Other Sailing Hardware & Gear

Other Sailing Hardware and Gear

Sailing and relaxing on the water can be a fun pastime or something you do every day. To keep your equipment working optimally, make sure you have the necessary sailing hardware and gear on hand. Many sailors keep extra fittings, boat parts and tools to make repairs, should an emergency arise. Additionally, they may keep sailing gear on board, such as extra winch handles and safety harnesses.

An important sailing rigging and fitting component is a rope clutch. You can use them to lock off a halyard, tack or furler line without raising the winch. They are available in single and double clutches. Additionally, you can't have too many rope cleats and pelican hooks to secure ropes and lifelines. An extra spool of polyester double braid sailing rope with a breaking strain of 948 kg comes in handy to pull a dinghy or repair a broken line.

Most sailing winches on a sailboat 12 metres in length can pull 2 tons of weight when trimming the sails. This sailing gear, used frequently, should be protected when not in use. Purchase a winch cover made from marine-grade canvas to protect it from sun and water damage. Most have an elastic waist to adjust to various winch sizes. In addition to winches and covers, there are other winch accessories such as solenoids, cables and handles that simply wear out and need replacing.

On-board repairs means having a toolbox full of sailing tools and repair equipment to keep you from being stranded. A roll of Mylar sail repair tape or vinyl cement let you make repairs on the go. A button punch set includes everything you need to repair snaps or grommets. Furthermore, sailors use shock cords as reefing ties, to reinforce smaller sails, and for other vessel uses. Mini ropes measuring 3 mm in diameter are another handy on-board tool to make temporary repairs.