Light-air Sails and How to Handle Them
April 11, 2019
In the second of a two-part series on light-air sails, Rupert Holmes looks at how today’s furling gear has revolutionized sail handling off the wind.
In the second of a two-part series on light-air sails, Rupert Holmes looks at how today’s furling gear has revolutionized sail handling off the wind.
In this first part of a two-part series on light-air downwind sails, Rupert Holmes looks at the different types of Code 0’s and A-sails now
If you own an older boat, you’re likely familiar with the quirks that come with aging rigging and equipment. Many budget sailors like myself make
In-mast furling systems have come a long way. Forget the hollow-leeched, baggy triangles we first saw decades ago; a well-specced modern in-mast system can offer
Despite your best efforts, there will inevitably be times when your sail gets damaged while at sea and needs to be repaired. First, no matter
Taking care of your canvas doesn’t just save you money, it’s central to good seamanship Knowing how to take care of your sails and how to
For the past seven years my wife, Jody, and I have been cruising aboard Blue Pelican, our Pearson 424 ketch. We spent most of those
I’ve always been less than enthusiastic about changing my genoa sheet leads on different points of sail. I know I should move the lead forward
It used to be simple. In the old days, your sailmaker offered you one kind of mainsail, and sailors were generally happy with the result.
Look after your sails, and they’ll look after you Dacron sailcloth has two natural enemies—sunlight and chafe, both of which are found in abundance on
The first days of the inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic test the fleet with sporty conditions.
Though they’ve made sailing easier and more accessible, electric winches must be treated with appropriate caution.
Sometimes it’s the imperfections that make things perfect.
Six IMOCAs are lining up in New York this week for the inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic, a fully-crewed sprint from New York City to Lorient, France.
Tank water can easily be contaminated with anything from a lingering bad taste to dangerous bacteria. Installing a triple filtration set up on Ben-Varrey helped.
The effort to save Maine’s classic plastic fleet began—as so many great things do—with three friends and a foolish idea.
Boat meets spaceship at the luxury end of the market.
Tides are an essential part of coastal sailing, so don’t forget to look at the moon once in a while.
The Magenta Project seeks applicants for their 2026-2027 mentorship program.
Twist: The Big Question When asked to help out onboard, I’m sometimes surprised to find how many skippers only have a vague notion of how
