Rethinking the MOB Recovery

Man overboard recovery failures have become a frequent headline, and details about these tragedies hold lessons worth learning.

Systems & Propulsion

Tips to Preventing a Crew Overboard Incident

Some simple steps can reduce the risk of a crew overboard incident.

Belowdecks & Amenities

Anchor Rodes for Smaller Sailboats

The usual advice for anyone seeking all-rope anchor rode is usually to just get some three-strand nylon anchor. The makes sense. Three-strand nylon is inexpensive, wears best, and is easy to splice. But one size, or even one type of rope, does not necessarily fit all situations.

Belowdecks & Amenities

Bottomless Lockers Be Gone

Storage is a challenge on small boats, and my new-to-me Corsair Marine F-24 trimaran was particularly Spartan this regard. The skinny hulls provided minimum volume and the race-focused designer intentionally omitted proper lockers. A performance-oriented boat such as this must be...

Tips on Choosing and Sizing Anchor Shackles

July 25, 2019

No matter what brand of anchor shackle you decide to use, understanding sizing and grades of shackles is essential, since this connector between your rode and anchor is often the weakest link in your ground tackle. And the weakest point in the shackle is often where the shackle pin meets the body. When the shackle pin or body is loaded from an angle, the shackle body can be forced open, causing the pin to break or fall out. This is the most common failure we have seen in our tests—even when under straight-pull loads.

September 2019

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