Where Credit is Due: August 2011

WEEMS & PLATHMoorhouse Sailmakers

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Weems & Plath

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When the hands and mechanism on my Weems & Plath clock/tide clock malfunctioned, I sent the unit to the company (www.weems-plath.com) for repair. While I didn’t know the age of the unit, because it came with my used 1996 Sabre 362, I fully expected it was beyond any warranty period and was prepared to pay repair costs.

To my pleasant surprise, Weems & Plath returned the unit with a new movement at no charge. In addition, they provided a discount coupon with 25 percent off on any purchase from the Weems & Plath catalog.

Such service beyond the norm warrants commendation and a recommendation as a company that stands behind its products.

Bob Kane
Cheers, Sabre 362
Coan River, Va.

I have a three-year-old genoa that Moorhouse Sailmakers (www.mhsails.com) made for me. It has the Reef-Rite KIWI slides on the luff. The Moorhouse team expertly installed these unorthodox slides on my new sail, and the boat has pulled like a locomotive ever since.

After a “spirited sail” pre-season this year, I noticed the stitching on the head and tack webbing needed service. (The webbing is always exposed to UV since it isn’t protected by the furling sail’s UV cover.)

I called Moorhouse, and even though it was the busiest time of year for sailmakers, owner Skip Moorhouse told me to bring the sail in right away (on a Saturday morning). They expertly repaired the stitching and also found the leach stitching needed to be re-stitched as well. (This sail has had TONS of use. We sail every weekend in all sorts of weather.) Skip performed all the sewing while I waited, and the price was more than fair.

When I need new sails, I won’t be sending my own measurements offshore. I’ll again be calling Moorhouse!

Gene Smith
S/V ALMA
Cherry Hill, N.J.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.