| Did you know that the number one most overlooked | | | | problems if you need to remove the cotters in a hurry |
| pieces of sailing gear measures about 1 1/2" long and | | | | in an emergency. |
| looks like a bobby pin? Or that one simple inspection | | | | 4. Tape Pelican Hook Bales |
| could catch problems with your headsail furling gear | | | | Some sailboats use lifeline gates with pelican hooks on |
| before you cast off the last line? Use these seven | | | | one end. A bail slides over the "beak" of the pelican |
| cruising sailboat inspection tips every time before you | | | | hook, but these bails can slip over the hook and open. |
| leave to keep your sailing crew safe and sound. | | | | Tape the bail in place with riggers tape. This prevents |
| 1. Inspect Boat Anchoring Gear | | | | unexpected failure that could lead to an overboard |
| Start forward and work your way aft. Check the | | | | emergency or injury. |
| shank (long arm) of your boat anchor to make sure it's | | | | 5. "Chafe-Check" Every Line |
| straight. Any distortion indicates weakness and you | | | | Start at the headsail and work aft. Inspect the |
| must not use that anchor. Open up the anchor locker | | | | bowlines at furling headsail clews and follow the line aft |
| and check that all shackles, chain, and rope rode are | | | | to the sheet blocks and winches. Look for chafe and |
| chafe free. Shackle pins should be moused (whipped) | | | | wear. Next, check the visible parts of halyards, boom |
| to the shackle body with stainless wire or plastic wire | | | | vangs, traveler track lines, mainsheet, and sail controls |
| ties. | | | | like the topping lift. Address serious chafe now so that |
| 2. Look Over the Furling Gear | | | | it doesn't become a major problem later on. |
| Check the cotter pins that hold your furling gear in | | | | 6. Attach and Fairlead Halyards |
| place. Look inside the drum and make sure the furling | | | | Remove the mainsail cover and attach the halyard. |
| line winds onto the drum without jams. Follow the | | | | Check that the halyard clears lazy-jacks, shrouds, and |
| furling line back to the cockpit and look for chafed, | | | | spreaders so that you can hoist the mainsail without |
| worn areas. Replace furling line that's worn to prevent | | | | problems. If you have a hank-on headsail, check that |
| unexpected failure underway. | | | | the halyard isn't wrapped around the headstay. |
| 3. Check Cotter Pin Integrity | | | | 7. Test the Rudder |
| Bobby-pin like cotter pins hold your rig together. | | | | Release the sailboat wheel brake or free the tiller. |
| Cruising and racing sailboats use these in turnbuckles | | | | Move the wheel or tiller all the way to the left and then |
| at shrouds, stays, lifelines, and block-and-tackles like | | | | all the way to the right. If you hear clunking or it binds, |
| vangs or traveler blocks. Bent or missing cotters | | | | locate the source of the problem. Open the wheel |
| should be replaced right away. Turnbuckle barrels can | | | | gear inspection port and check the quadrant cables. A |
| back off of threaded swages without cotters to hold | | | | jammed rudder could indicate that you've grounded |
| them in place. | | | | inside the slip. Wait for the tide to come in before you |
| Choose a snug cotter just smaller than the clevis pin or | | | | attempt to leave. |
| fitting; cut the legs so that they stick out no more than | | | | Add these seven sailboat cruising inspections to the |
| 1/2 of the fitting diameter; bend the legs out 15 to 25 | | | | top of your underway check-off sheet. This will give |
| degrees. Avoid the temptation to put a "U-bend" into | | | | you confidence and peace of mind to enjoy your |
| cotter-pin legs. That's unnecessary and could cause | | | | sail--wherever in the world you choose to cruise. |