After years of dealing with the 40-year-old track on the mast of his Allied Seabreeze 35, SAIL’s Andrew Howe installs a track and slide system from Tides Marine. Although the project sounds complicated, it proved to be a surprisingly straightforward one, and the results are more than worth the effort. The key is to take your time, follow the
There are many different ways to embarrass yourself while sailing. Having fenders hanging over your topsides or large scallops in your mainsail between the slides are two popular examples. Another is to use improper radio procedures. This demonstrates your incompetence not only to those who can see you, but to everyone within 20 miles.I am constantly frustrated by the poor procedures I
D.I.Y. Outboard ShifterA lever for all reasons Although I could reach the tiller/throttle of the five horsepower outboard that was mounted on the transom of my 20-foot trailersailer, whenever it was time to go from forward to reverse I had to face aft and then bend over the transom and the motor to reach the side-mounted shift lever. That’s not a good position to be
If you plan to be sailing in reduced light conditions make sure everyone uses the same procedure to secure a line around a cleat. If someone decides to use a fancy hitch during the day to secure a line it is easy enough to figure out how to free it up because it is right there in front of you. But when you are trying to clear an offbeat hitch in the dark, you might turn the
There’s an old saying that some of the most dangerous moments in sailing occur when people are in their dinghies. Over the years we’ve had lots of opportunities to see dinghies being handled well and poorly, and we’ve seen a lot more good and bad examples since we have been cruising in the Caribbean aboard our 54- foot cutter New Morning. We carry an 11-foot Zodiac
Even in the most idyllic of anchorages, the wind can come up in the middle of the night and cause trouble. At times like this we always have an action plan to follow if our anchor begins to drag. Experience has convinced me that when something goes wrong while a boat is at anchor, trouble is caused not by the conditions, but by how the crew responds to those conditions. Having
Whether you’re cruising or racing, an adjustable backstay is a helpful device for changing sail shape and controlling forestay tension for improved upwind and downwind performance. By dialing in the right backstay tension you can increase boatspeed. Regardless of whether you have a masthead or fractional rig, using an adjustable backstay is essential to good sail shape. While
My last two columns discussed the high cost of generating electricity with a diesel engine and the relatively short payback period for solar panels on liveaboard cruising boats. The problem with solar is that it requires a lot of surface area to produce significant amounts of power. This is relatively easy to find on catamarans, but not so on monohulls.Coincidentally, I received an email
Here’s a maneuver that can make it easier to get someone who is not injured out of the water. First, have the person in the water is face you, and then ask them to raise their arms straight up and cross them over their head. When their arms are crossed, grasp their wrists firmly with your hands—put your right hand on their right wrist and your left on their left. When you pull up on their wrists
With boats going back in the water in the northern parts of the country and marinas further south beginning to fill up with the summer regulars, it’s time to make sure the dock lines you’ll be using are going to keep your boat in its designated spot. Carefully inspect the condition of all these lines, and if any show signs of chafe or abrasion, replace them. Once the wind has
While everyone in the multihull market seems to be zigging, Aquila Catamarans has decided to zag. Renowned for their comfortable and spacious powercats, Aquila has
The American Sailing Association has partnered with the navigation app for use in a new Electronic Navigation course as well as their regular offerings.
The Everglades Challenge is a race, an adventure, and a test of character all at once.
Why one sailor went back in time one hundred years to find the perfect boat.
Low-power ideas for keeping your boat well-ventilated in the dog days of summer.
When sailing on a micro budget, the ability to troubleshoot is a priceless skill, as Chuck Hawley discovered on one shakedown cruise back in 1979.
Here’s what you can look forward to while you’re relaxing on the boat this weekend with your new issue of SAIL.
A recent post titled Why I Cringe Over Female-Only Sailing Events caused a stir online. After sailing in last week’s Boston Harbor Ladies Challenge, Editor-in-Chief Lydia Mullan weighs in.
250 boats squared off last week on Lake Michigan’s famous 333-mile course and found the full spectrum of race conditions awaiting them.
After the 4th of July festivities in New York City, the international tallship fleet continued its tour of the eastern seaboard, heading up to Boston.
