Splice Failure Linked to Fatality
You don't have to look far to find a case in point supporting our recent Practical Sailor Special Report on high-tech lines, which emphasized...
Dyneema Abrasion Test
As outlined in our previous report on lifelines, high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) fiber rope has revolutionized sailboat rigging during the past decade (see Fiber...
Inspecting Rivets and Screws for Trouble
Drew Fry
One of the interesting conclusions from our testing was the surprising strength among all of the test fasteners when loaded in the shear....
A Riveting Report: Spar Fasteners
Every sailor eventually feels the pull to add hardware to their spars. Maybe a piece of hardware has broken off, or the fasteners look...
Anti-Seize Coatings for Spars
If you've ever been humbled by a single impossibly stuck fastener, or plan on adding hardware to your spar, running gear, or deck, this...
DIY Rig Check
Here are two good examples showing the problems associated with the lower or deck level use of swage terminals for your standing rigging. Swaging...
Mechanical Terminal Pull Test
Swageless wire-rope terminals have long been a favorite piece of rigging kit among all kinds of sailors. These terminals are inspectable, reusable, and can...
Swage Fitting Breaks Surprise PS Testers
During the first round of mechanical terminal testing, testers were surprised to see that wire failures were occurring at loads that were at least...
Poured-Socket Assembly Requires Special Care
The most common error with poured sockets is insufficient cleaning of the wire, and/or using the wrong solvent to clean it. Even dry, stainless...
Methods to Mess Up Your Screw-on Terminals
All of the mechanical terminals we tested are based on the same assembly concept: The rigger opens the cover yarns, and then slides a...
The 51 Foot Wharram Catamaran He Finally Found!
If you’ve ever wanted to build your own sailboat, you’ve undoubtedly come across Wharram Catamarans. These home-built DIY sailboat plans are a big hit...
Latest Sailboat Review
Vancouver 27 Used Boat Review
I was single handed on our Islander Bahama 30 on a spectacular fall afternoon, white caps dancing on the blue waters of Plumper Sound...