Sampson Boat Co · video

What this video covers

Leo Goolden walks through every line and sail-handling operation on Tally Ho, a gaff-rigged pilot cutter he is sailing from Central America to the UK to compete in the Fastnet Race centenary, 100 years after the boat won it in 1927.▶ 0:00 The walkthrough begins with the bobstay — the chain from bowsprit tip to stem — explaining how a deadeye-and-Dyneema-lanyard system tensions it, why it is triced up at anchor to prevent the anchor chain from riding up and down it, and how the capstan drum is used to achieve sufficient tension before getting underway.▶ 5:25 It covers preparing headsails (jib, staysail, and staysail), running sheets through deck blocks to winches, tying stopper knots, and removing the mainsail cover and sail ties.▶ 8:54 Topping lifts — two of them, one per side, on multi-part purchases — are explained in detail: why the boom is raised at anchor and dropped to a marked position before hoisting.▶ 12:36 Gaff-sail hoisting uses a throat halyard and a peak halyard raised in unison, keeping the gaff horizontal until the throat is tight.▶ 15:45 The sweating-and-tailing technique for heavy halyards is demonstrated, followed by a 12-to-1 compound purchase (4-to-1 halyard combined with a 3-to-1 tackle) for tensioning the luff in strong wind.▶ 16:09 The segment also covers checking into Costa Rica: immigration, the port captain, a separate customs office at the airport an hour away for a temporary import permit, and a final zarpe from the port captain.▶ 2:00

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