Undoing Mainsheet Twist
What kind of line do you use in your davit tackle? My lines keep twisting, chafing, and jamming. The ropes run crooked in the...
Winches Part 2
ConclusionTesters found something to recommend in each of the winches. It came down to preferences. Our focus on drum surface adaptations showed the new...
Winches: Ratios and Reality
When comparing winches, its important to understand how input and output interface. The winch handle is a rotary lever that is the first stage...
Sewn Splices Two-Year Followup
The true test of marine gear is not whether it works when installed, but rather how it functions after years in the field. To...
The No-sew Webbing Strap with Link Buckle
Weve sewn our fair share of eyes in nylon webbing, but heres an easy no-sew alternative for creating a webbing strap with a buckle...
Fitting a Roller Furling Line
Replacing the roller-furling control line is an easy do-it-yourself job for the boat owner. Inexpensive, double-braid Dacron is a fine choice for furling lines...
Testing a Dynamic Traveler
Sailors gaze longingly at the rope wall at the local chandlery, coveting rope made from exotic fibers that promises ultra-low stretch and light weight,...
Untangling Furling-line Fairlead Logistics
Headsail furling on sailboats 40 feet and shorter should be able to be accomplished with a hand-over-hand pull on the furling line. If a...
Going Soft on Shackles
Fiber shackles have been in use for centuries-the simple knotted toggles provided all manner of service on square-riggers and even older craft. When made...
UV, Chafe Protection
What We FoundIn our search for the best way to protect a stitched loop or splice, we made several interesting discoveries.None of the liquid...
A Rival for Island Packet, Made in China – Outbound 46...
Like Kraken Yachts and some Passport sailboats, Outbound Yachts are made in China. It's heavy like an Island Packet, but fast like a Beneteau....
Latest Sailboat Review
Grampian 26 Used Boat Review
The first fiberglass auxiliary sailboats were built in the late 1950s; for the record, the first was the 40-foot Philip Rhodes-designed Bounty II (1956),...