We all make Mistakes. It’s what you do about them that counts
/by Grant HeadifenThe lesson here is clear: To excel in sailing, one must remain at the top of their game. My mishap could have been prevented if I had been regularly practicing docking maneuvers in various scenarios and wind conditions…
Anchoring
/by Grant HeadifenAnchoring is not simply throwing a “hook” and letting out a line. However, after watching some sailors, this seems to be their theory. Successful anchoring requires a plan considering all the factors.
Crew Safety Briefing
/by Grant HeadifenYou can avoid many emergencies by conducting a proper safety briefing before leaving the dock.
Towing
/by Grant HeadifenThe following diagram shows how you can tow another vessel. Form a “bridle” from the rear cleats…
Sailboat Solar Power
/by Grant HeadifenSolar panels produce DC power and are used to charge the batteries. A relatively small solar panel such as 1 square foot (0.1 m2) can produce about 1½ amps at…
Sailboat Design
/by Grant HeadifenSurely, the first sailboat was invented by a five-year-old child with a block of wood. He or she stuck a twig through a piece of animal skin and then down into a knothole in the wood.
Rigging
/by Grant HeadifenAt boat shows, we see folks huddled down in the vessel’s salon oohing and aahing at the leather cushions to sit on, and at the electronic gadgets for navigation and entertainment.
Using Spring Lines for Docking
/by Grant HeadifenA spring line is just a dockline that is placed strategically from the boat to the dock to help maneuver and turn the boat in place – get it safely into the dock or safely away.
Sailing and Wind Forces
/by Grant HeadifenA sailboat moves in upwind and downwind directions. Downwind is intuitive; it just gets blown downwind. But just how does a sailboat move into the wind?
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