As a lifelong racing sailor, I’m well familiar with the go-fast, lightweight sailhandling hardware and line favored by serious buoy chasers. These come in myriad sizes and setups, but they often involve low-friction rings rather than blocks, clever use of Spectra (or other exotic and semiexotic materials) for strops (spliced loops),  and freely articulating soft shackles to connect gear to the boat. While this evolution is partially bolstered by the advent of new rope-making fibers (see below), it’s also being driven by boatbuilders’ and consumers’ demands for lighter-weight and lower-cost equipment that looks cool and can handle big loads. Here’s a look at some of the benefits that they offer.

The Fundamentals

Let’s begin with sails and cordage. The past few decades have seen substantial evolution in the materials that are used to build cruising sails. While some sailors are still hoisting (relatively) stretchy Dacron sails, plenty of others have upgraded their inventory to low- or no-stretch sails that are made from Spectra or other exotic fibers that are woven or 3D-printed onto molds. Even some Dacron cruising sails are now being constructed using similar 3D-printing techniques to generate higher-performance, lower-stretch sails.

Likewise, there’s been a big jump in the availability of high-strength, low-diameter rope that replaces basic polyester lines which, by comparison, can be stretchy, thick and heavy. While there’s no question that these new sails and cordage offer much higher performance than the sails your grandparents bent onto their Hinckley Sou’wester, there’s also no question that these new materials put greater strain on your boat and its sailhandling equipment.

“The dynamic loading on all the gear and rigging is greater on boats with high-tech sails,” says Jim Andersen, Harken’s US sales manager. “There’s less shock absorption of such loading due to the more-stable sails and running rigging with minimal stretch.”

Others agree. “Shock loads are quite a bit higher with high-tech sails and with high-tech fiber ropes,” says Alan Prussia, Ronstan’s commercial manager of marine products. Particularly, he points to Dyneema and Spectra, among other minimal-stretch materials. When upgrading an older boat, Prussia says, “decks need to be inspected to make sure the core is good structurally and that proper backing plates are used.”

Dealing with these loads and lower-diameter cordage isn’t typically problematic so long as owners work with their riggers and sailmakers to eliminate weak links. “It’s very important to understand how one change can affect the performance of other products in the system,” says James Hall, Spinlock’s marketing and sales manager.

While line and sail-inventory upgrades commonly drive sailors to find better sailhandling options, these changes are also being driven by new models with modern sail plans, which typically use easier-to-trim-in, non-overlapping headsails—rather than the big, overlapping genoas of yore—and by a desire to create a new, cleaner-looking aesthetic.

Ring Things

A good example of this is the floating jib lead, which consists of a simple, low-­friction ring that “floats” above the deck. Its position is controlled by a keeper strop (typically a Spectra loop that’s spliced around the ring’s circumference and led through one or more deck- or cabin-top-mounted padeyes) and one or more barber haulers that replace an adjustable fairlead and deck track. Such a setup provides significantly more trim and sail-shape options. While this is standard-issue stuff on most racing sailboats, it’s a configuration that’s now gracing some more-mainstream designs. “Floating leads, soft loops and rings are all becoming more popular on cruising yachts, especially new builds, because they look modern, light and clean,” Hall says.

One important consideration for a sailor who’s contemplating an upgrade is that a jib lead that’s suspended in space by strops and sheeted-on loads offers more trim options—and because of that, more opportunities to make incorrect adjustments. “I think floating leads are difficult for many sailors to figure out,” Prussia says.

He advises that before upgrading or buying a boat with floating leads, owners should consider their sailing style and sail-trimming skills (or desire to bolster those skills). Some will enjoy the challenge of eking out perfect sail shape, but such a system might not be as appealing to passagemaking sailors who aren’t concerned about capturing 0.1-knot efficiencies.

Still, Prussia notes that low-friction rings can work well elsewhere on a boat.

“We have had many ­inquiries about using low-­friction rings for furling-line leads along stanchion bases, jib outhaulers (for better reaching angles) and boom preventers,” he says. “These are perfect applications for this type of product.”

Some experts remain ­skeptical though. “We’ve seen more people trying the ­apparent simplicity and less-expensive friction rings,” Andersen says, but he adds that the word “friction” is the sticky wicket. “Rings are really only appropriate for shallow deflection (less than 30 percent) or lead-angle changes. That’s why Harken calls them lead rings. They’re not an appropriate replacement for a proper pulley for a 45- to 180-degree turn or a multipart purchase system where efficiency is the aim, and where adding friction defeats the mechanical-advantage goal of a block and tackle.”

Friction is obviously a concern with any running rigging, but Siebe Noordzy, the owner of Euro Marine Trading and the US importer of Antal marine equipment, says high-strength, low-stretch cordage naturally helps ameliorate some of these concerns. “With the increased use of Dyneema lines, which are very slippery by nature, over the past three years, Antal has been concentrating on creating low-friction equipment, which is no longer using sheaves,” he says. The gear is light, strong and easy to install, and now it’s commonly seen on cruising boats.

Soft and Tough

Gear experts might be split on their thoughts concerning floating leads and rings, but most agree that spliced strops and soft shackles are racing crossover equipment that—if properly maintained—can be a lightweight and simple upgrade. “There’s an almost explosive trend toward using soft shackles,” Noordzy says. “They’re easy to mount, weigh less [than traditional hardware and] are very strong. One only has to be careful not to mount them around sharp edges.”

Soft Shackle

Prussia agrees: “The ­applications are endless, and they offer a lower-cost solution than traditional snap ­shackles, standard shackles, quick links and carabiner-style products.” But, as with all good things, soft shackles have their downsides, starting with the fact that they’re not easy to release under load (racer tip: make sure there’s a sharp knife on deck and in each watch captain’s pocket) and can be hard to mechanically evaluate. “Deformation, rust or wear on a stainless-steel shackle is something almost anyone can relate to, and understand that there may be a problem with overloading, underspecification or simply wear,” Andersen says. But with synthetic strops and shackles, “fiber plating, interfiber chafe and UV degradation is harder to identify without training or experience.”

This matters, of course, because soft strops and shackles can fail, just as worn or defective stainless-steel hardware can, often with similarly less-than-desirable outcomes.

The story here is that you have options. If you’re ­upgrading sails and running rigging to more-exotic ­materials, or if your boat simply needs a sailhandling refresh, consider some of these solutions. And while floating-jib leads could be best-suited for reformed racers, other technologies such as rings, spliced strops and soft shackles are all great, cruising-friendly choices that offer some weight-saving and possibly cost-saving gains while also adding a decidedly sleek aesthetic.

David Schmidt is CW’s ­electronics editor and occasionally reports on other gear.

The post Upgrading Sailboat Deck Hardware appeared first on Cruising World.

During my 75 years of sailing, I’ve become aware of the chasm between cruisers and racers. But I’ve never understood it because I have always been both. Even when I cruise, I’m racing—against changing weather, the need to get home in time for dinner, whatever. What that really means is that I’m determined to get the most speed out of my boat at all times. And to do so means having excellent running-rigging systems.

There are three issues in play when deciding on whether to install or upgrade your running rigging. First, do you want to increase your ease and convenience when adjusting sail trim? Second, are you willing to add lengths of line (as well as lengths of time) to make sail-trim adjustments? And last, how much investment are you willing to make to reach your sail-handling (i.e., running-rigging) goals?

I can scratch only the surface of this complicated topic and not present a ­comprehensive guide to all systems and conditions. Hopefully I’ll encourage you to think of how you might be able to improve your systems to make your sailing better and more satisfying.

Let’s begin by looking at sail-trim adjustments, which encompasses many items: sail curve (or draft, also called cord), luff tension, foot tension, sail twist from head to foot, and attack angle (the angle of wind as it approaches the sail’s leading edge, or luff).

On racing boats, all of the power required to make these adjustments is enhanced with more-powerful winches, larger crews, expensive low-friction blocks, and extremely strong and flexible lines. All of the running-rigging systems on racing boats are also appropriate for cruising boats, but cost often plays a deciding factor when making hardware and arrangement choices.

Increasing the power of running-rigging systems will always cost more, but it will also result in ease of handling and efficiency of controlling mainsail and headsail trim. Let’s move on, focusing first on the main.

Main Outhaul

Mainsail draft (depth of the sail’s curve) is controlled primarily by the outhaul but also may be supplemented by halyard tension and mast bend. So, let’s concentrate on the outhaul if for no other reason than its ease of use, as long as it is easily adjustable and also conveniently reachable. Unfortunately, most outhauls that I see on cruising boats are not adjustable and are usually a bundle of knots, difficult to reach when under sail, and almost impossible to untie without a marlinspike or fid. So let’s fix this first.

The mainsail outhaul on my Cape Dory 28 Nikki’s boom end is a 2-to-1 tackle with its hauling end attached to another 2-to-1 tackle, also called a cascade or Burton. In light air, when sailing to weather, the draft of the main can be flattened by taking in on the 2-to-1 part of the tackle. In strong breezes, flattening the mainsail’s draft is easily done by hauling in on the Burton only, a total power ratio of 4-to-1. Both of the outhaul tackles have their own clam cleats mounted on the side of the boom.

Mast Bend

I don’t ­recommend mast bending to most cruisers because its proper application depends largely on the boat owner’s knowledge of the nature and dimensions of the curve built into the sail by the sailmaker. In a nutshell, though, when sailing to weather, mast bend will flatten the luff of the sail. When sailing off the wind or in light air, a straight mast will increase the curve or draft of the sail for better drive.

Halyards

If your halyards are only general-purpose Dacron line (like those used for dock lines and sheets), as you tighten them, they will stretch and have little to no effect on sail shape with increased wind. Keep in mind that as windspeed increases, the draft of your sails will also increase, causing a greater heeling moment. The increased draft will also cause the sail luff to become fuller and reduce the ability to point upwind.

I really like limited-stretch and no-stretch halyards. They help reduce the sail draft near the luff from increasing when the wind builds. Limited-stretch halyards won’t stretch markedly when tightened in order to flatten the sail luffs. No-stretch or limited-stretch halyards might sound racy and will cost more, but the payoff is better performance, especially in strong winds. Good halyards are an easy fix that pay big dividends.

Cunninghams and Downhauls

Cunninghams and downhauls are essentially the same thing: Their function is to provide tension adjustment to the lower portion of the luff of a sail. A Cunningham, however, is more associated with the mainsail; downhauls are ­generally used with a headsail or staysail.

The purpose of Cunninghams and downhauls is to provide a rapid and convenient method of changing and distributing the tightness of a sail luff from tack to head, primarily on sails whose luff is in a mast slot, aluminum furling extrusion or attached to a stay with piston hanks; all of which cause friction that resists the luff from equalizing its load along its length. Since the halyard pulls upward from the top and the Cunningham pulls downward from slightly above the tack, the load in both directions equalizes the tension of the sail’s luff.

When you hoist a ­mainsail, there will often be about twice the tension on the luff above the spreaders than between the spreaders and the gooseneck. The load on the Cunningham is used to increase the lower luff tension. So, instead of cranking the halyard so tight that the winch is nearly torn off the mast or cabin top, raise the sail only until you begin to feel the luff load up, then tighten up the Cunningham until it feels about the same as the halyard. That’s the way your mainsail was designed and made, with about equal tension along the full length of the luff.

The cordage used as a downhaul or tack attachment for staysails and headsails, ­including those with roller-­furling systems, should be set up as tackles that are adjustable under sail. The cord should be long enough to set up a 4-to-1 tackle, and cleated or tied so that rapid luff tension can be adjusted ­without a hassle, whether slacking off in light air or tightening in a heavier breeze.

Gaining Mechanical Advantage

When I bought my schooner, At Last, back in the mid-’70s, she had lots of line and blocks but not a single winch. I think that most of her previous sailing had been done by a crew of six or a smaller crew made up of 300-pound gorillas. At that time, I weighed only 135 pounds, and my partner, Katy, was about 15 pounds lighter. Neither of us were what you would call “husky.”

Sailing At Last in light air was not difficult, but when it blew over 8 knots, every evolution became quite physical. We learned the first rule of manpower pretty quickly: The more line we pulled to achieve any sail adjustment (main or foresail sheet trimming, gaff hoisting, etc.), the more power was developed and less personal exertion was required.

Yes, eventually we did install sheet winches for each of the headsail sheets, but not for the main or foresail halyards or sheets, outhauls, vangs or topping lifts. For those, we added blocks and line to each system. It was like multiplying our crew. Every sail-trim maneuver became markedly easier—but slower. So, if we at least doubled the line length by adding sheaves, we also multiplied the power by the same ratio (not deducting for friction) and reduced the ­hauling load by the same ratio.

The rule of tackles is straightforward: The number of moving parts equals the mechanical advantage (power ratio). Google “block and tackle mechanical advantages,” and you will find excellent graphic diagrams with their power ratios.

Leading Systems to the Cockpit

More and more boat owners want every sail-control line led to the cockpit. This invariably requires at least three additional blocks or sheaves to be added to most ­running-­rigging systems, thus increasing friction as well as adding lots of line (I call it “spaghetti”) in or near the cockpit. In the case of reefing, leading all lines to the cockpit actually makes most reefing much more ­difficult and inefficient.

In 2009, my 28-foot Nikki won the Florida West Coast Boat of the Year award in a long series of races over several months’ time. Most wins occurred in extremely high winds because we had practiced reefing in under 45 seconds. That had become possible largely because of deftly efficient tackles, all kept within a single person’s reach. Only the main sheet went to the cockpit and was usually handled by the helmsman.

Mainsheets and Travelers

Thirty years ago, virtually all mainsheets were attached to the aft end of the boom and to a multisheave block on a short and mostly inefficient traveler at the stern of the boat. Because of the position of the traveler, its angle of effectiveness was fairly narrow, so when far off the wind (beam and broad reaches and running), the amount of downforce on the boom became little to ­negligible, rendering the traveler useless.

A double-legged ­mainsheet never accomplished its intended goal of acting like a traveler. Such a mainsheet always vectors the load to the longitudinal center of the boat on all points of sail regardless how far apart the lower blocks are spread. It was the racers who came up with the idea of moving the mainsheet to the approximate middle of the boom and down to a longer track and adjustable car (the traveler), usually just forward of the main companionway hatch on the cabin top. With this arrangement, the mainsheet becomes the major controller of both boom angle as well as mainsail twist by its increased downforce on the boom and sail.

The traveler car should be controlled by a port and starboard tackle of at least 3-to-1 advantage for boats up to 24 feet, 4-to-1 for boats up to 30 feet, and 5- to 6-to-1 for boats up to 34 feet and beyond. I also recommend the use of cam or clam cleats for all traveler control lines.

Boom Vang

Racing sailors also came up with the idea of a boom vang attached to the forward portion of the boom at the upper end, and to a bale at the base of the mast at the lower end. This is what you usually see on most sailboats today. That simple arrangement was a giant leap forward in the area of mainsail-twist control. But almost indiscernible additional improvement seemed to occur. Nowadays, most boom vangs aren’t all that efficient and ought to be brought into this century.

The first improvement should be to pull downward on the boom vang line in order to pull down the boom. However, I rarely see a vang rigged this way, which means it loses about half of its power ­advantage. Most vangs I see are pulled upward or aft to ­exert a download on the boom, thus losing more power.

A really practical boom vang should have at least a snap shackle on the lower block so it can be quickly detached from the mast base and moved to a car on the genoa track or a hole in a perforated aluminum toe rail. This will allow the boom vang to exert much more of a vertical download. The more vertical the vang, the more downforce on the boom. Another benefit to the detachable boom vang is that the lower block can be brought forward of the mast and attached to a stout deck-pad eye or perforated toe rail so the boom vang can also act as a preventer when sailing downwind.

Doubling the power of the boom vang can be accomplished simply and easily with a small investment by adding a 2-by-1 cascade (also, again, called a Burton), which is a single 7-by-7-foot or 7-by-37-foot stainless cable run though a wire block on the boom with one end shackled to the vang bale at the mast base. The other end of the wire is fashioned with an eye to which the upper end of the vang tackle is attached. So if your vang tackle is 5-to-1 and the cascade is 2-to-1, your vang will become 10-to-1. Then by moving the lower end of the vang from the mast to the toe-rail eye, a dedicated deck-pad eye or a genoa-track car, you have doubled it again, all for about $40.

The vang that I have ­described is most efficient when sailing long distances without jibing or tacking, but if you’re simply afternoon daysailing around the bay, the vang would be more conveniently left attached to the bale at the mast base.

I have never seen a rigid boom vang that was routinely adjusted while under sail; they’re really only a boom ­support system while under power or tied up to a dock.

Main Boom Topping Lift

I put the topping lift in the same underused category with the main outhaul; too often it’s a bundle of knots at the end of the boom that have not been adjusted or adjustable in decades.

A proper topping lift is meant to raise and store the boom off the Bimini when not in use. When under sail, however, its purpose is to adjust the weight of the boom so it changes the sail twist in various wind conditions and points of sail. It works in the opposite direction of a boom vang; it pulls the boom upward while the vang pulls downward. Upward increases sail twist, and downward reduces it.

A topping lift should also be used to take the weight of the boom off the mains’l leech when putting in a reef, then tightened again while shaking out the reef. The topping lift should be adjustable on any point of sail, which translates into “reachable.” Also, lifting your outboard from your ­dinghy becomes a simple matter by using your boom vang tackle attached to the end of the boom, and “topping” the boom with the topping lift so the outboard can clear the aft pulpit and lifelines.

Backstay Adjusters

These are used to apply tension to the backstay, which is transferred to the headstay for the purpose of flattening the luff of the headsail…or slacking the backstay, thus also easing the headstay to add more draft to the jib or genoa, as would be desirable when off the wind. When closehauled and/or sailing in a stiff breeze, a flattened headsail is preferred to lessen the boat’s heeling moment and to allow the boat to point up a little closer to the wind. With a backstay adjuster, this can be done in a few seconds with an adequate tackle arrangement.

Adjusting a headstay is usually impossible while under sail with the headsail sheeted in tightly. There are special turnbuckles and hydraulic backstay adjusters that can be used while under sail, but they are not as rapid as the appropriate backstay tackle systems. When tightening the backstay, the mast is also slightly bent to help flatten the draft and remove the “cup” from the luff of the mainsail at the same time as the headsail. So double benefits are derived from one simple adjustment.

Summing Up

Making your boat perform better does not have to be, nor should it be, a lot of work. In reality, effective running-rigging systems will make sailing a lot less strenuous, as well as more enjoyable and rewarding. Your boat will look better and perform better, and teach you a lot about getting the most out of the wind while adding joy to your afternoons under the clouds.

Don’t avoid the possibilities. Embrace them.

Boat designer, builder, writer, illustrator and longtime CW contributor Bruce Bingham lives aboard his Cape Dory 28, Nikki, on Florida’s Gulf coast.

The post Running Rigging for Cruising Sailors appeared first on Cruising World.

Let’s look at the matter of bedding deck hardware from the simplest way ­possible: I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been dripped on while lying in a berth. Because it’s both ­annoying and completely avoidable, it’s doubly frustrating. Of course, there are plenty of other very ­important reasons for keeping leaks from developing, including maintaining the integrity of the decks through which they pass. Follow these steps to keep the water on the right side of the cabin and decks.

Bedding Compounds

Bedding compound, also referred to as sealant or caulk, serves as a flexible gasket of sorts between deck ­hardware—from cleats, stanchion bases, chainplates and sail tracks to pedestals, pulpits, winches and clutches. The bedding you select should be easy to apply, long-lasting and elastic. Its primary use, when sealing hardware, is as a gap filler, with the aim of preventing water from passing between the hardware and deck/cabin surface. Options include polyurethane, polysulfide and silicone. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Polyurethane is by far the most popular bedding compound, starting decades ago with the introduction of 3M’s now ubiquitous 5200. Originally developed for use with timber hulls, it has all the attributes one could ask for in a sealing formula—and then some. With some ­exceptions, PU sealants are also adhesives, which can make hardware removal a chore and even destructive in some cases. It can be affected by some teak and other cleaners, as well as fuel. Unless otherwise noted, many PU sealants lack UV stability, although that’s less of an issue where the sealant is primarily protected from the sun’s rays by the hardware. If it’s employed in an application where an exposed radius is necessary, make certain the sealant that’s used includes a UV inhibitor.

Polysulfide is an unsung hero among bedding compounds and my personal preference. Unlike PU, it is not an adhesive; its mission is to seal, and it does so very well, filling gaps readily while remaining resilient and flexible for many years, if not decades. It’s also UV-stable and immune to most harsh chemicals and fuel.

For years, silicone has been considered taboo by boatyards, builders and yards, although not because of performance issues. The aversion is due to its side effects. Unlike PU and PS, which can be painted—though it’s not recommended—SI will not accept paint; in fact, it repels it, and therein lies the problem. The slightest SI ­residue contaminating any surface that might ever be painted or varnished will drive coating applicators crazy with “islands” of paint/varnish rejection. These are known as “fish eyes” because of their oblong shape, and they can remain present for years.

In spite of that liability, SI remains a very credible and reliable bedding compound, one that is flexible and long-lasting, and it’s available in several colors too. I have successfully used SI in boatbuilding applications, specifically for aluminum-frame hatch installations, where no other compound could be made to work reliably for the long term. Furthermore, manufacturers of some plastic components (such as access and inspection ports) specifically prohibit the use of PU sealants, leaving PS and SI as the only viable options. If you opt for SI, remember the paint/varnish incompatibility issue, to mask carefully, use rubber gloves and not touch varnished surfaces while ­working with it.

Prep Work

As with paint and varnish ­application, preparation is vitally important where bedding is concerned. In many cases of bedding failures, especially those that occur shortly after installation, they are the result of improper or incomplete preparation (or no prep work whatsoever). Based on tests I’ve conducted, virtually all deck hardware—whether stainless, aluminum or even plastic—is contaminated with waxes or oils, and this includes the fasteners used to secure this hardware.

Here’s why: When boatbuilders and repair pros want to prevent fiberglass resin from adhering to something (like molds or hardware), they apply wax to those surfaces, which acts as an effective release agent. When metallic hardware is finished or polished, it’s often coated (i.e., contaminated) with polishing wax or cutting oil, which has the same effect; this includes factory-fresh components straight out of the box.

If you are skeptical about this, conduct this test: Wet a clean white rag with mineral spirits, and then wipe down a new piece of hardware or fastener, nut or bolt. (For bedding prep, “clean” means the rag has been rinsed in hot water, wrung out and then allowed to dry. Doing so removes contaminants such as detergent residue, surfactants and scents from even new rags.) The gray or black shading that will almost certainly appear on the rag is your residue, and it will hinder the adhesion of any bedding compound, regardless of its chemical composition.

Holes drilled in ­fiberglass and timber substrates, through which fasteners are to be installed to secure hardware, should have their edges chamfered. The recess created by this practice will allow a “reservoir” of sealant to accumulate here, creating an O-ring of sorts, thereby improving sealing ability.

Surfaces that are to be bedded must be scrupulously clean and free of all contamination. If remnants of previous bedding or loose paint are present, the surface should be cleaned with a putty knife or gasket scraper. While it’s acceptable to bed over glass-smooth surfaces, slightly profiling the surface with 180-grit sandpaper will provide a “tooth” to which bedding can adhere; this goes for gelcoat, fiberglass, polished stainless steel and aluminum. The surface should be cleaned, and dewaxed/de-oiled, before sanding to avoid grinding contaminants into the surface.

Using clean, pre-rinsed rags, wipe down all hardware, fasteners and surfaces that are to receive bedding with a solvent (I prefer mineral spirits). As rags become discolored, they should be replaced so as to avoid distributing, rather than removing, any contaminants. I eschew the use of harsher chemicals, such as ­denatured alcohol and acetone, as unnecessary overkill; mineral spirits are friendlier to users (you should wear chemical-­resistant rubber gloves and eye protection) and will emulsify and remove oils, waxes and most other contaminants without harming most plastic, paint, varnish or cured caulk—­provided it is not left in contact for an extended period (i.e., never leave a solvent-soaked rag on any painted or varnished surface).

Depending on the location, you may choose to mask the perimeter of the hardware footprint to minimize cleanup; this is particularly true on teak or nonskid.

Installation

Once the surfaces are clean and prepared for application of sealant, make certain you do not touch them with your bare hands (or soiled gloves) because even oil from fingers can contaminate these surfaces.

Sealant should be applied uniformly to the entire hardware surface, not just around fastener penetrations. Don’t skimp. The goal is to achieve what’s known as “squeeze-out,” which is a bead of sealant pressed out from under the hardware as it’s set onto the mounting surface. Fastener shanks, as well as the underside of heads, should also be coated in sealant.

No sealant, however, should be applied to backing plates, washers, nuts, etc. that are installed on the underside of the deck/cabin. The reason for leaving these unsealed is to ensure water is not trapped in the fastener bore holes. If water is trapped here, it can lead to two undesirable side effects: 1. For stainless steel fasteners, it establishes the ideal environment for crevice corrosion. 2. For cored composite structures (nearly every deck and cabin), even when properly closed out (more on this in a moment), standing water in this area only increases the likelihood of penetration into the core. If the weather-deck bedding fails, it’s better that it leak into the cabin—as an alert that it’s time to re-bed—than retain water and cause damage.

Once the hardware is set in place, evenly tighten the fasteners to achieve the aforementioned squeeze-out. Any place where squeeze-out is not achieved is an indication of a void or gap that might exist between the hardware and the bedding surface, a gap into which water can migrate and be retained. Even if this does not lead to a leak, water trapped by stainless steel nearly always leads to unsightly rust-colored “tea staining.”

Fasteners should be fully torqued at this point. The practice of leaving sealant to cure, before fully tightening, is not one to which I subscribe. Sealant, even when fully cured, is not designed to bear the heavy loads imparted by stanchions, cleats and tracks; it’s designed to fill irregularities and small gaps.

Initial removal of bulk sealant squeeze-out can be achieved using a putty knife and then solvent-soaked rags (be ready with a container or bag to dispose of these), one that is approved by the sealant manufacturer. Use of the incorrect solvent can inhibit the sealant from fully curing.

No discussion of hardware installation would be complete without mention of core closeout. In short, no penetration—in a cored composite deck, cabin or hull—should rely on sealant alone to keep water from migrating into the core, where it can wreak untold havoc. Instead, the core must be fully isolated from penetrations by a permanent annulus, and not just a paper-thin coating, but one made using fiberglass resin, or epoxy, and a reinforcing or thickening agent. This approach provides resistance to water penetration, as well as crushing, when through bolts are torqued.

Following these practices should keep hardware secure and the water on the deck, rather than your head.

Steve D’Antonio is a former boatyard manager who travels the world assisting clients with all manner of refits and technical issues (stevedmarineconsulting.com). He is also the author of CW’s Monthly Maintenance column.

The post Rebedding Sailboat Deck Hardware appeared first on Cruising World.

“Man overboard!” It’s a shout no one wants to hear. The U.S. Coast Guard now calls the victim a “person in the water” (PIW). Regardless of how you label the incident, a prompt and efficient recovery is essential — but there’s a lot more to be considered. Accident review analysis often reveals a long list of contributory factors that precede an overboard incident. Two of the most often mentioned, and least often addressed, are slippery decks and lack of handholds.

As with every safety issue, there’s good reason to turn to equipment that may remedy, or perhaps even prevent, what can go wrong. When it comes to MOB/PIW situations, there’s a long list of effective personal safety gear to consider. Most chandleries carry jacklines, tethers and PFD/harness combos that help prevent someone from going over the rail. Such gear, however, is not often used on a 24/7 basis, so when it comes to risk mitigation, it makes sense to eliminate as many of the contributory factors as possible.

You can learn a lot about decks and their safety implications while sailing aboard other people’s boats. Begin with a simple bit of DIY risk analysis. It’s basically a walk around the deck noting slick surfaces, obstructions and risky transition points. Deck geometry plays a key role in safety. When side decks are too narrow, too steeply cambered or overly cluttered with sheet leads and inboard chainplates, the risk increases. There’s nothing wrong with chainplates set in the middle of the side deck as long as there’s room to get around such obstructions. But if you have to climb onto the slick surface of a steeply slanted cabin coaming, or lean over the lifelines on your way to the foredeck, extra care needs to be taken.

It’s hard to remedy poorly designed decks, but it’s pretty easy to cure slippery surfaces. Before turning to nonskid coatings, make sure the friction loss isn’t due to shoe soles losing their grip. Boat shoes have become a fashion statement, as well as seafaring footwear. Tread deterioration and the absorption of greasy chemicals lessen how well they grip the deck. Soles harden with time and become chemically glazed. The shoes may still protect toes, but if they cause you to slip over the side, a stubbed toe is the last thing to worry about. Ironically, this is why so many veteran cruisers slip on their boat shoes as they head for shore and go barefoot while on board. It’s also a bone of contention among safety experts, so rather than wade into the barefoot or not debate, perhaps it’s best to just leave your boat shoes on board and have a second pair dedicated for shore duty.

If your shoe soles pass the test, try one last nonskid cleanup effort. Select a special-purpose deck cleaner (such as Star Brite’s nonskid deck cleaner). If possible, use warm water and a stiff-bristled scrub brush to dislodge surface contaminants. Follow up with a thorough rinse and re-evaluate the friction that’s restored. If all is to no avail, there are single-part and two-part paint/grit coatings that can deliver a better-than-new nonskid surface. Your prior efforts to degrease and scrub away grime and oxidation will still pay off. It’s step one when it comes to prepping the deck for priming and painting.

A variety of coatings are available (Awlgrip, Interlux, Pettit, Epifanes, Kiwigrip, TotalBoat and others), and most manufactures provide detailed DIY guidelines. The complexity of this process will be influenced by the condition of the existing nonskid gelcoat pattern or painted surface. In cases where adhesion has failed and the substrate is starting to lift, extensive sanding will be necessary. But in cases where there’s only some minor gelcoat crazing and surface porosity, a roller-applied epoxy primer can be used to seal the surface. This is followed by the application of either a single-part or a two-part urethane topcoat that incorporates a gritty nonskid additive. The process will both rejuvenate your boat’s good looks and contribute to the safety of the crew.

In cases where the slippery spots are localized, the addition of self-adhering nonskid tapes and sheets of product like Treadmaster can solve the problem. It also makes sense to apply nonskid tape to slippery hatch surfaces. Its highly adhesive nature keeps the tape in place, lessening the hazard of slick, glossy, gelcoated areas of the coach roof and foredeck.

In Part II of this look at deck safety, we’ll explore how handholds and lifelines add to the challenge of keeping the crew on board.

Technical expert Ralph Naranjo is a veteran circumnavigator and ocean racer, and author of The Art of Seamanship.

The post On-Deck Safety for Sailboats appeared first on Cruising World.

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During the winter and spring of 2015 and 2016, I completed a total refit of my Pearson 36, Snoek, so named after a saltwater fish indigenous to the waters off South Africa, where I was raised.

The first two articles dealt with an overview of the project and the revamped plumbing, respectively. Continuing on with more detail on specific areas of the boat, this month we’ll take a look at the new deck layout.

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The post Deck Upgrades appeared first on Cruising World.

Mantus Anchor Bridle

At the end of a long day, once you’re anchored, you want to stay put and have a comfortable night. Using an anchor snubber takes the strain off of the windlass once the hook is set. A nylon rode works well for this, as it has enough stretch to dampen most of the tugging and jerking that can happen on a breezy night. The Mantus Anchor Bridle ($180 and up; mantusanchors.com) consists of a three-strand nylon rode with chafe protection, heavy-­duty shackles and thimbles, and a chain hook, and now the bridle is available in a setup just for catamarans.

Seaview Cable Glands

With all the cool electronics available for your boat, there’s a good chance you’ll need to run a cable through the deck at some point. The Seaview Cable Gland by PYI ($20) is a housing that you place over the hole on deck. It features a ­tapered rubber plug in the middle, which you drill through for the ­cable run to get a watertight seal. The ­housing is available in several ­materials and finishes.

Lewmar VX1 Vertical Windlass

Lewmar (lewmar.com) has ­revamped its line of vertical windlasses to make them ­lighter, ­stronger and more efficient. The VX1 vertical windlass has a hybrid-­polymer chain gypsy, which allows for quieter, jump-free ­operation. Under the deck, the gearbox now features a water-­ingress ­protection cover, and there is flexibility in the placement orientation of the gearbox.

Harken High-Load Snatch Block

Most cruising boats have at least a couple of snatch blocks available for spinnaker lines or to ­adjust a jib lead. The Harken high-load snatch block ($340 and up; ­harken.com) features a soft loop to attach to the deck, and the side plates are easy to open and then lock solidly into place. A ­captured Velcro strap holds the block ­securely closed.

Hella NaviLED 360 Anchor Pole-Mount Lamp

Be seen at night! Even if you have a masthead anchor light, in some cases it’s prudent to have an anchor light closer to water level. The Hella NaviLED ($100 and up; hellamarine.com) ­anchor pole-mount lamp can be seen for at least 2 nautical miles and is available in fixed or fold-down models. The housing is completely sealed with an IP67 water-resistance rating.

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What Speed do You Need?

Single-speed winches are the least expensive ­option but don’t offer as much ­mechanical advantage as a two- or three-speed winch. On a cruising boat, you’ll most likely find these used for halyards and possibly the mainsheet. If you’re replacing a single-speed winch, ­consider a geared one that ratchets so you can turn the handle in ­either direction. For sheeting in the headsail, you’ll want a two-speed or possibly a three-speed winch. Two-speed winches have a 5-to-1- or 6-to-1-ratio high speed, which is usually counterclockwise, to bring in the sheet quickly, and then turn the other way for a 1-to-1 gear ratio to complete the trimming.

Three- and four-speed winches are less common on cruising boats, but may be a worthy upgrade if you routinely sail with a 150 percent genoa that’s tough to sheet home.

Antal 3-Speed XT Race

Bring in that line fast! Push the button on top of the three-speed XT Race winches to engage the fast first gear; the second and third gears are automatically ­selected simply by reversing the direction of the handle’s rotation.

Andersen flush-top

All Andersen winches now feature a new flush-top style that creates a cleaner, more modern-looking winch. To achieve the new look, the central drive shaft, self-tailing arm and countersunk screws have been re-engineered. The updated parts are fully compatible with ­existing winch models, so owners can ­upgrade their winches without replacing them. Electric conversion kits are also available.

Harken Radial

Harken’s Radial line of ­winches, available in one-, two- or three-speed versions, feature a ­distinctive pattern on the drum that will grip the line and help prevent overrides. Winch maintenance is ­simple: Remove the top, and the interior parts lift out as a single unit. Want to power up? Harken Radial winches are also upgradeable to electric.

Pontos Trimmer

Fairly new to the market, Pontos winches debuted in France in 2014. The Pontos Trimmer is a four-speed winch that ­engages the extra gears automatically — no buttons needed; just reverse the winch handle. The extra gears make hauling in a large genoa easy even for smaller crewmembers.

Selden S-Series

The Selden S-Series manual winches feature a unique self-tailer that allows the trimmer to pull the slack out of the line with the sheet already loaded in the self-tailer and the winch handle in place. This makes it easy to go ­quickly ­into grinding mode and is safer for the trimmer, since it’s not necessary to load the tensioned sheet ­into the self-tailer.

The post Upgrading Your Winches appeared first on Cruising World.

When the spray started flying, dodgers were rigged over the hatches to prevent water from being driven under them. The dodgers were secured to a grooved wooden breakwater that extended across the forward side of the hatch and down both sides by any one of three attachments. Alternatively, you could use an aluminium extrusion that accepted a luff rope sewn to the dodger. With the arrival of mass-produced boats, the double-opening hatch almost disappeared. The vast majority of cruising boats now have only single-opening hatches and no dodgers over them. In hot climates, if it starts raining in port, the hatches must be closed, and the boat becomes a sweatbox. At sea it becomes a sauna, as the hatches must be shut to keep spray from getting below. Modern, low-profile dorade ventilators, which we’ll discuss momentarily, do not gather enough air and thus worsen this condition.

The good news is that it’s still possible to retrofit double-opening hatches in the modern fiberglass boat. In Taiwan, H.B.I. Marine (hbimarine.com) still builds double-opening hatches with stainless-steel frames. They come in two sizes (24-by-24 inches or 34-by-34 inches) and can be delivered to the States in about five weeks.

The one drawback to double-opening hatches occurs when you’re in port with the hatches open and it starts to rain. Someone has to go topsides, get wet, close the hatch, switch the pins, and reopen it facing aft. This eliminates most of the rain but still allows some air down below.

Recently, while walking down a marina dock in St. Lucia’s Rodney Bay, I saw a different double-opening hatch that could be reversed without going on deck, on a Bill Tripp-designed Mercer 44 called Synia, built by Cape Cod Shipbuilding in 1978. Not only could the hatch be reversed from below, but as the accompanying photos show, it could fully open fore or aft and lie flat on the deck.

Chuck Hogan has owned Synia for 10 years, and with his wife has cruised extensively down the east coast of Florida and through the Caribbean. He is very enthusiastic about the hatch, of which both the deck frames and hatch frames are cast aluminum. He reports that when the hatch is closed and properly secured at all four corners, it never leaks a drop. It’s also stood the test of time, as the previous owner logged over 52,000 nautical miles aboard the boat with that original hatch, including extensive high-latitude sailing.

Chuck did some investigating and discovered the hatch was made by Bomar in the 1970s and used aboard boats built by Cape Cod Shipbuilding, but not widely marketed elsewhere. (The French company Goiot also made double-opening hatches at one time, but no longer offers them.) Happily, Bomar still offers the double-opening option in a few of its original Cast 100 series models; depending on size, they range in price from $1,400 to $3,600. Bomar also offers the double-opening option in its line of Hood Yacht Systems stainless-steel deck hatches. For more information, contact the company (bomar@pompanette.com).

My advice is to spend some money, install double-opening hatches, and ensure your boat is well-ventilated both at sea and in port.

Dutiful Dorade Vents

The original dorade ventilators were named after the famous yacht of the same name, designed by Olin Stephens in 1929. Dorade and other yachts of her era had extremely low freeboard, and dorade vents provided air down below when the spray was flying, the decks were awash, and the hatches were dogged down. The boat has undergone several refits and is still going strong; the accompanying photo on the previous page shows her dorade vent, which stands a full 3 feet above the deck. Because it’s tall, the vent’s box only has to absorb and remove rain and spray, which isn’t a problem given the box’s large drain holes.

In contrast, on modern yachts the so-called dorades are so low and close to the deck that they gather in little air. In heavy weather, these low ventilators take in a lot of water. The drain holes in contemporary dorade boxes are often too small and misplaced, making them little more than heavy-weather scoops that funnel water belowdecks.

In my opinion, the best stock dorade ventilators come from P.E. Luke (peluke.com) in Boothbay, Maine, available in either aluminum or bronze and in several sizes. Mounted on a high, proper box, these vents are tall enough to gather plenty of air but not much water — only spray. Furthermore, the lip on the Luke ventilator is so small that there is no danger of a flogging sheet inadvertently throwing a half-hitch around it and tearing it out.

All too often dorade boxes are installed in the side of the cabin house with the drain holes facing outboard. This is fine in port, but at sea, if you’re sailing in heavy weather on the same tack for a fairly long time, the windward dorade box will gradually fill with water. If the water level in the box ­becomes higher than its internal standpipe, it will flow down below instead of over the side. To see if your dorades are susceptible, put them to the bucket test. Go for a sail and strap the boat down hard on the wind. At intervals of about 20 seconds, throw four buckets of water at the windward dorade. I’ll bet you a few beers — Heinekens, of course — that the box will flood and water will seep belowdecks.

To cure this problem, plug up the outboard drain holes and cut two new ones in the aft end of the dorade box. Make sure they are big enough to stick your thumb inside. If your boat does not have dorade ventilators, I recommend buying a set from Luke and fabricating boxes of fiberglass or wood. These should be a minimum of 4 inches high (6 is better) and 14 inches long. For the top of the box, use Lexan, Lucite or plexiglass to shine light down below.

At 85 and still typing away, Don Street — legendary sailor, cruising guide author and consumer of green-bottled malt beverages from Holland — is the dean of American sailing writers.

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Winch

Sailing winches are almost always taken for granted, yet these compact pieces of mechanical machinery are incredibly powerful. Even the winches on a 30- or 40-foot sailboat are capable of pulling 2 tons or more. The thing about winches is that they’re so reliable that most sailors rarely pay much attention to them—until something goes wrong. Using sailing winches correctly should always be a priority.

To understand the capability of winches, let’s crunch some numbers. Say your boat has a “number 42” primary winch, which is an industry standard. The “42” represents a 42:1 power ratio. If an average person applies 50 pounds of load using a 10-inch winch handle, the result will be 2,100 pounds of pull (42 x 50 = 2,100). That figure puts the power potential into suitable perspective. With this much power in play, you must consider whether you’re operating your winch safely.
When it comes to sailing winches, the most common mistake is not having enough wraps around the drum to hold the line load safely. In most cases, three wraps just aren’t enough. With too few wraps, several issues can arise.

For example, say that you’re coming out of a tack with a little load on the new sheet. It’s still easy to grasp, so you lock it into the self-tailer. But as the wind freshens and the jib fills, the sheet load greatly exceeds what it was coming out of the tack. Now you want to bear away and ease the sheet. But with only three wraps on the drum, just releasing it from the self-tailer may suck your fingers into the winch. This is a very painful way to learn about winch loads.

Furthermore, beyond the personal hazard, higher loads and few wraps can also equal a damaged winch, as those greater sheet loads will be transferred to the self-tailing arm rather than to the drum. Replacing a bent or broken self-tailing arm is not an inexpensive proposition.

On the flip side, to err on the side of caution can also present problems. For instance, easing a sheet with too many wraps might result in an override that takes some time to unjam. The takeaway message here? There’s a fine line between too many and too few wraps. As is often the case in sailing, you can “feel” when it’s right. So pay attention to the loads on the winch, respect the powerful consequences, and wrap accordingly.

Sending someone up the mast? This requires even greater winch safety, as a life is literally in your hands. It’s a good idea to have an experienced sailor demonstrate for new crewmembers how to send someone aloft properly. Once again, it’s important to have a sufficient number of wraps to hold the person, yet not so many that the halyard overrides. Whenever possible, instead of trusting the self-tailer, always have a second person tailing the halyard. When lowering the mast climber back to the deck, ensure a smooth ride down by taking one or two wraps off the drum. You want to avoid bouncing and jerking the person the length of the spar.

Whenever you’re grinding a winch, if the load becomes excessive or extreme, simply stop cranking. This is especially important with winches powered electrically or hydraulically; with such winches, the operator can’t actually feel the increased tension. Take the time to observe the line. If it stops moving, this almost always means that something is jammed somewhere. A 2,100-pound load on a sheet that’s tangled around a deck hatch can quickly become a major problem if it isn’t immediately addressed.

With power winches, the loads are even greater. A small, electric winch motor can produce about 9 pounds of load, but because such engines spin so fast, the speed needs to be reduced. Enter a 24:1 reduction gear. However, the gear not only reduces the speed of the motor but also increases the torque—in this instance, to 216 pounds. Now multiply that by our previous 42:1 power ratio; suddenly, in theory, that little powered winch should be able to pull 9,072 pounds. (We say “in theory” because with a proper circuit breaker, the amperage draw should trip well before that load is reached. Also, the parts in a 42 winch are really designed to handle loads only produced by a sailor working a winch handle. If something does fail, it’s better if it’s a winch part and not anything more critical—like the mast.)

Of course, proper technique is only one part of winch safety. The other is making sure that they’re properly maintained. The little clicking noise you hear deep inside a working winch comes from the ratchet pawls. The pawls lock the drum in place to keep it from moving backward, and they essentially bear the entire load placed on a winch. When servicing a winch, it’s important to inspect the pawls to make sure they aren’t packed with gunk or cracked, which will cause them to stick in the socket. When that happens, there’s nothing to bear the load; essentially, it’s the same as trying to hold the jib sheet with a bare hand. At least once a season, check the pawls.

The winch’s mounting bolts also require periodic inspection. Over time, a surprising number of such bolts do loosen up, some to the point that they can be retightened by hand. Get in the habit of inspecting those bolts each spring, and while you’re at it, also test the deck section on which the winch is mounted. On older boats with cored decks, water may seep through the fastening holes and cause rot. In most cases, simply tapping the deck with a screwdriver tells the tale. A soft deck will make a different, easily distinguished sound from that made by a solid one. A rotten deck core won’t hold winch loads very long. Deck surgery is then required.

Remember: A single winch can generate huge loads, and these are often larger than most sailors realize. So always apply the correct number of wraps, avoid or correct jams, and keep up with basic maintenance. Treat your sailing winch with respect, and you’ll get plenty of trouble-free service from it.

Mike Lee is a marine-industry pro with over 25 years of technical and sailing experience.

The post How to Use Sailing Winches appeared first on Cruising World.

Mantus Universal Deck Key

The new Mantus Universal Deck Key might just be the last deck key you’ll need. It’s easily adjustable to access all sizes and types of deck-fill lids and shackles and is cast out of 316L stainless steel.

$22; www.mantusanchors.com

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