Vic Lucas forwarded this interesting story about his love for the boating life on his Sea Ray and his Sperry Top-Siders!

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Pardeys, Van Liew Head Annapolis Boat Show Seminars Lineup
Diverse topics abound at the annual CW speaker series
by Cruising World’s Elaine Lembo

With the modern catamaran’s big, powerful mainsails, it’s all about the traveler.
by Cruising World’s Herb McCormick

There are certain inalienable truths about trimming the mainsail aboard any cruising boat. The main halyard must be taut enough at all times to eliminate excessive wrinkling in the luff of the sail (though it may be lowered or raised an inch or two depending on the wind strength). You always want the leech of the sail firm and unflappable (some, but not all, mainsails have a dedicated leech line for this purpose). And the sail’s leech telltales should be streaming aft in unison.

Those basic rules apply to all mainsails, whether on a monohull or a multihull. But when it comes to fine-tuning the trim depending on the point of sail, there’s a subtle but important difference between a modern single-hulled sailboat, where boom vangs and backstay tension play a crucial role, and a contemporary catamaran or trimaran, with its generous roach supported by a series of full battens (which must be properly tensioned to ensure optimum shape and draft). Read the rest of this entry →