More 'Ubiquitous' Solutions from the mind of

Tom Lewis, Richmond, Virginia

BUNGEE SHEET TIE

No outriggers? Squirrelly conditions? Probably not a great idea to tie off the sheet. But there are times when this may be desirable or even necessary.

Using a bungee ball, or ring of bungee, attach it to a thwart or other handy anchor point.

When you want to tie the sheet off, make a simple slip knot in the sheet and pass just the knot through the bungee loop.

The knot will stay in the bungee until you either yank on the sheet releasing the slipknot or pulling the knot out of the bungee. A gust will also pull the knot out of the bungee loop if severe enough, but will usually stretch the bungee loop thereby dumping wind from the gust as the sail is let out.

The location of the knot along the sheet may have to be changed to get proper stretching of the bungee.

 

WIND TELLTALES

Canoe sailors are devotees of the microclimate. As such we not only want to know the wind direction but what is it right here.

Those yellow or blue bags that the newspaper is delivered in make great tell tales. They must imbue them with extra UV fighting powers because they last amazingly long. I have had one on my car antenna for five months (I put 60 miles a day on the car), and it shows no signs of failing.

Take one of the bags, flatten it out and roll it on a dowel long wise to make a sausage roll of plastic film which you cut with scissors (after removing the dowel) to make the individual telltale “pellets.”

Unroll a pellet and you have a telltale.

You can twist and stretch one end to form a thread for tying it to things, or use rip-stop tape to attach it to a sail surface.  The slightest breeze is made visible.