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Views from Aloft

Our Views from Aloft segment made it’s 2014 debut last week at Muller Marine in beautiful downtown Eastport, Annapolis, MD. Here I went aloft using our self hoist. This was a full inspection for insurance, not part of our FREE inspection promo.   This type of inspection covers every rigging related nut, bolt and pin via…

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Lubricants for Sailboats!

There are many lubricant products that all claim to do different things, or do they? So it is easy to see why this can become confusing. Not to mention there are even more lubrication products becoming available on the market every day. I have been on many boats and usually see mixture of WD-40 and some sort…

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A Home Team Win

Just 5 days ago the Extreme Sailing Series finished up ACT 2 in Muscat, Oman. Leigh McMillan and the top notch team aboard The Wave Muscat came out victorious once again. The home snuck into the lead position just in front of Americas Cup skipper Dean Barker of Team Emirates New Zealand. The last spot on…

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Stanchion Bases

Stanchion bases are an often forgotten about, yet important, portion of our boat. They are responsible for giving our boat’s lifelines ‘a foot to stand on’ – so to speak. Unfortunately, stanchion bases are also a major reason for soft decks. We (at The Rigging Co.) tend to think this is because of the long fulcrum that is naturally created by the…

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No Rudder, No Problem!

Ever wonder, “what if we lose steerage”? Well this little video, brought to you by our friends at Yachting Monthly, covers a few concepts to help allow you to get your boat back under control. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99KSZ3mEoKQ&w=420&h=315]   They say that they took a rudderless GK29 and tried 3 different ways of steering it. Maybe…

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Furling the Mainsail

After all of the conveniences that technology has afforded us sailors, there is still one luxury that has eluded us. Although more popular than ever, a furling mainsail is still not 100% standard equipment on today’s boats. The reason for this is that it has always presented some negatives that leave many people unsure about whether…

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40 Years in Review #VolvoOceanRace

I liked this on Facebook and thought I’d share. A look back at the History, the ‘high’s’ and the ‘low’s of what has become my favorite sailing event in the world… [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp4ydArnzgc&w=560&h=315]) R.I.P. “Only the good die young”

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Rope Clutches

As most things in life, there are pluses and minuses. Lewmar and Spinlock clutches are no exception.  Let’s have a look…… Lewmar boasts of their “domino” style locking mechanism. Spinlock raves about their cam being a superior rope grabbing mechanism. Well, both are pretty cool and both have their place, let’s have a look… One of the downsides to the Lewmar clutch,…

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The Boss Mast Dive

Hugo Boss is making waves with Alex Thomson’s new YouTube commercial. Check out his latest antics below. Shame about the nice suit… [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4loB_UGxw8&w=560&h=315] Also if you haven’t seen his keel walk, it’s worth a look. ~enjoy the day!

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Choosing the Right Rope for Your Sailboat

Deciding what rope to buy for a specific application can be a bit complicated. Only because there are so many different manufacturers, products, and not to mention the vast array of terms associated with rope. Let’s try and simplify this process a bit. For the sake of keeping this short and sweet we’ll narrow it…

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Team Groupama Dismasted!

In typical Extreme Sailing Series fashion, Act 1 kicks off with no shortage of collisions and wipeouts. The race took place in Singapore Harbor last weekend. Day 3 delivered possibly one of the event’s most dramatic moments in its eight-year history. The home Team Aberdeen Singapore caught a huge gust near the finish line and plowed…