Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear

Load Lock

A simple device for keeping your gear and on-deck miscellany tied down.

Harken’s Carbo Ratchet Blocks

Made from fiber-reinforced plastic, these blocks are stronger and lighter than their predecesors, but a little more costly as well.

Reefing Preferences from the Pros

We surveyed a cadre of experienced delivery skippers from around North America to find out what systems and gear they favor for reefing mainsails, and to find out what they don't like, and why.

Discount Options for Sails

We web-surfed our way to some real bargains on working sails. It takes time, persistence, and a little self-education, but there are good deals out there.

Seldén’s In-Mast Furling System

There's not much new about in-mast furling, except for those spars that now accommodate sails with full-length vertical battens.

Seldén’s In-Mast Furling System

There's not much new about in-mast furling, except for those spars that now accommodate sails with full-length vertical battens.

Schaefer’s Universal Deck Mount

Deck plate ... $76Cleat ... $115Screw eye ... $20Standup block ... $142When offered through West Marine or Defender, as the components no doubt will...

Chainplates Revisited

Chainplate failures aren't common, but when one occurred on a new boat during its inaugural sail—with our reviewer aboard—we knew it was time to investigate.

Mainsail Track Hardware

The systems used to attach a mainsail to its mast have come a long way, and the variety of options now available plays to the advantage of the consumer.

The ClamSeal

Typically, you repair torn or punctured inflatable boats with a glued patch, but the folks at Barton Marine in the U.K. have introduced a...

Why the Catalina 42 Took Over the Caribbean

You see them everywhere — the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, all across the Caribbean. The Catalina 42, especially the Mark II, has quietly become...

Latest Sailboat Review

Catalina 356 Used Boat Review

Arguably, the Catalina 34 first produced in 1985 with 1,438 constructed of various marks, and the Catalina 36 first produced in 1982 with 1,766...