Reefing Preferences from the Pros
In our August 2011 mainsail buyers guide, we looked at all the decision points that go into buying a mainsail, including material, construction, slides,...
Discount Options for Sails
Buying new sails is a big step for most every boat owner. The joys of enhanced performance and greater reliability take some of the...
Seldén’s In-Mast Furling System
Should the continuous control line become fouled, there is a direct-drive apparatus affixed to the back of the spar just below the...
Chainplates Revisited
His comment brings to mind a common alternative to the chainplate bulkhead arrangement, which is the construction of a knee (envision an upside-down...
Mainsail Track Hardware
Sailmakers are familiar with the half dozen manufacturers of in-boom furlers, all of which remain very expensive. Aaron Jasper, told us: "They are fussy...
Mailport: 08/15/04
Longer Winch HandlesYour review of winch handles (April 15) reminded me of one of the unsolved mysteries of the sea: Why are winch handles...
Furlers: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
By almost any measure, roller furling units have evolved to become nearly ubiquitous in our pastime. And, as we wrote in our Feb. 1,...
PS Advisor: 08/01/04
Rigging TerminalsHas Practical Sailor conducted a study of swaged terminals vs. screw-on terminals? I've heard opinions recently that the screw-on ones are preferable because...
PS Advisor: 05/01/04
Sailplan Balancing ActYour February 1 editorial on the benefits of small, self-tending headsails is thought-provoking. As I enter my golden years, I like the...
Headsail Roller Furlers
Headsail furlers, once a novelty scorned by "real" sailors, are everywhere nowadays. The reasons for their widespread use boil down to two advantages: the...
The Great Loop – The Basics
Join us this week as we discuss taking a sailboat around North America's great boating adventure - The Great Loop. We discuss advice from...
