Where Credit is Due: May 2011

Rigging OnlyBoatU.S. InsuranceMaui JimColumbia Basin Knot Co.Marinco

0
Nonsuch 30

225

We own a 1985 Nonsuch 30 whose lifelines were overdue for replacement. So we took the old lines to the Strictly Sail Chicago show and left them with the friendly folks from Rigging Only (www.riggingonly.com) so they could make replacements. The new lines were shipped less than a week after the show ended! What’s more, when we installed them, we discovered a problem with one of the gates. We had always had trouble opening it when the old lines were under tension, and a careful measurement revealed that the original lines were made incorrectly! We sent back the portion that didn’t fit along with better measurements and received a perfectly fitting replacement in equally quick time at no extra charge! So now we have “better than new” lifelines, and Rigging Only has our undying praise and support.

Carol Faber
Cattitude, Nonsuch 30
Grand Rapids, Mich.

Nonsuch 30

225

My boat, Sweet Dreams, is docked in the upper section of the Santa Cruz Harbor—the part that was most impacted by the recent tsunami that sunk more than a dozen boats and damaged hundreds of others. To my amazement, a representative from BoatU.S. Marine Insurance Co. (www.boatus.com/Insurance) called me within several hours of the impact to be sure I had their claims phone number should my boat sustain any damage. While I have not needed to file a claim, it makes me feel pretty darn good that my boat insurance company is proactive and does not retreat in the face of adversity.

Mike Chamberlain
Sweet Dreams, Cal 34-3
Santa Cruz, Calif.

Credit is definitely due to Maui Jim Sunglasses (www.mauijim.com) for terrific service. My temple piece on my really old, discontinued MJ 178 (Voyager) sunglasses came apart from the hinge. I sent the glasses back to Maui Jim for repair, and they were returned within one week as good as new. Plus they included a new really cool case. Did they charge for the repair? No, they only charged $10 for handling and return shipping—pretty reasonable.

Ferman Wardell
Wind-Borne, 1985 Hunter 28.5
Lake Norman, N.C.

I bought some line from Columbia Basin Knot Co. (www.cbknot.com) on eBay. They shipped it right away, then emailed to say they were out of stock and would be glad to either refund my money or send me more than I ordered of a similar product. I let them know I had received the line, and they insisted on giving me whatever line I wanted in return for being an honest customer! They would not take no for an answer, and a few months later, when I needed new jib sheets, they sent me the line for free! You won’t find friendlier or more helpful people!

Randall Cohen
Via e-mail

I had a Nicro Day/Night plus ventilation system (www.marinco.com) on my Catalina 27. It was about a year old when it crapped out. No power at all, not even with the sun shining. Big props to Nicro are due: Even without a proof of purchase (or even any real idea of a date of purchase), they sent me a brand spankin’ new one.

Nathaniel Montague
Relative Wind, Catalina 27
Las Vegas, Nev.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.