In general, a line is happier and therefore behaves better if you coil it in a clockwise direction. Any three-strand line will try to kink up if you force it the other way. A multibraid line may be able to go in either direction, but the habit of right-handed coiling should be so ingrained that you couldn’t do it counterclockwise if you wanted to. Old-time sailors called it “coiling against the
A serious cruising boat should carry at least three different anchors on board, and one should be better than the other two for a particular type of bottom. I’m not a great fan of anchor-sizing formulas; if your boat is heavier or has more windage than an average boat of similar length, you’ll usually need a bigger anchor than the one recommended by any simple formula. Remember, too, that
Gray R. Riddick of Chocowinity, North Carolina, asks:”I know you have discussed using a multimeter to check a batterys voltage. What does the reading mean? Will it tell me whether or not a battery should be replaced? My two house batteries, for example, read 12.82 and 12.36 volts.”Nigel Calder replies: A specific voltage reading wont tell
“Many books on fiberglass repair, including one of yours, have drawings showing how to lay up cloth and mat over a tapered repair area, like a hole. The repair always begins with a small piece of cloth at the bottom, and as the layup continues, the pieces get larger. This makes sense to me, because a layup schedule doesnt depend on just one interface bonding. Going from smaller to larger would
“I have a 28-foot boat with a fractional rig. I’m thinking about mounting a radar reflector on the leading edge of the mast between the forestay and the masthead. Is this a good idea?”– Dave Adams, Newington, ConnecticutGordon West replies: Having a radar reflector is always a good idea; it can increase your boat’s target visibility by up to 6 miles.
“Starting my engine often wipes out some waypoints in my charting program. My multimeter tells me that the voltage to the charting system drops only .5 volt when the starter is cranking, but that seems to be enough to cause the problem. Everything else still works fine with the lower voltage. Any ideas?”– Janet Margelli, Marina del Rey, CaliforniaGordon West
“I’m building a 42-foot cutter that I hope to launch this year, and my present sailplan is a fractional rig with running backstays. I plan to use a carbon-fiber mast, but I want to do away with the runners. Can a rigger redesign the standing rigging—particularly the chainplate locations—or will I have to redo the whole sailplan? And if that’s what’s required, where should I go to get a new
“I’ve got my boat well grounded for lightning protection and have a pair of insulators to isolate my backstay. I’m concerned that the grounded rigging will pull down my SSB signal transmissions.”– Jim Wonn, Cashmere, WashingtonGordon West replies: As long as your backstay is insulated so the SSB antenna can radiate, there is no problem. Although the signal
“My Grampian sloop is fairly heavy, but it performs well in a breeze. However, my arm gets tired holding the tiller to keep the boat sailing in a straight line. Would moving the foot of the mast forward or aft help correct this problem?” — Harry Newiger, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada Win Fowler replies: Several things could be causing this problem—it’s
“The two group 27 batteries on my boat are both four years old. After charging, all cells have a specific-gravity reading of 1.225 +/- 0.005 and about a 75 percent charge. Hoping to improve the readings, I have been charging at 16 volts and 1 amp. After several days, the cells read 1.260 +/- 0.005. Is this a sign of sulfation?”– Roger A. Karmes, North East,
While exploring the Canadian Maritimes, a side visit to Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a chance to enjoy another country altogether.
A UK startup is developing a 60-meter catamaran that will produce and store green hydrogen while sailing.
Making its U.S. debut at the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show this weekend, the TEMO 1000 is the latest clever electric outboard from the French builder, powering sailboats up to 26 feet.
Chartering paves the way for a couple’s cruising dream.
“How far from my pulpit to the wall?”
Is single sideband radio still relevant in today’s Starlink world?
With fresh thinking and some risk taking, Lagoon creates a worthy successor to an immensely popular model.
In 2001, SAIL’s then executive editor, Charles Mason, awarded Garry Hoyt the magazine’s Industry Award for Leadership, noting his “insatiable desire to make sailing simpler,”
Whether you prefer digital or old school, charts do a great job of getting you where you need to go, and satellite images can provide
Adding low friction rings to your boat’s rigging repertoire can be a lighter, more affordable alternative to line management.
