More than the brand, it's about the designer. I've seen good and bad full battened sails come out from the big 4 and it all came down to who did the design and spec work. There are some lofts that specialize in full battened sails, and interestingly enough it's the Kiwis who make some of the best lo...

The downsides are that they cost a bit more, and weigh a smidge more. The reason you don't see more include the following: 1. cost 2. larger full batten sails require slugs, and if big enough, batcars which is more expensive and weighs more 3. racers try to avoid the extra couple of pounds, but the ...

I'm so glad we got that sorted out. note that a becket shackle has a pin and ring rather than a keyed pin that is threaded. that is the technical difference. I've PM'ed you, so take a peek. Shackles are cheap, in the grand scheme of things, here's a quick primer on shackle compositions: Stamped are ...

OK, so I called my acct mgr at Harken and we tried to figure out exactly what the sam hill we are all trying to help you find. Between the brain trust we came up with the following things that sound kinda like what you are asking for.... 1. This is called a becket shackle http://www.fisheriessupply....

Thanks Frank, It was the best photo I could find and of course I'm sorta partial to Windward Passage. Lordy she's looker, and to think she just went through a complete refit and looks even prettier than she did back then.

I would be incredibly surprised if you found anyone still flying a blooper. Send a photo if you do!

for reference the blooper is the one on the leeward side of the spinnaker (not the one aft):

When you say you want a new becket but not the block, I'm a bit fuzzy. Do you have a picture or better description of what you are looking for?

There are becket shackles, there are blocks w/ beckets but i've not heard of being able to buy a "becket" by itself.

I'm assuming by "exactly like a jib", you mean with the sheets behind the forestay so your post is confusing me. Are you saying that an "inside gybe" has a different definition on a Mac than on other boats? I was able to do an inside gybe without a sprit btw. Yes, Inside gybe ha...

Inside gybes are where the sheets are run between the luff of the chute (where the tackline and the halyard attach to the sail) and the forestay. So it seems like we agree on technique. There are some types of gennaker/spinnaker combinations that basically are hoisted by the jib halyard, attached at...

There are two ways to gybe an asym, inside and outside. Inside gybes bring the clew between the forestay and the luff of the asym. it's great if you have a sprit. Not great if you have a deck tacked spinnaker. Outside gybes have the sheets pull the clew of the sail outside of the forestay AND the lu...

Glad you had a good day sailing with the chute. it's a little shared secret when it comes to asyms, that you litterally blow the loaded sheet as the helm is turning down, then take the lazy sheet and pull like a you-know-what to clear the forestay and the helm is turning through DDW. You did right w...

Lease: That is most likely being used for running rigging. zero stretch, zero creep, doesn't absorb water. 1/4" weighs 2.2 lbs per 100 feet and has a bs of 9400 lbs. Frank C: I like tape drives, I have several of them. Since tape drives have been around for over a decade, and newer methods of d...

Good rule of thumb for a beat is bring the car one car length to weather on your traveller then adjust the mainsheet til you get all the tell-tales flying but the top one. The top one should stall out for 2 out of 3 seconds, then flutter then stall again. Using this method of one car length to weath...

Get your favorite beverage, a danish and read this mini dissertation. You are correct, the two lives of a sail are shape and fabric. Shape life is always the first to go of the two as the sail regardless of the material does age and fatigue. The most obvious point of aging happens to be the leech of...

The photo of his little one waving good-bye as they headed out of NY just about broke my heart with sweetness when I saw it the day it was taken, but then when Hans died it just set me into tears. Bless all sailors who have gone before us. For those who have not seen it... http://www.sionna.net/stuf...