Easy ways to sail better

Rupert Holmes shares some expert tips on how to make your boat easier to handle, sail faster and safer with better manners

- Rupert Holmes

The best way to get a better boat is to improve the one you already have, I have long believed. Given many vessels are not set up as efficiently as they could be, this a realistic proposition for many owners, often without spending a great deal of time or money. The result can be that less effort is needed to sail the boat, along with simplified and quicker manoeuvres such as reefing and in some cases even tacking or gybing.

As a first check it’s worth taking a careful look at the running rigging to ensure it all works smoothly. One of the most common problems I’ve seen is with lines that at some stage in the boat’s history have been replaced with those a size (or even two) larger than blocks and other fittings were designed for, resulting in a full-on festival of friction. Happily, in this case the problem is easily remedied with rope of the correct dimensions.

In any case, it’s always worth taking a close look at anything that might create friction in the system. Strategically replacing low-grade blocks, or changing to a Dyneema line a size smaller can make a huge difference. You may also find blocks, or even masthead sheaves, that have seized, or where plastic pulleys have succumbed to UV degradation. In the latter case many of these may have to be replaced, although with patience it’s often possible to get seized blocks working again.

Sticky sail slides can make hoisting, lowering and reefing the mainsail a bigger and more frustrating task than necessary. Usually a quick application of spray-on lubricant is all that’s needed to get them working smoothly, making a dramatic difference. A so-called ‘dry’ lubricant is best, but silicone spray or even WD40 will do at a stretch.