Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear

Fixed wind indicators tell the direction of the wind relative to the boat, but it is the flow within a few inches of the sail that really matters (see Top-notch Wind Indicators, January 2018).

We tested three methods for threading yarn telltales; direct threading using a #18 sailmakers needle (0.080-inch), pulling through with upholstery thread using a #16 needle (0.061-inch), and pulling through using a large household sewing needle (0.034-inch). We used acrylic/wool blend yarn, 65-weight upholstery thread, and medium stiffness 6-ounce polyester sailcloth.

A great many sailors believe a splice intended for high loads is not complete until it is fitted with a thimble. Undoubtedly, a thick layer of steel provides the ultimate in abrasion resistance when attaching to a rusty, galvanized mooring shackle. And the thimble also increases the turning radius, which more evenly distributes the load among the fibers that make up the weave. But are thimbles best, and is a thimble best or even required in all circumstances? We are especially interested in strength.

Ever since lightweight ball bearing blocks were introduced they have been the standard anywhere a line needed to change direction. Tackles run smoother, and no maintenance is required, other than an occasional cleaning.

When it comes to attaching rings there are at least a dozen ways that work, each requiring different skill sets. In most cases, installation should take only five minutes once a few simple tricks are learned. For splices, remember that deeper ring grooves will be tolerant it will be of a loose splice.

Winch pawls require a different lube the rest of the winch. The only time they are moving is under practically no load, clicking along the ratchet wheel until the handle stops turning. A heavy packing of grease can stick and prevent full engagement, resulting in broken pawls, gouged ratchet wheels, and in the worse case, crew injury when the handle spins backwards.

Racers demand lightning-fast hoists. Cruisers tire of the effort required to grind a heavy main up a sticky track. Roller furler foils that have been left vacan't over the winter can always do with a quick clean and lube before hoisting the genoa. But how can we accomplish this with minimal effort, without climbing the mast? Although it seems like the most common of tasks, the local chandlery doesn't carry what we need, and its slim pickings on the internet. Even calls to sailmakers and lube vendors yielded sparse information. Oddly, patents abound, but no products.

What kind of line do you use in your davit tackle? My lines keep twisting, chafing, and jamming. The ropes run crooked in the blocks no matter how often I restring them, asks Sailor One.

Sunbrella does not shrink. That is the mantra, and for covers and dodger that are left in place, it seems to be the true. It stretches a little when wet, and so long as it is maintained under tension while it dries, it retains it shape. So says Sunbrella. While this seems true for tensioned cloth (our dodger still fits) and it hardly matters for a sail cover, our real world experience with removable Sunbrella window covers has been different, shrinking as much as 5 percent over a period of years. The problem, no doubt, is that these are worst case scenario, repeatedly removed while still wet with dew and allowed to dry. The end result was that the covers became difficult to install and some of the snaps were being ripped out by the excessive tension.

You have written thousands of words about shackles. One item that I don't think you have ever addressed is the use of double shackles. Our boat weighs 14,000 pounds dry (probably 17,000 pounds fully loaded for cruising). We use a 45-pound Manson, 200 feet of 5/16-inch G4 chain rode, and a Crosby 3/8-inch shackle (working load limit 2 tons). After hundreds of nights at anchor we have never dragged. We are big fans of a having a single anchor that you trust, and keeping a spare ready-but don't ever use it unless you lose the one you love. So I have no motivation to change the set up.