
A little stiffness could have become a big problem Issue 113: March/April 2017 We had been tied to a dock for several weeks enjoying the city of Seville, Spain. It was a day just like any other day: I...
Handmade pendants add grip and color Issue 119: March/April 2018 Shackle pulls can spruce up zippers, shackles, key chains, and many other pieces of hardware on your boat. You can purchase pulls for a...
Swageless terminals were a hands-on sailor’s choice Issue 119: March/April 2018 When I purchased Pelorus, my Paceship PY26, she had suffered damage to the bow and starboard side during Hurricane Bob i...
Make strong connections with a needle and twine Issue 120: May/June 2018 Conventional splices are king for forming eyes in rope. They resist abrasion and snagging and retain nearly the full strength o...
A sinker and line makes a reliable messenger Issue 121: July/Aug 2018 When the genoa halyard aboard my father’s C&C 29 broke last summer, we thought we would have to remove the mast to replace the...
A new mainsail puts a spring in a good old boat’s step. Issue 132: May/June 2020 I slept with my sail in my bunk for a month before I finally set it. That hadn’t been the plan. The plan had been to me...
Worry about a bobstay failure inspires a rigging and anchor locker redesign. Issue 139: July/Aug 2021 Over the years, I’ve come to know my 1978 Allied Seawind II pretty well. Yet, that part of my boat...
If you’re tired of bogus bungees, try this custom-built alternative. Issue 140: Sept/Oct 2021 The average bungee has a one- to two-year life expectancy when enduring stressors such as UV and chafe tha...
A new pair of pedestals and cockpit winches improves trimming ergonomics. Issue 141: Nov/Dec 2021 When I purchased my 1965 Alberg 35, Tomfoolery, a little over two decades ago, she came with a tiller....
A clever design for storable mast supports makes for easy traveling between lakes. Issue 142: Jan/Feb 2022 I have the great fortune to live next to an inland lake that is fully navigable, which means ...
Two self-described amateurs tackle a DIY rigging replacement project. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 When we purchased Dawn, our 1978 Tartan 27-2, she had been dry-docked for several years with her mast down...
Doing the toggle twist to keep our masts upright. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 I can’t dance; just ask my wife (cue chuckles). Given a tune, my twists, turns, and shimmies are as hopelessly misaligned as w...
The right decision about finishing an aluminum mast can be key to your rig’s longevity. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Sailboats would be nothing without their sails, but even less without masts to hold them...
How a mast overhaul marked the passing of an icon and a new chapter for a storied rigging loft. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 The 60-odd-foot aluminum tube, balanced horizontally on a custom two-wheeled car...
Padding your mast climbing harness will save your legs and allow you to work longer Issue 149: March/April 2023 Climbing harnesses have become increasingly popular for mast work, outstripping the trad...
