Shock Cord Hardware for Sailors
Every rope we have on board has its quirks when you’re trying to form a knot that won’t slip or come untied.
Dyneema is a...
Stitching Awl vs. Leather Palm for Sail Repair
Got a small sail or canvas repair? “Get a Speedy Stitcher!” is common advice, though rarely from someone experienced in sail repair.
Sure, it seems...
PS Advisor: Belaying Safety for Mast Climbing
Mast climbing accidents have occurred because the crew member either misunderstood or did not perform their duties attentively and properly. Belaying should be considered...
Damage Control at Sea
For many boaters, damage control means a cell phone call to Sea Tow, Tow Boat US or another marine assistance provider. These are reliable...
Checking Rope Strength
We like nylon for docklines, anchor rode, and chain snubbers because it stretches, absorbing jolts that would otherwise be transferred to the boat and...
Stopping Mainsheet Twist
The dinghy requires a gorilla to hoist onto the davits. The mainsheet won’t release in a gust. The internal reefing line inside the boom...
Revive Your Mast Like a Pro
Unobtainium is the metal at the top of every Naval Architect’s wish list. It’s a perfect marine material; light, strong, stiff yet flexible—it’s as...
Anchor Trip-line Tricks
An anchor trip line is a stout line connected from the after end of the anchor fluke to a marker buoy so that the...
Shock Cord Test Looks at Long Life
We’re sailors and we know our knots. We don’t use bungees to avoid lashings or because we don’t have enough old rope lying about...
Designing a Dump Line for the Multihull Mainsheet
Many of Practical Sailor's previous reports have explored the risks of multihull capsize, and what sailors and designers are doing to reduce this risk, which, though generally low, increases as designers push for more speed. One detail that we have not explored in great depth is the engineering of a “dump line,” which allows the helmsman (or automatic system) to quickly release the mainsheet in case a capsize is imminent. Simon Angus, a Canadian sailboat designer and builder who recently launched a new 40-foot catamaran that fits into a shipping container, has a manual system that involves the clever use of Ronstan’s constrictor textile rope clutches, which allows a person at the helm to quickly release the mainsheet with the swift tug on a parachute cord.
