Sail Delmarva

10-26-2024, rev. 11-6-202, rev. 11-27-202, rev. 12-7-2024 The failure of an F-24 mast at the lower diamond wire junction this week (not my ...

Elliptical was all the rage for racers in the 80s to 90s. Now we're seeing some extreme shapes with tails.  Is it fashion of function? M...

 Traditional splicing of rope eyes is the gold standard, but there are times when it is not practical: The line is old and stiff. It is a li...

 Edit 7-19-2024. Edit 7-21-2024: I originally posted the images just to share them with a metallurgist. They deserve some explanation. The b...

The problem with most paint mixers is that they are a pain to clean. Use them a few times, and they are so clogged up with a thick layer of ...

11-12-2019 (see 2024 update below)  What do you do when the boat develops a 1-2 gallon per day leak, where you can't get to it, and it i...

I used to think there was something like a standard color code, but then I learned that trailers were different. Then I bought stuff from Am...

Rev. 7-24-2024  Of course, the you'll need to subscribe to get the full story. I hope you will. PS is one of my favorite research tools....

 I've been hearing a lot of fanfare about Smart Plugs, much of it from smart people I respect. But strngely, they are still not listed  ...

 rev. 7-24-2024  I tested this for a month. It was OK but just didn't suit my style. I ended up making a custom holder from PVC pipe tha...

 I imagine he took up residence when he was small, and then one day learned he was stuck. [sail drive]   I'm currently 22 months into a ...

Rev. 7-24-2024  Given the rules, my aversion to scraping, and the health risks associated with every stripper I've see (either methylene...

 A total of 26 paints on 30-some panels, including 5 paints on my boat (it's sort of multi-colored). These panels have been hanging alon...

 Late Summer I hung 7 test panels with 20 paints from a dock in the Mid-Chesapeake Bay (Deale, MD) as part of a Practical Sailor project. Pr...

rev. 7-24-2024, 10-5-2025 Three years later I'm still thrilled with this for a daysailor and even for weekend cruising on a small boat. ...

rev. 7-25-2024  Don Jordan, the father of the series drogues, suggested a chainplate of conservative dimensions, but did not detail the desi...