Dave Aultfather Archives

A figure-eight knot, top left. A figure-eight knot jammed in a block, top right. Bottom left, the “new” stopper knot. Form a bight in the loose end. Insert the bight in the loop. Close the loop around the bight. The “new” stopper knot can’t jam in the block, bottom right.

Sailing
Sailing Tips

New quick-release stopper knot

This nice fat one won’t jam in a block Issue 52: Jan/Feb 2007 HAVE YOU EVER HAD A JIB SHEET RUN OUT OF ITS BLOCK AND blow overboard on the leeward side? The consequence of this temporary loss of jib c...

Dave Aulthfather

August 25, 2026

Dave discovered that mixing graphite powder (for friction reduction) and colloidal silica (for durability) in epoxy creates something almost as slippery as ball bearings, not bad when the thing you’re trying to slip in and out is a 70-pound trailer tongue extension. The other trick was the built-up section in the trailer tongue, at left above, and the molded addition bonded to the tongue extension, on facing page.

Gear
Projects

Slippery tongue

Homemade bearings make launching easier Issue 53 : Mar/Apr 2007 Sometimes on improvement creates an opportunity another. To make it easier to launch my Com-Pac 16 when the tide is low, I installed a t...

Dave Aulthfather

August 18, 2026