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Old 05-09-2006, 05:36 AM
Ian McColgin Ian McColgin is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Hyannis, MA
Posts: 368
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The point that the netting is there for the sail, not the sailor, is important but often not just overlooked, more like romped on past. Schooners such as When&If (I think this was where I saw this) even make the netting up of webbing to facilitate walking over and to make lying on, when dousing a flogging sail in a nasty night, more comfortable. Once used to this, semirecumbrant facing aft on the weather net and hauling down the sail with two hands makes good sense.

My onw schooners had bowsprits half that length and jibs with clews back near the foremast, so the need for netting was not present. I generally prefer a real footrope that put my belly button a bit over the sprit but that approach does get your feet wet in plunging conditions. Sometimes a bit more than your feet.

Side note: Chain looks all down-home shippy and all but is actually weaker, stretchier, more prone to electrolitic degredation at the lower end, and harder to inspect against catastrophic failure than good cable.

But then, different boats, different long splices.

G'luck

Ian
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