From Carbon Wings to Polytarp Lugs and Beyond: The Complete Guide to What’s Flying in 2025 The wind hasn’t changed, but the cloth catching it has never been more diverse. On one marina dock you’ll fin...
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...
Eight-track audio tape makes for perfect telltales. Issue 132: May/June 2020 When I first began sailing my own boats, I tied yarn to the shrouds to use as telltales. This common, quick-and-easy method...
A steep learning curve on a Speedy Stitcher eventually yields happy results. Issue 147: Nov/Dec 2022 Most sailors have seen a Speedy Stitcher or sewing awl. How many have used one? My first time was s...
Want your boat to have great canvas? Ask the right questions. Issue 147: Nov/Dec 2022 Marine canvas can make sailing more enjoyable and safer while sprucing up a boat’s aesthetic. Yet so many people d...
Replacing an old canvas dodger with a hardtop/canvas hybrid levels up comfort and safety. Issue 147: Nov/Dec 2022 In the grand scheme of things, few items on a sailboat are truly more oriented to comf...
For in-the-field sail repairs, adhesives can get you out of a sticky situation. Issue 147: Nov/Dec 2022 When I was a young sailmaker in the ’80s, our loft purchased a German-made sewing machine that h...
An array of flexible, foldable solar panels enables extended cruising even when it rains. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Some people are motivated by the lure of wealth, fame, and power. I’m motivated by bee...
A simple strap with low-friction rings can improve mainsail performance. Issue 148: Jan/Feb 2023 Sails are amazing fabrications. They start out as bits of flat cloth, and through the tailoring of the ...
A little nip and tuck on a used spinnaker makes for an inexpensive upgrade Issue 150: May/June 2023 One of my most memorable sailing days was crossing the broad mouth of the Chesapeake Bay’s Potomac R...
Taming the lazarette mess with easy-to-make mesh bags Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Having a home base in a marina allows a sailor to spread out a bit. Lesser used items can go in a dock box or garage, din...
Tape can provide a quick fix for torn or cracked vinyl windows Issue 152: Sept/Oct 2023 Eventually a vinyl window will crack, either because of extreme age or extreme cold. The right fix is new vinyl,...
Building a Jordan Series Drogue is an exercise in patience, but well worth the effort. Issue 147: Nov/Dec 2022 As my partner, Tim, and I prepared to sail from Montreal, Canada, down the St. Law...
Spring is here and marinas will soon be filled with mast-raisers. And while the world is filled (to the brim?) with mast-raising solutions, I have another. I believe my method is possibly the simplest...
It’s been said that the most useless things aboard a sailboat are an umbrella and a Naval officer. However, sometimes that’s just not completely true. Cruising in New England, I would ofte...
Being able to get the sail cover on quickly means we don’t have to resent the time it takes to protect our sails. Just as important, if a halyard starts slapping the mast just when we are starting to ...
Take the pain out of the main, make your own lazy-jacks The easiest way for the shorthanded sailor to control the mainsail when reefing or stowing is a set of well-fitted lazy-jacks. Lazy-jacks are ma...
Handholds are an easy and inexpensive way to increase your security afloat Dodgers are not necessary – that is, if you’re a masochist or a Spartan who enjoys being hit in the face with wat...
Tips for sailing with a top-down furling spinnaker Issue 125: March/April 2019 In Part 1 of this article, in the January 2019 issue, Hugh introduced flying-sail furlers and described how he installed ...
A top-down furler takes the terror out of setting a spinnaker. Issue 124: Jan/Feb 2019 Downwind sailing with only a jib or genoa can leave a sailor wanting more. I wanted to fly a spinnaker on Hagar, ...
