Hardware Placement: Advanced Sailing Video Lessons

Video Transcript

" You are going to spend a lot money on hardware, a lot of money! So once you got that expensive hardware, you want to make sure that it's placed in the right location on your boat. Just because it was on there when you bought it doesn't mean that it is in most optimal position. So be prepare to experiment a little bit. In fact, if you look around, you probably find that your boat has a lot of filled holes in it where hardware use to be. Different people like hardware in different locations. For example, this configuration is set up so the sheet would come off the wind and supposedly cleat, but that puts the cleat operator back here in the stern of the cockpit, when generally people sit a little further forward. Now there is another cleat that allows the sheet operator to cleat down the side. But it is extremely difficult to get your hand in there close enough to do this. With this configuration, the sheet comes off the winch and feeds into the jaws of the cleat. But the cleat is a little bit low, which allows a little slippage, if you'll notice. If the boat owner was able to angle the cleat up a little higher, he'd get a distinct bite from the cleat, and that well keep the sheet in tack. A fair lead is a great way to lead the sheet to winch or anyplace else on boat but, placement is critical. Notice how this fair lead wants to lead this sheet to the wrong side of the winch instead of allowing it to run clockwise as it should."