Ask the Expert!

Which boat to buy  My two girls are getting old enough that I would like to get them into sailing. I'd like to buy a boat that is relatively simple to sail and learn on,...

Rigging a Sunfish Sailboat  For some reason, I cannot pull the mainsail up to the top. Does it matter how long the boom is to the mast?

20 ft Mirage Sailboat   I just bought a 20 ft mirage sail boat, but I am an inexperienced sailor. I need to collapse the boat to transport it with a trailer. I did research about ...

How can I make my beat strategies better?  I've been sailing for a year and a half, and am moving onto the serious laser circuit. This weekend, I found myself in the top ten at the leeward mark,...

What Catamaran is this?  Would anyone be able to tell me what type of catamaran this is? (see pic)

Thanks,
Greg

The Sailing Term for Bulging of Sail?  I would like to know if there is a word for the 'bulging' of a sail, when a boat sails close to the wind. First it will start flapping, or luffing, but ...

Wet sanding the hull?  I have been working on my laser, before the season starts and I have been trying to repair all the scratches that have acumulated over the years.

Could ...

Head Sails   What are the differences between cruising spinnakers, gennakers, and drifters?

Thanks

JR

First Sailing Dinghy  As it is likely that I will be solo most of the time I need to look at a dinghy which can successfuly sailed single handed but could accomodate another ...

Can I take a boat out without a keel?  I have been given a 5.45 metre trailer sailboat by an old friend. It has a wind up keel, which has seized inside. I was wondering if it is safe to take ...

Do you remember a sailboat called a "Snark"?  Back in the 70's, I almost bought a "Snark". It was a small, one person sailboat. Is there something similar today where one could enter sailing inexpensively?...

Rigging Question  I read in a sailing article "...rig bald-headed and reefed...."

What does the "bald-headed" refer to?

Thank you

Dan

Main Sail materials choice for Ranger 23 Tall Rig  My Ranger 23 Tall rig needs a new main sail. My concern is paying more for a sail that will ware out too fast and not help that much. I have a new 155 ...

Head of Sail Shape  I see many modern boats have the head of the sail extending back up to several feet before the leach heads down to the boom. If I get a new Main Sail built ...

Roll Tack  I've got a question about roll tacking. Is it really the fast way to tack and how can I do it right, with my one person boat?





Hi Joris,...

Putting on sails on the old Tall Ships  I recently asked a question about docking Tall Ships because operating and sailing them seems like such a hard job. I have another question about sailing ...

Tacking a Single Handler  Describe a smooth tack on a small single sail monohull. Do you face forward or aft? How do you transfer the mainsheet and tiller from one hand to the ...

Close to the wind  From your experience, how close to the wind can a 420 sail. Is the angle less than 30 degrees? What is the closest angle from head on at which the boat ...

Points of sail  Just done level 1 beginners course (Single handed) and am still confused about points of sail. The fastest direction seemed to be at 90 degrees to wind ...

Luffing Up  What is to "Luff up"?



Hi Ron,

Thank you for your very long question! Finally something I can answer instead of Han making me look stupid (haha ...

Pointing and Rig Setup  What should be the proper rig setup to get my boat to point?

If the rigging is too tight she points but losses boat speed and if its too slack she ...

How Safe Can Sailing Be?  I am about to start some courses on yachting (in my late thirties) and have never been much of a sailor previously. I have just done my RYA lvl 1 and ...

A Righting Line To Help Right A Boat  I have a Miracle dinghy which inverted last week and the centreboard went in. Where is the best place to postion a righting line?

Thanks
Peter



Hi ...

To have the wind free  "The trip from St Martin to Antigua has the wind free but the Equatorial Current forces you stay close hauled".

I am not sure about the meaning of ...

I have a sailing regatta in a week and I am utterly terrified! What can I do?  I only started sailing about 10 weeks ago, with some friends from school. There is this sailing regatta near where I live that my friends pressured me ...

GP 14 rigging  Hi, I am an experienced sailor but the only small craft I have sailed are lasers and Hobie cats. I have bought a GP 14, wooden model and as it seems to ...

Centre board sealing on dinghy  Can someone tell me the best way to seal the centre board box when re-fitting to a GP14?

Regards,
Mel

Right of Way  This was not a race, just pleasure sailing on an inland midwestern US lake. Two boats were running on a parallel port tack about 20 ft apart. The windward ...

The Sail Number  Can I find anything out about my boat by the sail number (age were it was made etc) and how do I find it?

Andrew

Just Started Sailing...Should I Buy A Catamaran?  I am just in the process of learning to sail, and have a lot to learn. There is a 16' catamaran for sale here thatIi am thinking of buying, but I want ...

Sailing with a Jib only?  Hello! I have a 14' sailboat and I was wondering about sailing with just a jib. Any thoughts? I'd appreciate any response/advice!





Hi Catherine,...

How to steer without a rudder?  I'm going to be doing my Dinghy Instrustor pre-assessment soon, and one of the things you have to do is sail without a rudder. I've never had to do this,...

Feathering a 420  I am on the Michigan State Sailing Team, and last weekend I skipped a FJ for the first time. As I was approached the windward mark I realized I was going ...

Still Scared Of Runs!  I used to sail at the Harp years ago....now I live down on the Sussex coast and love the sailing here!

I sail a Byte, and I STILL get scared when on ...

Sail Boat Description  I am a beginner and looking at a boat which is described as a "16/3". Does that mean it is 16 Ft in length and has 3 sails?

Mike



Hi Mike
...

Ask The Expert: Questions About The Weather  Alex had a very sensible inspiration when he introduced a first item about the weather: when you're sailing one of your most important companions should ...

Which way to point the Boat?  I get confused as to which way to point the boat when the wind is blowing from a different direction. Is there a safe rule to go by? Also what is the ...

Why is the triangular course mentioned to be basic?  Why does your website say that a triangular course is the most basic course? I do believe that it is infact a windward lured course, simply upwind, round ...

How To Start Sailing  I live in the Midwest. We have lots of lakes, but no ocean. Because it is windy, getting something to sail should be no problem, but I don't have a lot ...