Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear

With some modification to our bench-test jig, we were able to place two blocks in opposition to each other, attach them via a closed loop of ultra low-stretch line and place the system in tension. The load-inducing mechanism was a vertical capstan Ideal anchor windlass capable of incrementally adding tension to the mix. A Dillon AP dynamometer was placed in series with the tension-creating tackle, and during each test, the load on the closed loop was closely monitored.

Researching an upcoming article on the effects of various cleaning chemicals on ropes, our testers scrubbed and machine-washed mountains of nylon and polyester rope of every description. Samples ranged from three-strand dock line encrusted in marine life to brand-new polyester double-braid line. Our testing for that article continues, but we want to report one immediate finding relevant to any sailor who is wondering how to deal with old or dirty lines. Fully 70 percent of our test samples, including new and used line from New England Ropes (NER) and Samson Ropes, experienced failure of pre-spliced eyes; the buried portion of the core worked its way out of the main line and into the eye, where it carried zero load. In some cases, these failures were scarcely visible, while in others, the tail was exposed.

Practical Sailor contributor and world cruiser Joe Minick details the steps he and his wife took to replace the wornout teak deck aboard their Mason 43, Southern Cross. Minick breaks down the major tasks of the three-month project and explains how they saved a lot of money by doing some of the work themselves. The article looks at the pros and cons of a do-it-yourself teak deck refit; planning and budgeting; step-by-step removal of hardware and the old deck; and the detailed installation process of the new deck.

West Marine has released a new, improved version of the safety tethers it voluntarily recalled last summer. As we reported in the August 2010 issue, West Marine recalled its model 9553512 (single) and 9553504 (double) safety tethers—which featured Kong hooks on the boat end and snap shackles on the user end—over concerns about the durability of the split ring connecting the snap shackle’s release pin and the lanyard.

Do you have any suggestions on a book or manual that explains how to replace a cored deck where most of it is soaking wet? I replaced a 1.5-square-foot area and was surprised to see that it was so wet and rotten that I could grab the wood core and squeeze it like a sponge.

The Catalina 30 is a remarkable success story. We suspect that more Catalina 30s have been built than any other boat of that size anywhere in the world. While the basic boat has remained unchanged since it was introduced in 1975, there have been dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of minor developments in the boat in the course of a production run that is approaching 4,000 hulls. The advantage of a boat in production for so long is a high degree of product refinement over the years. The challenge for the owner of an early version of the boat is to upgrade his boat to the standards of models currently in production.

Hurricane Gloria was a most impolite lady. She barreled up the Atlantic coast, scaring the heck out of people from Florida to Massachusetts. Despite the fact that the storm didn’t live up to its billing, hundreds of boats in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts were destroyed or severely damaged. In some cases, the boats were lost through no fault of the owner. No amount of preparation will save your boat if another boat drags down on it in the middle of a hurricane. In other cases, however, lack of proper preparation was a major cause of a damaged boat. There’s no excuse for that type of loss.

A critique of conventional Western economics, Schumachers Small is Beautiful argues for a simpler, decentralized economy that puts the focus on individual productivity and general well-being, rather than gross domestic product. Although Schumachers critics associate some of his proposals to the radical back-to-nature movement of the 1960s, many of his ideas are as relevant today as they were when Small is Beautiful was published. Prime Minister David Cameron is among several contemporary leaders whose economic vision has been influenced by Schumachers work.

Practical Sailor compares two new continuous-line furlers, the Seldn CX15 and Profurls new NEX 2.5, with the Facnor FX2500, which was named the PS Best Choice foil-less furler in the March 2008 issue. Testers unfurled the test boats sails then sailed a 120-degrees reach, and with the mainsheet blanketing the drifter, eased the sheet and hauled away on the roller furlers endless line. A spring scale measured the initial tension it took to start the process. If improving your boats light-air sailing performance is a priority, a foil-less furler could be a user-friendly, roller-furling solution.

Today’s breed of well-engineered, conventional, slotted-luff headsail furlers affords a wonderful home for the compromise genoa—a 12- to 25-knot, easy to handle, 120-135 percent sail. The compromise genny is neither working jib nor light-air-optimized headsail—and the idea of making it a 4-ounce, 150-percent genoa defies both shape concerns and material constraints. The setup leaves many boat owners, in their quest to optimize power under sail, seeking a light-air solution.