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Spring is approaching and we start to think about getting our boats ready for the coming season.  

And whilst there are some jobs that are obvious, like servicing engines, repainting, varnishing woodwork, and checking sails, here is our list of 10 jobs that could easily be overlooked but are potentially critical for you to enjoy a safe season ahead.  

This list is not exhaustive, but should give you food for thought!  

Image credit: Calanach Finlayson 

A fiddle or violin block is a twin-sheave block with a difference. Typically cheaper than a standard double block of equivalent size, its low profile makes it ideal for on-deck purchase systems. In this blog we explore the pros and cons of fiddle blocks and where they can be put to use.  

Image credit: Spinlock 

It’s a breeze-on day, you have rounded the top mark, set the kite and everything is just about under control. The bowman, now providing ballast at the back of the boat, calls in the gusts. As the pressure reaches the boat you expect to accelerate and start surfing the next wave but instead you hear a zipping noise as the halyard runs through the clutch and the belly of the kite billows out in front of the boat, just above the water. Anyone who has experienced this knows the nightmare of a slipping clutch. If you are lucky, you might be able to keep the boat under control and winch the spinnaker back to the top of the rig. If you are less fortunate, it’s easy to broach or turn the kite into a trawling net. In this blog we look at some of the possible causes of a slipping halyard and how these can be resolved. 

The world of modern sailing ropes is bright and bountiful. But from the plethora of brands, colours, materials and styles, Gottifredi Maffioli’s Superswift perpetually stands out. The family run Italian firm pioneered the ‘Swift’ style of lines more than 2 decades ago which have since been imitated by so many other manufacturers. Superswift features that iconic grippy, durable cover with a compact braid DSK78 Dyneema core. In this blog we explore why this material lends itself so well to light weight spinnaker sheets. 

It’s long been the view of many cruisers that an all-chain anchor rode (the rope or line that connects the anchor to the boat) is superior to a rope rode. However, most racers would disagree, opting for as little chain as possible to save weight and maximise speed. The reality is, for most sailors the perfect ratio is somewhere in the middle.  

Image credit: James Tomlinson 

With interest in doublehanded racing still on the rise and showing no signs of letting up, we wanted to know what the ingredients are for a doublehanded boat to stay safe and sail fast. To gain some insights we conducted a survey of the UK Doublehanded Offshore fleet. We asked about everything from food to sleep to equipment. These are the results.