Reefing or reducing a conventional/non-furling mainsail can be done by way of either a slab or a single line reef system. Today I want to talk about the difference between the two reef systems and how they should be set up. FIRST: Read below for a few thoughts on reefing procedure When reefing, conditions are…
There are big rigs and then there are big rigs! Perini Navi and Ron Holland deliver once again in typical fashion. This incredible yacht, “Felicita West”, cuts no corners. Check out the video that showcases some of the vessels highlights. As well as the refit and massive mast stepping project undertaken by Seahawke Rigging along with…
The concept of how to properly adjust a turnbuckle seems to sometimes elude most people. This is understandable as I didn’t used to spend my days thinking about tightening cables, like I do now. So let’s take a moment to discuss how this is done properly. There are generally three different styles of turnbuckles. Yes, there are a…
Link plates are an option for raising the furling drum up off the deck for clearance. Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself before purchasing a new furler, or raising the height of the drum on your existing one: Do you need to link the drum off of the deck to clear…
The vast U.S. cordage market allows us to have several competitive options including; Robline, New England, Samson, Yale, and Marlow Ropes, just to name a few. Each one of these manufacturers provide various rope constructions utilizing different materials to allow the consumer to achieve different functions based on application. All of the jargon like Spectra, Dyneema, Vectran, Kevlar, Technora, Dacron, Double Braid, Single Braid,…
Some winches are more difficult to service than others. If you do not know what to expect, certain parts, depending on manufacturer, can come sliding out at inopportune times and jump overboard! I happen to know this from personal experience and if you are really unlucky (like I was) then it may be a part from a vintage…
I struck gold again with another beautiful day in the Baltimore Inner Harbor! On this day we conducted an official sailboat rigging inspection for the United States Coast Guard…pretty cool eh? This is a shot of the bow and the USCG anxiously awaiting my return to earth to tell them about what I found. I…
Re-wiring and replacing the fixtures in the mast is a task that most of us boat owners need to face at some point. Let’s address what needs to happen during this process and what is the most efficient way to do this. First, the mast needs to be un-stepped. Therefore it could be a smart idea to…
…was stepped last month at the Perini Navi Yard in Italy. Just look at the size of the masthead! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pEsuYH-Dt4&w=560&h=315] This incredible carbon fiber wonder measures just over 250′ and weighs in at just over 16 metric tons…pretty light considering. The furling boom provided by Future Fibres could be its own sailing yacht…
‘T’ Terminals, ‘T’ Balls, Gibb Hooks, Shroud Terminals, and Lollipop Fittings are just some of the nicknames for these special fittings. I would just like to take a minute to address the different terms associated with these fittings; their uses and misuses. It appears that many boats in today’s sailboat market use these types of…
Aloft on the South River at Liberty Marina. I am conducting an aloft inspection for insurance. The boat is a quite large Tayana 55 It turns out that the lower shroud tang has cracked! Bummer. An electric winch and a beautiful day once again from 75′ in the air. Thanks for taking a…
Stowing the inner stay appears to be quite the challenge sometimes. All too many times I have seen systems that are either over complicated, under engineered or are just plain ineffective. Below I describe a method that is very straight forward, simple and effective. Almost in every case imaginable, the inner stay storage bridle, is the key…
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