Female Speaker: Cleats come in many sizes and materials. On docks, cleats are generally large and made of galvanized steel. On yards, cleats are made of stainless steel or chrome plated bronze. Cleats are used to make fast everything from dock lines to flags to anchor rodes. Line should be sized to match the cleat. This half inch dock line is quickly made fast around this ten inch cleat. Tremendous loads are placed on cleats and they must be through bolted on solid substantial material that has a large backing plate on the under side. Do not mount cleats on cold surfaces?
If you can avoid having windshield vipers, then do so. The reason is that vipers have a really hard time in the marine environment and most don't work well with salt spray. It's better to just clean your windshield with something like Rain-X, they will give you good visibility in a rain storm. Plastic windshields are very common and are used with bimini tops. In tropical climates, count on replacing them about every 3 years because the UV rays destroy zippers and discolor the plastic. Use cleaning chemicals made specifically for plastic as improper cleaning can easily scratch the plastic. Have a professional install new windshield covers, it's not something the average boater can do himself.
The most important principle in rope care is to avoid chafe. The strongest and best quality dock or anchor line will soon break when expose to chafe. This owner has fastened a small length of rub real to the concrete dock. This simple system has avoided his dock line from being chewed up by the rough concrete wall. Apart from chafe, take care of all your lines by coiling them properly after use, and keeping them as clean as possible. An occasional warm fresh water bath will help ropes last longer.
You can also add some fabric softener to the water, if your lines have gotten too stiff to handle easily. Considering the big expense you have just made in purchasing your vessel, it really makes no sense to then dash out an anchor within inferior rope. Why trust your entire investment to a poor quality product when the best once only cost a few bucks more. For dock and anchor use, purchase a premium nylon line. Nylon is a good choice because it stretches and will absorb shock loads at the dock or at anchor.
Poly propylene line is great is for towing, water skiing, and dinghy use because it floats. However, it has a hard time with UV rays. For halyards, mini cruising sailors prefer low stretch rope to wire, it's faster to hoist, easier to splice, and won't scrape paint. Color coating lines makes it easier on the crew to identify various sales. For instance, use white for the main sail sheet in halyard, blue for the jib or genova, red and green for spinnakers, and finally for vangs and travelers, black. Hower boater sometimes use color coating to differentiate line length. Usually spring lines are longer than the bowl or stern lines. knots, bins and hitches all work because of friction created by turns in the line, unfortunately this friction also weakens the line and some times it's so great that you can't untie the knot.
Rope has 4 parts, the bitter end is at the very end, the standing part is the principal section, a loop is a small circle in the standing part, and the bite is a U shaped portion of the standing part. Over the years literally thousands of knots have been invented but these 8 should be sufficient for most boating needs. Figure 8 knots are put in the ends of lines to stop them from running through blocks. Generally they are used where frequent re-rigging is required such as on jib sheets. Do not use these knots on spinnakers sheets as you may want to let the sheets run if you lose control of the spinnaker.
Two lines of the same diameter are tied with this popular square knot. Simply tie right over left and then left over right. You know if it's done correctly when you push the two ends towards the middle and there are two symmetrical bites. If not, then you have a granny knot, which will untie in a hurry. The disadvantage of the square knot is that it's difficult to untie when wet and it's only about 50% as strong as the original lines. Pay particular attention to the bowline, this is one knot you absolutely must master.
Most boat owners use canvas to protect something more valuable than the canvas. That something can range from the entire boat to protection of instruments on the flying bridge. This boat owner protects a lot of exposed varnish from the harsh effects of UV rays, the Number 1 killer of the good varnish job. Always buy canvas products made from marine grade canvas. Yachtsmen in tropical climates usually have a bimini top to protect them from the effects of strong UV rays. Front and side curtains will give protection from rain and salt spray as well as protect the flying bridge instruments.
A professional should handle installation of a bimini top. Measurements, canvas making, fittings, and installation are beyond the ability of the average boater. A poorly installed bimini top can easily fly off in a stiff breeze and cause severe injury.
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