Paradise

Did you know that your mainsail luff and leech come under enormous loads when reefed. In heavy sailing weather, you want to make sure that your mainsail keeps in one piece without the worry of rips, tears, or hardware failure. Learn to sail like a pro with these five easy steps to make sure this doesn’t happen to you!

Concentrate on the mainsail luff to insure that your sail has enough tension to avoid damage. Think of the luff like the front part of a button up shirt. Reach behind you, grab a handful of shirt, and pull back and down.

This simulates the tension the leech places on those mainsail luff slides or slugs. In this example, those buttons will either pop off the shirt, and/or the shirt will rip or tear. Follow these easy steps to get your mainsail reefed the right way:

1. Set the topping lift (if needed) to keep the boom up off the deck. Slack off on the mainsheet and boom vang to allow the mainsail to flutter and enable you to hoist it again after reefing.

2. Release the mainsail halyard. Pull the sail down to the first or second luff reef cringle with the luff reef line. Or, if you have a reef hook on your gooseneck (also called a “rams horn”}, slide the grommet (ring) in the luff reef cringle over the horn.

3. Haul around on the mainsail halyard and raise the sail as far as possible by hand. Place 3 to 4 wraps around the mainsail halyard winch and grind to get good luff tension. You want the mainsail luff to take the most of the load, so take your time to get this right.

A picnic is one of the best ways to add excitement to any meal. Of course, if you’re looking for a truly different picnic experience, there are a number of unique ways to take your picnic to the next level. Interested? Then check out the suggestions below.

Night Picnics

As simple as it sounds. Just load up the picnic basket and set out after the sun goes down. A night picnic adds romance and excitement that can often be absent from day picnics. It’s also a great way to beat the heat during the summer. Of course, make sure to bring tiki torches or candles to illuminate your meal. Citronella candles are also helpful in fending off mosquitoes.

Water Picnics

Few things are as enjoyable as a picnic consumed while floating down a river or while in the middle of a lake. Grab a waterproof picnic backpack and fill it up with delicious food for your next boating adventure. Whether you’re yachting on the Atlantic or canoeing through a local bayou, a picnic on the water always hits the spot.

Urban Picnics

A picnic set amidst the concrete and bustle of a city is truly something special. Urban picnics can take place in a variety settings. Rooftops, balconies, and waterfronts are favorite destinations. Empty parking lots and the tops of parking garages are also cool spots to grab a bite and relax. It takes a truly creative person to create “nature” out of an urban landscape, so let loose your imagination and see where it takes you.

Winter Picnics

Just because the trees have shed their leaves doesn’t mean you have to keep the picnic basket in storage. As long as you have the proper gear and a willing companion, a winter picnic can be an unforgettable experience. A thermos full of hot cocoa or coffee will make it all the more enjoyable.

Taking a trendy weekend break means different things to different people. One thing that is common to anyone who is looking for a different experience is that they aim to enjoy a journey that is above and beyond the norm. Boutique hotels offer such an experience in locations that are not identified by a corporate logo but by tailored properties with real character. these hotels are exquisite destinations for business travellers, romantics, culture vultures, sports enthusiasts, families and casual travellers. Whether the visit is for a specific celebration such as a wedding or anniversary, or it is for an important business meeting, boutique hotels make splendid destinations for enjoyable and elegant breaks as well as professional gatherings.

When the quest is for a getaway from the routine, boutique hotels provide opportunities to experience delicious food, fine wines and the ultimate ambience for a gathering of friends, family or business associates. Many boutique hotels are designed to satisfy even the most discerning of tastes and those with a flair for hospitality and great service. Weekend breaks at unique hotels can present the perfect occasion to rest, rejuvenate and enjoy the company of those who come along to experience an atmosphere where individuals are recognized as people, not just by their room number.

Identifying a unique hotel in the UK can be an enjoyable experience by itself. Whether it is by an affiliation with other quality boutique hotels or through a recommendation, you can experience a pleasurable perusal through these eclectic hotels as you narrow down your choices to one that really grabs the attention. Whether it is perfect in terms of location or amenities, boutique hotels can provide guests with a weekend break where memories to last a lifetime are made. Many locations across the UK present private retreat settings and chic environments that grace the coastline or are placed in such a position that the stars feel close enough to touch.

Throughout Cornwall there are 40 prominent and well established golf courses, where holidaymakers and amateur golfers can ‘connect with the greens’ and enjoy a challenging round of golf with friends or opponents at anytime. Here is a selection of the top 5 golf courses to be found in West Cornwall, England that will not only suit the visitor booking a cottage in Cornwall but also the thousands of Club Members who are regularly playing and enjoying their sport.

1. Praa Sands Golf & Country Club, Penzance, Cornwall
With stunning sea-views across beautiful Mounts Bay, Praa Sands Golf Club is always pleased to welcome day visitors, society players, holidaymakers, new and regular club members to its pretty beachside course. Golfers will admire views of the sea and coast from each green on the course which also provides a deceptively challenging Par 62 for men and a Par 64 for ladies. Bar snacks and meals are available, also clubs can be hired. The course is open every day of the year and no handicap certificate is required for this course.

2. Tehidy Park Golf Club, Near Camborne, Cornwall
Tehidy Park has been an established Golf Club since 1922. It is delightful parkland course with a variety of tree-lined fairways. The course includes 3 sizeable lakes, which test the player around 3 holes, but in particular the 17th hole which is 193-yard par 3. The course can be a real test of player-skills, not only for top players, but is equally demanding for a high level of skill from top handicap golfers. As such, a handicap certificate is required.

If you are travelling by air for your next trip abroad then you may be anxious about the costs involved of doing so. Most forms of travel can be expensive but air travel tends to be the one form of travel where the most research is required, in order to save money. However you will be pleased to know that the purpose of this article is to show you some ways you can save money on your air travel and get the cheapest airfares.

One of the best ways to save money when travelling by air is to compare airline fares. You can do this using online comparison websites which will be able to find the cheapest flights. Remember Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays are usually the cheapest days to travel, as these are considered off peak times. If you are prepared to travel during the night, then this will result in even cheaper air travel.

So, remember to be flexible with the dates and times you can travel in order to secure yourself the cheapest deals.

Also if you flying to the US or within Europe, consider flying to nearby smaller cities, you will be surprised that by flying to smaller nearby airports you can make significant savings.

The next thing I would recommend is to travel as light as possible, remember that most airlines will charge you extra if you exceed their weight allowance, so you are packing to go away for your vacation, make sure that you prepare in advance, only take the essentials and question whether you really need everything in your case. Always keep in mind that the lighter you travel, the more money you save.

“Are we there yet?” “I have to go to the bathroom!” When will it be lunchtime?” “She’s touching me!” and many other comments like these are the bane of road trips for families everywhere. After all, there is something about being cooped up in a car that seems to bring out the worst. But what if rather than avoiding road trips, you found ways to make them more exciting and an enjoyable part of your vacation?

After all no matter how well behaved your kids might be, when they are “stuck” in a car for that commute along I-95, things can get dicey. To offset the questions and complaints, why not make a preemptive strike and have a plan in place to make the trip more pleasurable for all? Here are some ways to keep kids engaged and the trip more enjoyable:

• Bring some of their favorite CDs to sing along to, if you have karaoke versions these are great for not just singing the original words, but for encouraging the kids to make up their own lyrics or parodies.

• Check list- Have a list of items, locations, activities, etcetera that the kids can mark off once they see it. It could be a list of animals to see along the trip, types of cars, license plates from around the country, letters of the alphabet or anything else that will keep them watching the road and having fun.

• Memory games such as alphabet list where each person must add to the list using the next letter of the alphabet. Players take turns listing the previous words and then adding their own. For instance, A is apple, B is bell, C is car, D is dolphin, etc… To make it interesting pick a theme such as animals or a location and have each letter represent the category accordingly. For a beach trip you might use A for Atlantic Ocean, B for boogie board, C for coastline and so on.