I knew that knots weakened rope, but I certainly didn't think it was that dramatic. I personally have only seen a few ropes fail. two were halyards that broke at the mast exit, and one was an old guy that let go where the un-thimbled eye splice contacted the shackle. I guess the boats I've raced on ...

I have learned to really love this skill while racing and cruising when something breaks and you need to be able to replace it on the fly. Tripp Gal, I'm impressed! If I needed to reattach a halyard during a race, I would just use a bowline. You would splice the shackle back on? Very cool! I found ...

If you buy a fid of the appropriate size, it will likely come with step by step instructions. There are different methods depending on the type of rope you are using. Be prepared to spend a long time on your first few splices, particularly when you are trying to fit it to a thimble. I decided to sav...

I thought that this cord was there to create a more Baloon like sail for light air sailing... was I wrong all these years? I'm afraid so Steve! The leechline has no effect on the shape of the sail at all. it affects how the air leaves the trailing edge, and that is all. In light air sailing it is e...

The LEECH line is there for the sole purpose of preventing the leech from fluttering. If at all possible it should be left slack, and you only pull on enough to stop the flutter. A slight hook in the leech caused by the leechline is more desireable than flutter for a couple of reasons. First of all,...

When I lived in Argentina in the mid '80s there were Ford Falcons EVERYWHERE! Apparently Ford sold the tooling to a plant down there, and they were rolling them off the line in the 80s!

The only car more common than the Falcon at the time was the original Dodge Colt, also being produced down there.

Typically annual one-design regattas move around to different venues every year. That way you are not forcing the same people to drive or sail long distances, while others play at home every year. Of course the innagural event goes to whatever area has the sailors that actually get the idea off the ...

also mounted a 15inch flatscreen so she can watch her videos. Nooooooo! Why can't we get away from the electronic babysitters?? Surely the child can survive a weekend or vacation without watching TV! Let them find their own ways to amuse themselves rather than plugging them in to the damned purple ...

My daughter really dislikes the life vest, even the least bulky one we could find. She will have to get over that one! A lifejacket is an absolute must at all times. Our little guy wasn't crazy about it at first either, but now he loves it, and often doesn't want to take it off after we have gone a...

You can remove the keeper and pull the slugs out of the groove, but that is a bit of a pain since you have to re-feed each slug when you decide to shake the reef out. A better solution is to fabricate a couple of stainless plates that cover the widened luff groove area and essentially extend the luf...

I still would like a halyard winch. I have resisted the trend to bringing the main halyard aft. I am comfortable up on deck in most any conditions and need to be up there anyway to lash the sail to the boom. To me bringing the halyard aft never made any sense, except it lets you use a line stopper ...

Then you can say you sail a "leadmine" just like me! Careful tho; Frank M might just loose it completely and go postal on ya!

A hollow centerboard with holes?? PERFECT! Just fill that puppy with lead shot and seal it up!

Schock, I also find that I get more speed reefed in winds aproaching 20 knots than I do with all the canvas in the air. Upwind that is. Weve hit 7 knots beating and reefed down in wind that stiff. I cant do it with all of the canvas up with the excessive heel. Yes, that ties in to my point that &qu...

Try Steveston Marine. They probably will not have them in stock, but the wholesaler, Western Marine might. Western is down on Powell St. You can also try Westmarine, but they are not nearly as helpful and their sailboat hardware stock sucks! (and their prices are criminal!) If you're really in a hur...