Learn to sail faster, safer, smarter.

AccuMeasure

AccuMeasure Download UK Sailmakers AccuMeasure(TM) Software here for free! 1. UK Sailmakers AccuMeasure™  Quick Start Manual High Res   (2 MB)(pdf)…

Avoid a Gybe Broach

How To Avoid a Gybe Broach When sailing dead downwind in heavy air on a boat with a symmetrical spinnaker, control of the boat eventually will become a problem. One wrong…

Cruising Spinnaker Trailer

The Cruising Spinnaker A-Z Check out UK Sailmakers’ cruising spinnaker trailer. These asymmetrical spinnakers are designed without the need for a spinnaker pole, making them…

Deploy a Life Raft

How to Deploy a Life Raft In early April, UK Sailmakers was a sponsor of the first-ever hands-on Safety at Sea Seminar at the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y.…

DUCK WELL

How To Duck Well For many years, I have lost more places on the racecourse from my irrational fear of ducking another boat. I have even named this syndrome “Canardophobia.”…

Fighting Shipboard Fires

Fighting Shipboard Fires The United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, continues to set the bar higher and higher for safety at sea training. In early…

Get Ready To Measure

Getting Ready to Measure “It is all about cleaning house” Adam Loory Measuring a boat for IRC is a simple, relatively quick process when compared to an IMS or Americap…

How To Obtain IRC Rating

How To Obtain an IRC Rating The IRC rule has only been used in one major event in the United States, and with the shift to IRC for several events in 2005, certificate…

How to Rig an Outboard Sheet

How to Rig an Outboard Sheet Jib Reaching With Outboard Leads by UK Sailmakers. For years UK Sailmakers has been helping sailors learn the racing rules of sailing with our…

J111 CAG Letterbox Takedown

J111 CAG Letterbox Takedown The letterbox spinnaker takedown is the safest spinnaker drop when sailing offshore. It keeps people off the bow, keeps the forward hatch closed…

Judging Crossing Situations

Judging Crossing Situations How to judge if you are crossing another…

Learn to Sail Videos

Learn to Sail UK Sailmakers is committed to helping you to improve your sailing skills and safety. On this website, we publish an ever-growing collection of Learn to Sail…

Learning Singlehanded Gybe

Learning the Singlehanded Gybe Thanks to Covid 19’s requirement to sail socially distanced, I discovered the fun of doublehanding and singlehanding my boat. With a tall…

Lessons Learned from the 2022 Pacific Cup

Lessons Learned from the 2022 Pacific Cup Introducing UK Sailmakers new podcast series, Lessons Learned, created to help sailors around the world up their games. For over a…

Lessons Learned from Team Christopher Dragon

Lessons Learned from Team CHRISTOPER DRAGON This is the second podcast in UK Sailmakers Lessons Learned series. This 21-minute video is a discussion with Andrew Weiss, owner…

Letterbox Takedown video

Letterbox Takedown video Advantages of the Letterbox Takedown The letterbox takedown has four distinct advantages: It allows you to drop the chute in a safe, controlled…

LifeSling Recovery

LifeSling Recovery The Lifesling can be used in two ways. The traditional method is to drop it over your stern, let the 150 feet of polypropene line pay out while steering…

Man-Over-Board Recovery

Man-Over-Board Recovery The hardest part of recovering a crew overboard can be actually getting the person back onto the boat. Only fully-crewed boats can attempt to pull a…

Man OverBoard Quick Stop Spinnaker 2

The Man OverBoard Quick Stop With Spinnaker - Part 2 Part 2 "Lessons Learned" The early April Safety at Sea Seminar held at the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New…

Man OverBoard Quick Stop Spinnaker

The Man OverBoard Quick Stop With Spinnaker Filmed with midshipmen at the US Merchant Marine Academy The key to the quick stop is to stay within in 5-10 boat lengths of the…

New Thoughts on MOB Recovery

New Thoughts on MOB Recovery Losing a crew member overboard is a boat owner’s worst nightmare. The skipper is not only responsible for the boat but for all the crew as well.…

Outboard Leads - Sail With Confidence

How to Rig an Outboard Sheet For years UK Sailmakers has been helping sailors learn the racing rules of sailing with our animated Rules Quiz program. Now we are taking on…

Proper Pit Procedures

Proper Pit Procedures This video shows proper pit person procedures by an experienced crewmember on the Reichel Pugh 77 JELIK. Notice how she keeps her eyes on the bow team…

Proper Reefing Procedures

Proper Reefing Procedures If your boat is overpowered, it is slower because it is heeling too much. Excess heeling increases leeway and reduces the efficiency of your boat’s…

Questions & Answers

IRC Questions & Answers Where did IRC come from? The IRC is the most successful mid-level measurement rule in the world. It was created six years ago by two…

Quick Stop Upwind

Quick Stop Upwind Filmed with midshipmen at the US Merchant Marine Academy. There are many ways to do a Quick Stop man overboard recovery. The common theme is to turn the…

Safety at Sea Videos

Safety at Sea UK Sailmakers is committed to helping you to improve your sailing skills and safety. On this website, we publish an ever-growing collection of Learn to Sail…

Sail Design

Sail Design Powerful computer modeling and analysis UK Sailmakers uses powerful computer modeling and analysis programs to design race-winning sails that will hold up to the…

Sail Measurement Form

Sail Measurement Form UK Sailmakers Measurement Form UK Sailmakers Measurement Form Complete this form accurately to ensure your sails are made to the correct specifications.…

Seahorse Magazine Sail Design Technical Brief

Seahorse Magazine Sail Design Technical Brief Seahorse Magazine is renown for its coverage of high-end sailboat racing and often includes articles focusing on and explaining…

Set a Storm Jib

How To Set a Storm Jib Anyone planning on sailing offshore needs to carry storm sails. In order for these sails to help you in storm conditions, practice setting them in…

Setting The Pole Height on Your Spinnaker

Setting The Pole Height on Your Spinnaker By Dave Campaniello Dave Campaniello is the newest salesman at UK Sailmakers in New York. Before joining UK, Dave was the Director…

Spinnaker String Takedown

Spinnaker String Takedown The Stretch-and-Blow Spinnaker Douse allows you to sail practically right up to the leeward the mark with the sail drawing fully. When it is time to…

Stretch-and-Blow Spinnaker Douse

How to do the Stretch-and-Blow Spinnaker Douse The Stretch-and-Blow Spinnaker Douse allows you to sail practically right up to the leeward the mark with the sail drawing…

Use Storm Sails

How to use Storm Sails Any boat that goes to sea needs to carry storm sails, but more importantly, the crew needs to have practiced using them ahead of time. With the wind…