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Winterize Your Rigging

Winterizing a boat is very important, but most people forget about the rigging. Sometimes even the sails. This is actually not that much work, it’s just that most people don’t know what this might entail. Here is what we riggers consider when the sailing season comes to a close.   Remove the Halyards, Attach a messenger…

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A Whisker Pole System

Using a whisker pole that is sized and configured properly, can make sailing by the lee stable and comfortable. Usually downwind sailing, specifically in light air, can feel a bit sluggish and sloppy. Some of us feel that flying a spinnaker is too much work and that a lot can go wrong quickly.  So what can we do when we have to do…

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Cruisers Can Fly Spinnakers Too!

So are you sick of your jib flogging around when you turn the boat down wind? Do you dread heading down wind because you know the boat’s performance will drastically suffer? Somehow the thought of the spinnaker is always nice, but when it really comes down to it, MAN that’s a lot of work! Not…

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Tides Track and Lazy Jacks!

Can’t afford a Boom Furler? Looking for an easier way to hoist, douse, and stow your main or mizzen sails? Well there are two products that you may want to look at. They are called a Tides Marine Strong Track and our very own T.R.C. Lazy Jacks (pictured left). I do realize that many people cringe…

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Anchors Aweigh

Sometimes in sailboat racing the guy that deploys the anchor first, pulls into the lead. Winds have been light and variable for most of this leg, as expected. However, the teams are nearing the final rounding mark and things may start “heating up”, as the teams begin to turn upwind  ~ see what I did…

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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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The Old Volvo Ocean Race

With the new boats launching and the teams preparing for this year’s Volvo Ocean Race, let us take a look back, way back to the race’s debut, 1973. The Whitbread Round the World Race Digitally Remastered, Episode 1/3. Brought to you by Sailing News TV. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBPMTu733-g&w=560&h=315] It seems that this race was a bit…

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Classic Lines, Modern Comforts, and…

…easy to handle. The Tofinou 12 is hard to be outdone as far looks and ease of sail handling are concerned. I really like the sort of “Dragon-ish” foredeck design which puts the headstay several feet in from the very point of the boat. This allows the asymmetrical spinnaker to be flown via an internal tack…

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Boxing Day…

… December 26th, is also the start of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race 2013. This race marks the 68th anniversary for the event; continuing the tradition of racing from Australia’s Port Jackson/Sydney Harbour, south across the Bass Strait, along the east coast of the historic island of Tasmania and into Hobart. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhMjlcE_UxQ&w=420&h=315] This epic event has…