Cruising

SAIL's Tip of the Week

Peter Nielsen
May 16, 2013

When you have to make a docking line fast to a ring or bollard, a round turn and two half hitches is better than a bowline. Why? Because you can untie the round turn and two half hitches when the line is under load; try that with a bowline and you’ll soon be reaching for a knife. As a fringe benefit, the round turn also resists chafe.

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Tartan will Build Fleet for 2014 Gay Games

Becca Oken
May 09, 2013

Ohio-based Tartan Yachts will be supporting the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland by building 20 boats for the sailing portion of the world’s largest LGBT multi-sport event.

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Wounded Nature--Working Veterans' Unique Mission

Becca Oken
May 07, 2013

Even with the more recent rise of environmentalism, marine life is perishing after eating remnants of party trash from the sea. Wounded Nature—Working Veterans is an organization dedicated to stopping this problem at its source.

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Cruising Tips - July 2006

by Sail Staff, Posted July 28, 2006

This month: Raising and lowering your outboard, charting tips, and what to do after you run aground.

Navigation

Chart SmartWe arrived off Suva, the capital of Fiji, after a 10-day passage from New Zealand. While we knew the island of Viti Levu was about 5 miles off our bow, we couldn’t see it because of a heavy rainstorm. My husband, Bob, turned on the

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Cruising Tips - Techniques

by Sail Staff, Posted July 28, 2006

Letting go the sheet (June 2006)

Releasing a loaded-up sheet from a winch when a boat tacks can be just cause for nervousness. Sailors who have just moved up to big keelboats often underestimate the loads on a sheet. On a boat up to 40 feet or so, the safest way is to first ease off a few inches, keeping the flat of one hand pressed against the turns as they surge round the winch

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Cruising Tips - First Aid

by Sail Staff, Posted July 28, 2006

Bad Backs and Boats (May 2006)

Several months ago I wrote that I had to be very careful of my back when I was on board a boat. Since then I've received a number of letters from sailors asking whether I do anything specific to protect my back when I'm sailing. The answer is that I've tried many things over the years to reduce my back pain, including limited surgery, visits to

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Cruising Tips - June 2006

by Sail Staff, Posted June 30, 2006

This month: MOB maneuvers, radar piloting, and releasing a loaded sheet.

Seamanship

Multi MOB ManeuversCatamarans and trimarans do not lend themselves to standard crew-overboard maneuvers. With multihulls there are so many design variables that you need to experiment to find what works best with your boat.

While the mainsail of a monohull can almost

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Cruising Tips - May 2006

by Sail Staff, Posted June 5, 2006

This month: rope ladders; marking chain; pet seasickness; sailing with a bad back; and ideas for singlehanders.

Anchoring

Marking ChainThere are a number of ways to mark your anchor chain, including using paint or plastic-wire ties. I prefer to use strips of colored nylon spinnaker cloth.

First lay out the entire chain on the dock and flake it in even

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