Ask SAIL: a Bag of Lines
September 24, 2025
You ask, we answered: Ask SAIL is back. Send your questions to sailmail@sailmagazine.com to be featured in the magazine. We have a whole bag of lines
You ask, we answered: Ask SAIL is back. Send your questions to sailmail@sailmagazine.com to be featured in the magazine. We have a whole bag of lines
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
This weekend a significant portion of the boating industry descended upon Miami for the annual Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show. It’s a warm and
Laura Grondin and Paul Cayard have been named Rolex Yachtswomen and Yachtsman of the Year for their accomplishments in competitive sailing during the 2025 season.
For a third year in a row, SAIL Magazine has been recognized as the top magazine at the Boating Writers International annual awards. SAIL led
I wrote recently about my ongoing project to redesign the mast and sailplan on our family boat, a 1971 OE 36 called Spica. I’ve agonized
New England’s season kick off for racers returns this March.
I’m not patient, laid-back, or compliant so when I hear the expression “age gracefully” all my hairs stand up. It’s unlikely for me to go
Editor-in-Chief Lydia Mullan reflects on her work anniversary with SAIL.
Another issue is off to the printer and on the way to your house! March is our offshore issue, so there are plenty of adventures,
The critically endangered right whale has been a focal point for conservation efforts for decades, and with boat strikes being one of the major threats
Ditch the Squeaky Rope Look at the illustration and guess which rope kept me awake one night. It was, of course, the skinny one. The
