Bosun’s Bag

Tom Cunliffe has voyaged in his own gaffers all over the world. He is an RYA Yachtmaster examiner and a training consultant for Sailing USA, and a regular columnist for Sailing Today, Classic Boat, Yachting World and SAIL. Martyn Mackrill is Honorary Painter of the Royal Thames Yacht Club and the Royal Yacht Squadron. His depictions of classic boats have made him one of the most sought-after marine artists, and his work forms part of major collections worldwide.

Sails
Setting a single-luff spinnaker
Tricing up or Scandalising
Gollywobbler
Topsails in small yachts -Luff yard or full jackyard/ how long?/ downhauling
The mysterious watersail
Single headsails
Cutter foretriangles

Rigging
Ratlines
Topping lift. One or two
The problem of the crane
Sheer poles
The humble burton
Spreaders
Baggywrinkle
Lazy jacks
Artificial Hemp
Staying an offset bowsprit
Mast rake
Boom angle
Deadeyes, the excellent and the ludicrous/setting them up

Maintenance
Slushing down
Tallow
Kiss the green goodbye
Seized bolts? Not on my boat
Pouring Pitch
Wax for Happiness
Varnish in the winter
Restoring blocks
Caulking irons
Cove lines
Boot top
Necessity for good quality nails
Beeswax
Brightwork
Frozen seacocks
Rusty fastenings
Masts in winter – mast out/rot hotspots
Wooden blocks – maintaining performance
Repairing deck seams

Navigation
Back to basics – distance run
Steer northeast by east a half east
Log book
The traditional barometer
A classic logbook

Working the ship
Instant sheet-lead adjustment
Mast hoops – extra one
Sail ties
Flaking for the drop
Stopping up
Frapping
Hanging the coil
Stowing the main
Harbour-stowing the staysail
Tiller lines
Instant lizard
Peg it down (tiller)
Tricing lines
Stanchions and Guardrails

Seamanship
Purchases - an extra part for nothing
Towing dinghies in a following sea
How to sail an anchor out
Drying out
Shift the trim – ballast
Flag etiquette
Securing a rope
Using fathoms for the chain
Swigging
Holding a stopper
Sculling
Reef combs
A bullseye aloft
Hoisting dinghy to the deck – lifting bolts/lifting power/bearing off/which way up/right way up
Offset props
Burgees
The mystery of the foretriangle. Sailing to windward
The honest Fisherman (anchor)
Bull ropes

Miscellaneous
Fiddles
Oil lamps
Thinking outside the box – empty loo roll usage
Keep awake
Using up old sawdust
Chain plates – internal and external
Idle Machinery
Christmas – oil lamps/cabin heat/roast turkey
Wale strakes
Mastheads akimbo