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Deck harnesses for children, mainsail downhaul trick and soft shackle splicing are amongst the skippers tips suggested by seasoned sailors and Yachting Monthly experts
Do you have a tip to share? Email us at yachtingmonthlyfuturenet.com. Credit: Colin Work
Keep soft shackles and loops in the cockpit so they are available immediately. Credit: Patricia & Julian Morgan
We find endless uses for loops and soft shackles, which we make from various sizes of 12-strand single braid Dyneema.
Julian and Patricia Morgan left the UK in September 2017 to sail around the world on their Allures 45.9. Credit: Julian & Patricia Morgan
A 40ft family cruiser is the must-have in any production boat builder’s arsenal.
With a hull length of 11.99m they limbo neatly under the 12m pricing band found in many Mediterranean marinas – making them cheaper to moor.
For most, it’s a Goldilocks size of yacht, neither too big nor too small, just right for two adults and a few children.
While the hull length is limited, the beam is not.
Liferaft stowage is sensibly hidden in the fixed cockpit table, which also provides good bracing for crew. Credit: Graham Snook
If you’d parachuted onto Beneteau’s new mid-range cruiser, you could be fooled into thinking she’s 3ft longer than she physically is – not just the numbers on the hull.
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Some sailors swear by mainsail furling systems, others swear at them. Graham Snook looks at way to keep your furling mainsail in check
In-mast furling mainsails (left) have evolved significantly, and vertical battens allow more roach and better sail shape. Credit: Graham Snook
Mainsail furling systems have come on a long way.
Sails no longer need to be wrapped around a boom, nor does an in-mast mainsail need to be the hollow-leached, baggy triangle we first saw decades ago.
Furling mainsail systems can now offer more sail area than a traditional slab-reefed mainsail.
Be that as it may, every slab-reefed sailor knows a horror story about in-mast or in-boom furling that is enough to make them steer well clear, while those that have furling mains wouldn’t put to sea without one.