Sailing

If your sails have seen better days, you may think that replacing them with new sails is your only option. But think again – high-quality, competent sail repair can make old sails look, feel, and perform like new. Even sails that have been in service for decades can be restored and refurbished to like-new condition. One of the keys to getting the longest life out of your sails is to keep a close eye on your sails and have repairs done as soon as a problem appears. Here are some things to look out for:

Stains – The bad news is that stains on sails are an unsightly but unavoidable consequence of regular use. But the good news is that the right cleaning techniques can reliably eradicate just about any kind of stain, including stubborn rust marks. Returning stained sails to their original beauty is a job for trained and experienced sail repair professionals, however – no amount of washing or do-it-yourself stain removal will give a badly stained sail that like-new look and feel. But in the right hands, professional dry cleaning using tried and tested sail restoration techniques will eliminate stains and leave your sails looking almost as good as they did the day you bought them …. even if that day was thirty or more years ago.

Mainsail, leech edge – The leech or back edge of the mainsail is often the first part of the sail to show wear and tear. Be on the lookout for these signs of leech edge problems:

– You’re having trouble setting or trimming the main.
– It’s hard to flatten the back edge of the sail
– Using the leech line only seems to cup the back edge instead of helping to flatten or quite down the back edge.
– You see visible signs of wear along the leech/back edge of the sail. This wear may be visible as tiny holes in the fabric, or in extreme cases tears along the stitching may even be visible.

If you note any of the above, it’s likely that aging and use have created a problem that requires professional sail repair. As with all sail problems, the sooner you tackle it, the better the chances of successfully repairing it will be. But even severe cases of wear can be fixed by sail restoration specialists.

Batten pockets – Battens and the pockets that hold them provide an important role in shaping your mainsail. As you change direction with the boat, the mainsail moves from one side of the boat to the other. This causes the batten to flex and bend the cloth at the end of the pocket. Over time the cloth can become weak and even tear. If not caught in time the damage can be catastrophic, tearing out the whole pocket back to the leech edge and causing major damage to the sail. This is a problem that’s all but impossible to address on your own, but it’s a reasonably simple procedure for a sail restoration professional to repair. While making a repair of this kind it would be a good time to replace the elastic in the end of the pocket to keep proper tension on the batten to help maintain good sail shape. However it is important to catch wear in this area as soon as possible, so be sure to inspect your sails regularly for this kind of wear.

Bolt rope has shrunk or drawn up making it hard to raise or lower the main and to get a nice set on the sail – This is a common problem and one that many sailors are told cannot be fixed or adjusted. However the truth is that a good sail restoration professional may very well be able to fix it. In addition, the cost for this type of repair is relatively low and it takes very little time to do.

Different sail makers use various types of line or rope in the bolt rope. Nylon is popular because it has stretch, but it also will shrink. If you begin to notice the boom seems to be hanging lower at the clew or back edge of the sail than the tack or front edge of the sail, or if the bottom of the sail seems to have a noticeable bag or extra cloth, the problem could be the bolt rope.

Sailing is a fun hobby and a recreational pursuit that can last a lifetime. It can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age and ability and is something that either gender can take up. It truly is one of those leisure activities that are open to everyone. When you learn to sail it gives you a sense of personal achievement and fulfillment and also opens up a whole new area in your social life that can lead to lifelong friendships.

There are many different options to learning sailing such as small dinghy sailing on inland lakes and reservoirs to ocean sailing in multi million pound yachts and modern three-masted tall ships. There literally is a whole world of sailing to experience and in this particular article we are going to be focused on Texas sailing, particularly in the bay and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

The Bay Area is a charming Bayside region nestled midway between the big-city allure of Houston and the wide-open beaches of Galveston. Encompassing seven distinct cities, the region touches more than 35 miles of waterfront. It holds the most advantageous sailing around and consists of East Bay, Trinity Bay and Redfish Reef just to name a few. This is where many people learn to sail and ‘learn the ropes’ under the watchful eye of a sailing instructor on a small yacht based at a local marina on the bay.

When picking a sailing school it is a good idea to spend some time searching online for a school near you and then plan a visit to have a look around. Meet the sailing instructor, familiarize yourself with the different types of sailing courses and certifications that they offer. Does the description on the website match what you see during your visit to the sailing school? Are the boats or yachts well kept and clean? Do they offer mentor sessions or free charters for students? Is the staff friendly, professional and eager to show you around? Having a good relationship with your sailing instructor is the key so it’s very important to get to know who they are and vice versa so that both parties feel comfortable.

It is easier if you do know someone already that sails who can give you the benefit of their advice and could even refer you to a good sailing school but that’s not always an option for everyone. If you’re new to sailing you are going to want to research and rely upon your own judgment when it comes down to picking the best sailing school.

Another thing you would want to know when picking a Texas sailing school is if they are an American Sailing Association Certified School (ASA). The American Sailing Association is an association of sailing schools, professional sailing instructors, sailors and charter companies. There are over 180 affiliated sailing schools located throughout the US, Canada and the Caribbean, offering the ASA certification programs to individuals who meet the minimum requirements. The American Sailing Association was established with the goal of increasing sailing safety by establishing standards for sailing education. It is because of this reason that the sailing school that you choose for your lessons is certified with ASA.

The instructors that get certified with the ASA undergo rigorous requirements including intensive clinics in which they measure their knowledge of sailing, seamanship, practical sailing ability and teaching ability. The ASA Instructor Training Program is extremely demanding because of the importance ASA places on the professional instructor. This intensive quality control is designed to ensure that a student can be confident that they will receive high quality instruction at any ASA school.

So if you would like to spend your time on the soothing waves of the seas or lakes gently rocking the day to day worries from your mind then sailing particularly on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and the bay in Texas is your best bet. Remember, to check and make sure you have picked a reputable sailing school. If it’s your first time sailing you may fall in love with it before you know it and you will be sailing through life with the company of your friends and family.

If you want to learn to sail, there are sailing schools and online sailing programs to choose from. Basic sailing skills and techniques are taught as well as the types of sailboats, sailboat parts and their uses. Basic sailing skills include handling the sailboat, maneuvering, points of sailing, sailing terms like “in the wind”, learning about the different types of sailing knots, docking, anchoring, etc.

The most important thing to know if you want to learn how to sail is that the sails keep the boat moving. Handling the boat requires skill and experience. It is advisable to learn to sail in a small sailboat first. Learn the different parts of the boat, its uses and about rigging. Rigs are the various sails and mast configurations of a sailboat. Sail and mast configurations determine the speed and the direction of boat. Standing and running are the two types of rigging a sailboat.

You may also want to choose a school to personally learn from the experts and gain advance sailing skills and techniques. It will improve your basic sailing skills and you will get a certification. Be sure to choose a sailing school that will meet your goals and that is to learn how to sail properly. Your goals can also be to sail for leisure or to join a race someday. Having a boat of your own is not a requirement to start learning although in the long run you may want to own one to enjoy more and practice your sailing skills.

Choose a reputable sailing school in your area or you can ask your local yacht club if they offer courses and certification in sailing. You may also want to attend a national sailing school where you will learn to sail on bigger boats. If you are just going to learn to sail for leisure or personal pleasure, local sailing schools are practical enough and they also offer good courses. They are also less expensive than national sailing school.

Learning about sailboats is essential if you want to learn. Boat varies in the number of mast and how keels and rudders affect the sailboat speed and force. Sailboats come in different sizes and shape. Sailboat types are categorized on the number and location of sails as well as the number of masts. The basic sailboat parts are the mainsail, mast, boom, tiller, jib, rudder, keel and hull. Point of sail is the direction where the wind is blowing. The different types of point of sail are the following: In iron where the front of the boat is facing the wind, Closed hauled or Beating where the wind direction is 30-40 degrees, Close reach with a wind direction of 70 degrees, Beam reach with 90 degrees wind, Broad reach with 135 degrees and Running with 180 degrees of wind direction.

Point of sail is very important to know if you want to learn to sail. After all, the role of the wind direction is important to sailing. With the ripples on the surface of the water, one can already determine the direction of the wind. However, there are other things and equipment to identify wind direction. Flags and windsocks are good indicators of wind direction because they fly from the opposite direction of the wind.

These are just the basic stuff one needs to know if they want to learn. It is a fun activity as long as you know how to handle the boat and keep it moving. Confidence in sailing is also important and you can get this by learning through sailing schools.

What top ten sailing tips will help you enjoy sailing in the most fun and safe way? You might be surprised to know that it all starts long before you step aboard your sailboat. Use these little known secrets for day sailing, weekend cruising, or for coastal and offshore sailing.

1. Pack the Right Clothes.

There’s a saying that goes something like this “There is no such thing as bad weather-only bad clothes”. Makes a lot of sense-in particular in a dynamic environment like sailing. Put together a small duffel bag with the “must have” sailing gear. Include a foul weather jacket, complete change of clothes, wide-brimmed hat. That way, if you get spray or rain or stay out longer than expected, you will stay dry and warm (or cool) in most any sailing weather.

2. Bring Your Own “Grab Bag”.

Make up a personal “must have” bag. Match the contents to the type of sailing you do. Your grab-bag will be the one thing you grab in an emergency. If you need to leave the boat for any reason, you need common items like extra keys, wallet, cell phone, change, and identification in order to get home safe and sound. Pack your personal grab bag now to give you peace-of-mind for safer sailing.

3. Carry a Sailing Knife.

Sail World carried a tragic story a short time ago about a young teenage girl. Her sailing dinghy capsized. She had attached herself by a hiking harness to the boat. When she capsized, the boat turtled (turned over–bottom up) on top of her. She was unable to untangle herself from the harness and drowned.

It’s understandable that folks tend to shun knives and similar equipment on their belts. It’s a bit weighty, adds bulk on a hot day, and many like to sail unencumbered. Find a small compact knife that will fit into a sheath or has a clip that will fasten to your sailing shorts. Carry it when you go sailing. Not below packed in a bag–but on your shorts or pants. If you need to use it for cutting rope or in an emergency, it will be with you, ready in the blink-of-an-eye.

4. Build Up Wrist Strength.

Did you realize that wrist injuries and soreness plague sailors? You use your wrists to steer the boat, crank on winches, hoist or lower sails, lower or raise the anchor, move forward or aft on the boat, or brace yourself below in the cabin when heeled over. Use a soft ball like a tennis ball and squeeze; hold for ten seconds; release. Repeat this while you walk or sit several times a day. This simple exercise will help build up this often-forgotten vital muscle fast and easy and lessen the chance of injury aboard any sailboat you sail aboard.

5. Listen to the 24-hour Weather Forecast.

Expect to be out longer than you plan. Turn on the Weather Radio and listen to the forecast for the next 24 hours. How will the wind shift? Will this create a long hard slog to windward back to the marina slip or pier? If you go out for a day-sail, consider sailing to windward early on so the sail back will be an easy reach or run. Look for anchorages along your sailing route in case the weather turns foul. Become weather wise to keep your sailing fun and safe for you and your sailing crew.

6. Know Your Anchoring Techniques.

No piece of vital sailing gear gets ignored more than the boat anchor. Make sure that the anchor aboard any boat you sail on will be ready to lower within 10 seconds. Check the parts of the anchor from the bitter end of the anchor rode where it ties to your boat, all the way down the rope rode, anchor chain, anchor shackles, and all parts of the anchor itself (ring, shank, flukes). Keep this #1 life-insurance gear in tip-top shape for worry-free sailing worldwide.

7. Inspect Your Sailboat from Bow to Stern.

Start at the bow and check the anchor, lifelines, turnbuckle fittings, cotter pin integrity, standing rigging like boom vangs, traveler lines, mainsheet and Genoa sheets. Look for chafed line, missing cotter pins, bent anchor shank or distorted turnbuckle barrels. Take five minutes to check your boat before you get underway to save you the headache of an unexpected fitting failure underway.

8. Use Nautical Charts Along with Electronics.

Read the opening screen of any electronic GPS or chart plotter and the disclaimer warns about total reliance on that gear. Purchase the paper charts you need for your sailing area. If you day sail, carry aboard a large-scale (magnified) chart of your sailing grounds. If you coastal cruise, you need navigational charts of the coastline, approaches to harbors, and inner harbor areas. Offshore sailors need the same and more. Paper charts back up the electronics. Electronics can never replace paper charts. Stay safe and sound when you carry the paper charts you need for sailing safety.

9. Practice Boat Maneuvers and Control.

Spend part of each sailing day and practice one specific maneuver. Toss a fender overboard and tack or jibe to see if you can sail your boat up to the fender, stop alongside the object with the sails luffing, and retrieve the object. The more your practice intricate maneuvers the better you will be at sailing in tight quarters, turning your boat around in an emergency, or coming alongside a float, pier, or mooring buoy under sail alone.

10. Read and Learn About Sailing Each Day.

Legendary sailor and author Hal Roth once said “A good sailor is always studying and learning and asking questions”. Whether you are stuck in a place far from the coast, waiting for winter to end, or find that you just don’t have time for sailing right now–never, ever stop learning. Each day, set yourself a goal to learn something new about sailing. Learn a new sailing term, read up on the latest sailing equipment, or visit a sailing forum like Sailnet or Sailing Anarchy to see what experienced sailors have to say. Discover something new each day to become more comfortable and confident in sailing.

A holiday is a welcome break for you to enjoy and relax to the fullest. A break from your maddening pace of routine life, a holiday is an opportunity where you create memories that last a lifetime. Holiday destinations, with their exquisite natural beauty, adventure activities, relaxing therapies and tranquillity, are bound to transport you to a different world, a world far away from your stress-filled routine life. Therefore, it is only natural that you should make the most of your holiday and pamper yourself to glory when you plan your vacations.If want to give undivided attention for your enjoyment without letting your mind worry about your travel schedule and other cost factors, you should choose all-inclusive resorts at the destination of your choice.

Why choose these resorts?

What is so special about these all-inclusive resorts? Read on to know more:

Mental peace

A holiday requires extra work and a lot of stress as you need to book your tickets, modes of local commute, plan your travel itinerary, set aside a budget for additional expenses like sight-seeing, food and more. You need to plan and re-plan to ensure that everything is on track. However, you can bid goodbye to this stress when you book yourself an all-inclusive resort. These resorts take care of all your requirements right from your tickets till the time you leave for your destination. They get the best deals for you in all the departments so that you can just relax and sink in the serenity of the place without having to worry about planning your trip according to your budget.

Time-Savings

You don’t want to be organising things and coordinating with various people on your vacation, do you? You just want to relax and get pampered like royalty, because you want to go back rejuvenated to resume your routine life when you go back from your holiday. How nice would it be just to land in your destination and have your plans sorted out clearly? This is exactly what an all-inclusive resort does for you, thereby resulting in a great deal of time savings for you. With the careful and expert planning of these resorts, you can use your entire time to enjoy unlimited relaxation on your holiday than wasting it to worry about the nitty-gritty.

Value-added services

When you stay at an all-inclusive resort, you get access to unlimited internet, free offers for kids, free sight-seeing tickets to certain places, free drinks during your stay, assistance for adventure activities like snorkelling, scuba diving and other activities that are exclusive to that particular destination, access to private pool, access to spa and wellness facilities, free access to the gym and a lot more. All of these features are designed to give you full value for your money so that you get the most during your vacation to this beautiful place. After all, what is a vacation when you don’t make enough memories from it?

When you plan a vacation to Maldives, ensure that you book your accommodation in one of the many Maldives all-inclusive resorts. St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is one of the most beautiful resorts in Maldives that takes end to end care of its guests from the time they arrive till the time they go back.

1. Make a list:
Lists are so important! Without a list, I’m always paranoid that I’m forgetting something. Worst part is that one thing or another is always left behind without a list. Don’t you hate that sinking feeling you get when you realize you’ve forgotten the earplugs at home? So make a list. Put your passport and ticket go on the top. Then computer, gadgets, chargers, documents, medication, clothes, shoes, accessories etc. A list saves so much time!

2. Choose clothes Carefully:
Everyone always wants to look their best when traveling but sadly there isn’t enough space for all the stylish clothes you have. Our advice is to choose clothes which are thin and weigh less. Most importantly, pick the ones which can be used for multiple occasion and dress codes. Once you’ve decided, cube your clothes or make sushi rolls because that saves a lot of space.

3. Shoes:
Deciding which shoes to take is especially harder for women. But the truth is that you can’t take a pair of shoe for every set of clothing you packed. I wear my most comfortable pair and keep a pair of flats and heels in my luggage.

4. Fill dead space:
I have small feet and I mostly wear flats. Each pair of my shoes goes in a shopping bag and I thrust it wherever there is space. You can do the same with socks and undergarments as well.

5. Wear heavy clothes:
Wear your heavy clothes to reduce weight of your luggage. Wear a heavy jacket which you can then take off and put in an overhead cabin once you’ve boarded the flight.

6. Stock ziplock bags:
Ziplock bags are a life-saver! You can put each gadget or tablet in them so they don’t rub against each other. This hack ensures scratch free gadgets at the end of your journey. When it comes to makeup, a ziplock bag is must! You don’t want your liquid foundation splashed all over the white sweater. God forbid the glittery eyeshadow smashes!

7. Chargers:
Wrapping the cord around the charger is useless. What works best is a stretch hair band! Rubber bands are good too but they tend to break so I always use one of my stretch hair bands. I wrap it around each charger and then put them all in a ziplock bag.

8. Gather everything:
Gather it all and dump it on the bed. Before your start packing, check everything against the list you made. This will ensure that you won’t be running around looking for things once you have started packing.

9. Label your bag:
I put a strip of duct tape all around my bags and doodle over it with a permanent marker. It’s fun and makes me luggage really easy to find.

10. Weigh your luggage:
Don’t rely on your judgment. Use a scale so you know for sure how much your luggage weighs. That’s one less tension off your head. Also, use lightweight bags. The heavier your bag is, the lesser things will go in it.

In our hinterland is located the Argentina Valley. Once Taggia is left behind, traveling by provincial road, the nature becomes undisputed protagonist of the valley lying behind, a territory closed between steep slopes, reluctant to the passage of men, covered with thick forests, scattered by medieval villages remained almost untouched, inside which still today the past designs its ancient plots.

Campo Marzio is a small mound in the most accented bottleneck of the river, marked by remains of a pre-Roman town and by its subsequent Roman fortifications. The first town of the Valle Argentina is Badalucco in a crossroad position for itineraries from the bottom of the valley towards the mountain. The village throngs its rough-hewn stone houses on the hill in front of Mount Faudo. In the village, made of stone, to invade every corner and take advantage of every cleavage, one finds imposing arcane figures nested in frescoes and, in the damp and silent alleyways, a permanent art gallery in the open exhibits sculptures ceramics and sculptured slate. The “sagra du stocafissu a baiicogna” is the colorful touch that attracts to the village, during the month of September of each year, throngs of tourists and “gourmets”.

Following the provincial road, but turning right and after some short bends, you meet Montalto Ligure in a panoramic position. The legend has it that, around the year one thousand, a young married couple who escaped from the “jus primae noctis” (the right of the first night), established this village. Here the Romanesque parish church of San Giorgio preserves valuable frescoes; the baroque parish church is rich of prestigious paintings, such as polyptych by Ludovico Breashed this village. Here the Romanesque parish church of San Giorgio preserves valuable frescoes; the baroque parish church is rich of prestigious paintings, such as polyptych by Ludovico Brea.

Carpasio is a mountain village, with its low houses with slate roofs, impressive because of the suggestion given by the overlapping of its alleyways and its covered passageways, dominated by the majestic bell tower of the church of Sant’ Antonino. Returning on the provincial road, going up the valley, the traveler meets the village of the twenty-three watermills, Molini di Triora, with its fifteenth century origin baroque parish church and the sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Month. Here, every year in September, vacationers from the coast, converge for a meeting of great gastronomy, the “sagra delle lumache” (the snail festival). Also worthy of being visited, are the neighboring hamlets of Andagna and Corte.

In the past it was the granary of the Republic of Genoa and Podesteria, today Triora is known as the “town of the witches” owing to a trial held in 1588 and concluded, with a sentence of guilt for witchcraft of a group of local women who, because of their meeting in a secluded place (the Cabotina), were deemed guilty of the impending famine. There is memory of that event in the local ethnographic and witchcraft museum, for the luck of shops and handcraft workshops that display funny sorceress dolls and sell liquor of the witch and snail milk, well-mixed together concoctions of grappa (distilled liquor) and aromatic herbs. The medieval village is an art jewel, steep, rough, built without obstructions, whole in its defense system of gates, arches, alleyways and fortressed-houses.

1. Start planning early:
Before you even start planning a trip, research! Research about adventure spots suitable for your family. If you have a toddler, you’d want a town nearby where you can buy diapers and other necessities. Adults love trying new ethnic food but kids aren’t so keen on that. It will help to pick a place which has a McDonald’s nearby.

2. Know everyone’s expectations:
Discuss with each member of your family what their expectations are and then start scheduling a travel itinerary which makes everyone happy.

3. Airfare takes the most money:
Airfare isn’t cheap especially when buying multiple tickets so you should start planning the trip at least three months beforehand. Check various websites for airfare to your destination. Don’t buy the first deal you see because airlines change airfare constantly. Repeatedly check multiple times a week before you buy your tickets.

4. Keep adventure during the journey minimal:
Often times, people choose flights with multiple layovers to save money. If you’re traveling solo then it’s great but a long flight with children can turn into a nightmare. Keeping the travel time as minimum as your budget allows. Kids throwing up on the plane or throwing tantrums is not the kind of adventure you want!

5. Good accommodations are hard to find:
Once you’ve decided your destination and bought tickets, focus on the accommodations. Hotels can be very expensive so look online for B&Bs. You can even rent a house, and that’s often what families do.

6. Use your trip as a learning opportunity:
Yes, the purpose of the trip is adventure but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it more meaningful than that. I know a friend who recently took her family to Greece for a vacation. She chose it because Greece has lots of sights and adventure but also because she wanted her children to interact with the Syrian refugees there. Her kids were so grateful for that experience because they were able to make a positive difference in someone else’s life. She says her kids have become more mature after that trip. So pick a spot which reflects the values you’re trying to instill in your children.

7. Keep safety and comfort in mind:
While your teenager will love waterfall rappelling, it might be a frightening and uncomfortable experience for the six year old. Beaches are great but a rugged and rocky shoreline is not the safest place to take your kids. Places like safaris and wildlife sanctuaries are adventure spots kids love the most. Recently, Costa Rica has emerged as a popular spot for family adventures. It has beautiful beaches, dense rainforests, ziplining, wildlife sanctuaries, volcanos, caves and hiking trails.

8. Pay attention to the tour agency:
Adventure spots and sports require a proper guide and safety precautions. It’s very important to first thoroughly vet the tour agency you choose for your trip. Luckily, reviews for every place and every company can be found online. So do your research before you put the safety and enjoyment of your family in someone else’s hands.