Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear

Fender boards are almost a necessity when docking against pilings because without them, no matter how you position and secure your boat and fenders, movement of tide and boat will displace the position of the fenders relative to the piles. The result dinged topsides.

In some ways, the good old days just weren’t that good. Just ask any old salt who has watched an expensive canvas dodger mildew, rot, and fall to pieces. When Sunbrella entered the market four decades ago, the strides forward were significant. When it comes to fabricating a long-term, waterproof fabric cover, it’s hard to beat the combination of vinyl and acrylic or vinyl and polyester. Practical Sailor compared Sunbrella, Sunbrella Plus, and WeatherMax in a long-term field test and some creative bench tests. Testers compared weight, sewability, breaking strength, water shedding, permeability, and price.

Two years ago, we sewed up our own dodger and assorted deck covers made from Sunbrella and WeatherMax fabrics and monitored how well the materials stood up to 24/7 weather exposure and the extreme climate flip-flops of the mid-Atlantic region. On a parallel track, we did some controlled—and creative—material testing restricted by tight budget constraints. For example, we lacked an Instron tension test machine to carry out a formal ASTN D5034 elongation and breaking strength test, so we did the next best thing: We made our own.

To keep your Biminis, dodgers, and sail covers clean and in service for the long haul, regular maintenance is a must. Here are some best practices and care tips weve picked up over the years.

Practical Sailor treated used running rigging with Downey fabric softener, Granger’s 2-in-1 Cleaner and Waterproofer, and Nikwax Rope Proof to determine whether softeners or waterproofing treatments improve the performance of nylon and polyester double-braid lines on a boat. Can aftermarket treatments improve line handleability, reduce water-weight gain and strength loss, and prevent lines from freezing in colder climates—without damaging the lines? We also wondered whether any treatment would keep aging lines from squeaking as they run over blocks under high strain. Our tests found the definitive answer.

Practical Sailor followed manufacturer instructions for treating used lines, with one exception. Both the Granger’s and Rope Proof advise users to dry the treated ropes in a warm dryer after soaking them in the diluted solution and laundering them. As we’ve learned in past tests (PS, July 2011), most rope manufacturers caution against placing rope in a heated dryer, and cleaning them in a washing machine can be damaging (to the rope and the machine). So for this test, we opted to clean the test ropes by gently agitating them in a bucket by hand, rinsing them in a pillowcase on a shortened gentle cycle, and air drying them. (We did test one set of lines by air-drying and heat-setting, but there was no measurable difference.)

Titanium is of particular interest to sailors due to its resistance to galvanic corrosion. It has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal and is non-magnetic. It is up to 20 times more scratch resistant than stainless steels. Practical Sailor contributor Patrick Childress takes an in-depth look at the metal and its use in the marine industry as his boat, a Valiant 40, is refitted with titanium chainplates and other rigging.

Titanium’s high price is only one thing that is keeping in the realm of mega-yachts and Cup boats. Some of the essential roles that lightweight metals once played in deck hardware are now being taken by high tech fibers like Spectra or Vectran. Carbon fiber laminates are also taking the place of metal fittings, at a slightly lower cost. Nevertheless many manufacturers see a bright future for titanium. Here is some feedback we got from manufacturers on this topic.

Stainless steel is exactly what the name says; the steel “stains less.” As PS’s February 2007 special report “Marine Metals Warning,” pointed out, stainless steel is not the maintenance free miracle material many boat owners imagine it to be. Some stainless steel is more stainless than others. With over 500 different grades of stainless steel, only a few meet the mark for use in the corrosive marine environment. Most marine stainless steel is grade 304 or 316. Stainless steels are made up of metals with a blend of iron, chromium, and nickel. Chromium resists corrosion, and nickel resists acids.

Each year, as the fall boat shows—and the deals that come with them—appear on the horizon, we pore over the numerous products we’ve reviewed in the previous 12 months to select the cream of the crop for our Editor’s Choice awards. We hope the list will help readers better navigate any boat-show or end-of-season shopping. This year, we picked from the Best Choice products evaluated in the September 2010 through August 2011 issues. The 2011 GOTY roster includes an electric outboard, some stout bullet blocks, electric marine toilets, bilge pumps, chafe gear, and marine maintenance products like bottom paint.