Presented by VETUS MAXWELL Got a tip? Send it to sailmail@sailmagazine.com Winch Wisdom Many of today’s boats—mine included—don’t have enough cleats on the cockpit coamings to secure all the sheets when they come off the winches. This is natural enough given the rise of the ...read more
An anchor isn’t just for passing the day or night away from the marina. It is a key piece of safety gear--something to keep you in one place when the engine fails or a contrary wind threatens to throw your boat on the rocks. This course is designed to teach how to anchor like a ...read more
Your ground tackle is like a relationship—the more you care for it, the longer it will last. So, how do you enhance the relationship? First up, think of the accommodations—a damp, salt-rich, often warm environment, just the kind of thing to encourage corrosion. What can be done? ...read more
At its most basic, a “snubber” is a short length of non-stretchy cordage attached to the anchor chain and to a strong point on a yacht, with the aim of taking the load off the windlass or to stop the chain rattling on the bow roller. A windlass is not designed to take snatch ...read more
If you anchor often enough a time will occur when your yacht is brought up abruptly against the hold of your chain and anchor.Initially, it might be a gentle bump, but as the wind increases it can become quite aggressive and frightening. It’s not only wind that causes this snatch ...read more
