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UNDERWAY
THE FLOOR OF HEAVEN
THE TRUTH ABOUT IN-MAST
FURLING MAINSAILS
In-mast furling mainsails are
popular on many cruising boats for
good reason: the conveniences are
hard to beat. Choosing the right
sail material is critical to smooth
operation of a furling system.
The best way to make a good in-mast
furling mainsail is by controlling
fabric stretch and fi nding a way to
do that without the conventional
batten structure. While vertical
battens can help, they add thickness
to the sail and can create furling
problems depending on the cavity
size and width of the mast opening.
These issues put a premium on
sailcloth. Only the highest quality
woven polyester cloth will provide
the required stretch resistance to
cross-cut sails. Even better than
woven cloth are composites designed
for cruising applications. With less
stretch in all directions, a composite
sail will be easier to furl and unfurl.
This choice opens the door to two
types of sail construction: tri-radials
made from pre-made composite
materials and Quantum’s proprietary
Fusion M™ membrane sails.
With less stretch in all directions,
composite materials preserve the sail’s
shape under load, keeping it fl at with
a straight, clean exit. Functionality of
the furling system is also improved.
WANT MORE?
Visit crusingworld.com/cruising-tips
QUANTUM SAILS
CRUISING
TIPS
NADINE SLAVINSKI (TOP AND CENTER); COURTESY OF THE PUBLISHER
I
spotted a lighthouse that looked
as if it reached all the way to the
fl oor of heaven.” That’s just one
of many great lines in Jimmy Buf ett’s
romp of a sailing yarn, A Salty Piece of
Land. And it’s absolutely accurate, as we
discovered upon sailing to the Amédée
lighthouse in New Caledonia’s magnif-
icent lagoon. Maybe it’s the contrast of
the sheer white tower against the tur-
quoise waters of the lagoon. Maybe it’s
the mesmerizing spiral pattern of the
200-plus stairs we climbed to reach
eagle-eye views. Or maybe it’s the fact
that we got there by sailing our sturdy
Dufour 35 from halfway around the
world. Whatever makes it so special,
the Amédée lighthouse is one of the
iconic landmarks of the South Pacifi c.
Built in 1862 and shipped in pieces
from France, it’s still one of the tall-
est lighthouses in the world. Once the
day-tripping crowds depart, Île Amédée
can be a magical place to anchor for
the night. I’ll never forget the light
beam illuminating our cabin in regu-
lar four-second sweeps throughout a
moonlit evening — or the 7-foot reef
shark I met face to snout while snor-
keling the next day. (I’m still not sure
which one of us was in more of a hurry
to get away.) And I’ll never forget the
view back toward the lighthouse when
we sailed out of Boulari Pass on the last
major passage of a Pacifi c crossing that
will live in our memories forever.
— Nadine Slavinski
Father and son at the Amédée light-
house on one of their last South Pacifi c
stops (top). The view from the bottom
of the stairs is impressive (above).
Sailing into Retirement: 7 Ways to
Retire on a Boat at 50 with 10 Steps That Will
Keep You There Until 80
by Jim Trefethen (2016; McGraw-Hill Education; $26)
Just another “how to go
cruising” book? Not this
one. The author, who
voyaged with his family
as a septuagenarian feeling
the cruising life. His personal
account of how he and his
wife got back out there is
prescriptive, fi lled with step-
by-step advice and philosophy
aimed squarely at anyone
who has reached retirement
age but still harbors dreams
instead of plans. “Exercise,”
“eat right,” “change your
attitude” and “stop buying
stuf ” are all part of his
mantra. But take heart —
page 182 starts a section titled
“Don’t Stop Drinking.”
— Michael Robertson
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BOOKS
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