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
I used Sikkens Cetol on the bare wood on my Catalina 30, Morning Dew IV. The can was compromised over the spring, and I put the balance in a 16oz clean glass mayo jar. Last spring when I went to use it, a skin had formed over the top of the liquid, so I just cut the skin off. It is 1/8in thick. In the future, is it still OK to use?
Q: I have an early ‘70s Catalina 27. The keel bolts look pretty good. My question is, why not glass over the keel to bond
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
DINGHY DILEMMA Q: We are in the throes of choosing a dinghy, and I would like to ask if you would recommend buying a RIB
Q: I have a 1974 Aquarius 23 that I am fixing up. I am wondering if I should replace the standing rigging no matter what,
Q: I have a 40ft Pearson with a 24-mile radar antenna installed on the radar arch aft. I am concerned that I could be missing
TIME TO BUY NEW SAILS? Q: I have a very old set of Dacron sails on my Catalina. Friends have told me I should have
For National Safe Boating Week (May 17-23) we’re revisiting some of the best safety stories, recommendations, and gear from our sister publications. Today, Passagemaker offers cold-water survival tips for boaters.
I was delivering a boat back from the Annapolis Sailboat Show last year and decided to pick up a pair of these boots for the
Sailing Alone Around the World Joshua Slocum completed the first recorded solo circumnavigation in 1895-98. Instead of using a chronometer to determine the time for
For National Safe Boating Week (May 17-23) we’re revisiting some of the best safety stories, recommendations, and gear from our sister publications. Today, from Soundings,
For National Safe Boating Week (May 17-23) we’re revisiting some of the best safety stories, recommendations, and gear from our sister publications.
Our thoughts are with the crew of Cuauhtémoc, a Mexican training ship on a cultural diplomacy tour that apparently suffered a mechanical failure and struck the Brooklyn Bridge over the weekend. Two people have died and 22 others are injured.
There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline at the start of a race.
A cruise through the Pacific islands of Panama reveals another side of the country known mostly for its canal.
Against the backdrop of a lush and vibrant Caribbean island, this regatta offers fierce competition, challenging conditions, and a friendly social scene.
The sailing scene in Antigua is fantastic, but head to shore and check out this island’s history, stunning nature, and vibrant culture.
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