Ask SAIL: Do Without a Bolt Rope?
March 9, 2022
Q: In one of your recent Ask Sail responses, you wrote about loose-footed mainsails. I have an S2 7.9 that has a rope-footed main.
Q: In one of your recent Ask Sail responses, you wrote about loose-footed mainsails. I have an S2 7.9 that has a rope-footed main.
Q: I’ve been watching the most recent America’s Cup down in Auckland, which has got me thinking about technology and sails. My question is, how
TO VANG OR NOT TO VANG Q: Last year, I bought a new, fully-battened Dacron main for my 36-footer. Unlike the old one, the new
Q: When sailing dead downwind (assume 22 knots of wind), if the main is eased out to 90 degrees relative to the wind (perpendicular to
Q: I’ve sailed and raced on a number of boats over the years. I feel like aboard most of the boats I’ve sailed, we’ve just
It’s hard to be sure when things started to change, but I am pretty sure it was the evening of April 20, 1993. As the
CHOOSING THE BEST JIB SHEETS Q: I need to replace the jib sheets on my 35ft performance cruiser. I keep hearing about how high-modulus line
Q: I have an old 30ft C&C from the mid-80s. It was originally equipped with a conventional spinnaker, but a spinnaker hasn’t been flown from
It was an early alarm. My wife likes it loud, and loud it was. The clanging clanged my nerves. I was suddenly wide awake and,
Q: This past winter I did a bareboat charter aboard a 38ft cruising catamaran. I was once again impressed by how heavy and massively built
A classic racing yacht, three weeks at sea, and eight crewmates you’ve never met. What could go wrong?
Editor’s Note: This story is excerpted from SAIL Contributing Editor Christopher Birch’s upcoming book The Four Seasons of Boat Maintenance(available for order soon)—a compendium of
Ever notice how sea stories just get better with the passage of time? The more years that disappear in the wake and the more times
We spend too much time in the sun as sailors and need all the protection we can get… but, have you ever put on a
The Charter issue is on the way! Here’s what to look forward to in the April issue of SAIL Magazine. Cruising in the Land of
Francesca Clapcich has had incredible few years both on and off the race course. Meet the sailor behind the trophy collection.
Cornell University and Dartmouth College are in search of new head sailing coaches in the 2026 season. Both positions were listed this week and are
The Gulf Stream is a fascinating navigational puzzle.
It’s March, and if you’re like most sailors who’ve had to put their beloveds away for the winter, you’re champing at the bit to get
Don’t let the close confines and recurring stresses of living aboard sink your relationships.
