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Securing a furling headsail in heavy weather conditions
Roller-reefing/furling headsails offer excellent reefing potential. They make it possible to reef the headsail to the precise amount of sail required for most every condition by effortlessly turning in-and-out sail. A problem we found with continuous loop furling systems is they rely on friction to hold the sail in place. After a little wear, we found that the rope’s purchase became unreliable, occasionally causing it to slip free under load.

Maritime flags and their meaning
Code Flags are commonly displayed on commercial vessels during regattas and races or used as bunting at shoreside events. But the principal use of code flags is communication between vessels. Commercial vessels use code flags and shapes alongside sound signals when moving, anchored or alongside terminals to communicate their intentions.

Checklisting for seaworthiness before departing the dock
The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) state that the... 'safety of a yacht and her crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the person in charge, who must do his or her best to ensure that the yacht is fully sound, thoroughly seaworthy and manned by an experienced crew who have undergone appropriate training and are physically fit to face bad weather. He/she must be satisfied as to the soundness of hull, spars, rigging, sails and all gear. He/she must ensure that all safety equipment is properly maintained and stowed and that the crew knows where it is kept and how it is to be used.'Seagoing vessels are highly complicated craft. Ensuring that all the critical items have been checked, that the crew have been fully briefed and that nothing has been overlooked, will stretch human memory and attention to the potential limits.

Naming convention for describing objects relative to the vessel's heading
When navigating a vessel it is important that direction from which objects appear can be efficiently and effectively communicated. Having a single clear sectorial naming convention for the surrounding sea areas with reference to the various relative points of the vessel delivers this.


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